Kimberley Diamond Fields Gravel Loop
The Diamond Fields Gravel Loop extends the Kimberley riding experience from the city’s heritage streets into the broader Karoo landscape that surrounds it — flat, accessible gravel road cycling through terrain that carries an extraordinary density of historical significance for a landscape that appears, on the surface, to be simply empty plains.
The Route
The 60km loop heads south and west from Kimberley on low-traffic gravel farm roads, passing the Magersfontein Battlefield — where on the night of 10-11 December 1899, General Methuen’s British column marching to relieve the Siege of Kimberley was ambushed by Koos de la Rey’s Boer commandos in one of the costliest British defeats of the Anglo-Boer War. The battlefield is a sobering and atmospheric stop on a gravel ride through this landscape. From Magersfontein, the loop continues toward the Modder River and back north, passing the remarkable Kamfers Dam on the return — a shallow pan just north of Kimberley that is home to one of the largest inland flamingo breeding colonies in Africa, with tens of thousands of lesser and greater flamingoes resident throughout the year.
Getting There
Start from Kimberley CBD — GPS: -28.7281, 24.7499. Download a Wikiloc or Komoot GPX track for the route before departing. Kimberley Tourism: +27 53 830 4117.
Trail Overview
| 📍 Location | Kimberley, Diamond Fields, Northern Cape |
| 📏 Total Distance | 60km of trails |
| ⚡ Difficulty | Moderate |
| 🚵 Discipline | Gravel |
| 🛤️ Trail Type | Gravel Farm Road |
| 🪨 Surface | Compacted Karoo gravel and farm roads — flat to gently undulating Diamond Fields terrain — low traffic |
| 🕐 Opening Hours | Kimberley accommodation and restaurants (full city facilities),Magersfontein Battlefield Museum (en-route — Anglo-Boer War heritage site),Kamfers Dam (Flamingo sanctuary — largest flamingo breeding colony inland in Africa),Bultfontein Mine (active diamond mine — external viewing only) |
| 🏘️ Nearest Town | A 60km gravel loop through the historically loaded Diamond Fields landscape — past the Magersfontein Anglo-Boer War battlefield, the Kamfers Dam flamingo colony (largest inland breeding colony in Africa) and the Bultfontein diamond mine on the flat Karoo plains around Kimberley. |
Trail Listings
| Trail Name | Distance | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Diamond Fields Loop | 60km | Moderate (from Kimberley — gravel roads through surrounding Karoo farmland — Magersfontein Battlefield, Modder River — returns through Kamfers Dam flamingo area) |
| Bultfontein Mine Extension | varies | Easy (informal — from Kimberley south to the active Bultfontein diamond mine area — flat gravel — historical mining landscapes) |
Permits & Costs
- Cost: Free — public gravel road network.
- Where to buy: Year-round during daylight. Best April to September.
Amenities & Facilities
- April to September. Avoid midsummer heat.
Contact & Getting There
- Address: Kimberley, Diamond Fields, Northern Cape
- GPS: -28.7281, 24.7499
- Phone: +27 53 830 4117
- Email: info@kimberley.co.za
- Website: https://www.experiencenortherncape.com
Best Time to Ride: Kimberley (base) | Cape Town (960km) | Johannesburg (480km)
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