TRAIL DESTINATION > Magoebaskloof Pass Road back to Hotel
DISTANCE > 18km return ride
GRADING > Difficult to Extreme
There are hordes of road rides in the area. The most infamous is the Magoebaskloof Challenge, an organized ride held in May each year. If you want to try it on your own, here’s how :-
Start at the Magoebaskloof Hotel which has been rebuilt after being destroyed by fire in 2003. Ride 11 undulating kilometers towards Haenertsburg and then turn left onto the R528 Georges Valley Road. This takes you up around the top of the Ebenezer dam, one of the most picturesque mountain reservoirs in the country. A fast 15 km plunge down Georges Valley will increase your average speed, heart rate and insurance premiums. Riders boast of doing speeds in excess of 90 km/h on this section. Another 15 km of undulating road gets you to the outskirts of the town of Tzaneen. Turn left onto the R36 which will carry you over the Tzaneen dam for 4 km. then turn left again onto the R71. You will pass through manicured tea plantations and past the Magoebaskloof dam to within 6 km of your starting point. There is a catch, however. Those last 6km take you from around 800 m to 1,400 m above sea level. Hence the name “Magoebaskloof Challenge”. Remember to put sunblock on the back of your eyeballs!! Most of this route is reasonably safe riding. The lower 15km of Georges Valley must be ridden single file and well to the left.
Contact Details
- Email: gray@tzaneen.co.za
- Phone: 083 303 1555
- Website: www.mtbroutes.co.za
