Upington Kalahari Gateway Gravel Ride

🏔️ TRAIL CONDITIONS TODAY

Updated 2 hours ago · 🗺️ Northern Cape (province average)

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17°C

Partly cloudy · Good riding

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Marginal — Rideable

Overcast with 0% chance of rain — likely dry but keep an eye on the forecast.

💧 Precipitation 0%

💦 Humidity 48%

💨 Wind 15 km/h

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Upington is the urban hub of the Green Kalahari — a prosperous river town of 100,000 people built entirely on the improbable fertility of the Orange River in the Northern Cape desert. The N14 between Upington and Augrabies follows the river through the most productive date palm and grape region in South Africa, and the 50km gravel and tar road ride from Upington to Keimoes is a revelation: flat, scenic, and lined with river islands (the Orange River here divides around dozens of tree-covered sand islands), date palm plantations, vineyards and the constant presence of the river itself.

Keimoes

Keimoes is the midpoint destination — a small town famous for its date palm plantations, the island chapel of the Keimoes Mission (accessible by a small footbridge to a river island in the Orange), and the extraordinary contrast between the lush riverine vegetation and the bare Kalahari dunes visible on the horizon. The Orange River Cellars near Keimoes is one of the largest wine cooperatives in the world and an interesting mid-ride stop.

Spitskop Nature Reserve

The Spitskop Nature Reserve just outside Upington provides a different kind of riding — a 12km circuit through a small game reserve around the dramatic granite koppie that gives it its name, with gemsbok, kudu and springbok visible from the gravel reserve roads. Good birdwatching throughout. An ideal warm-up or cool-down ride before or after the longer river journey.

Getting There

Upington is accessible by domestic flight (from Johannesburg, 1h20) or by N14 from Cape Town (860km) or N12/N14 from Johannesburg (800km). GPS: -28.4478, 21.2561. Upington Tourism: +27 54 332 6064.

Trail Overview

📍 Location	Upington, Green Kalahari, Northern Cape
📏 Total Distance	50km of trails
⚡ Difficulty	Easy to Moderate
🚵 Discipline	Gravel
🛤️ Trail Type	Gravel Road, Game Reserve Road
🪨 Surface	Flat Orange River valley gravel and tar roads — some Kalahari dune tracks on northern extension — low traffic throughout
🕐 Opening Hours	Upington city facilities (full — restaurants, accommodation, hospital, shops),Spitskop Nature Reserve (just outside Upington — game viewing),Kalahari-Oranje Wine Cooperative and Orange River Cellars (en-route on Keimoes road),Keimoes (50km — date palm plantations, river islands, island chapel)
🏘️ Nearest Town	The Green Kalahari’s cycling gateway — 50km of flat, accessible Orange River gravel riding from Upington to Keimoes through date palm plantations, river islands and the Kalahari wine country. Combined with the Spitskop Nature Reserve loop and north Kalahari dune exploration, Upington is the Northern Cape’s most accessible cycling base.

Trail Listings

Trail Name	Distance	Difficulty
Spitskop Nature Reserve Loop	12km	Easy-Moderate (Spitskop granite koppie reserve just outside Upington — circular game reserve road — gemsbok, kudu, springbok — good birdwatching)
Upington to Keimoes Orange River Ride	50km	Moderate (along the N14 and quiet gravel roads beside the Orange River to Keimoes with its renowned date palms and river islands — flat and scenic)
Kalahari Red Dunes Ride	varies	Moderate-Difficult (north from Upington on gravel toward the red dune corridor — Kalahari red sand terrain — more exposed and demanding)

Permits & Costs

Cost: Spitskop entry: enquire at Upington Tourism (+27 54 332 6064) for current fee. N14 and gravel road routes: no permit.
Where to buy: Year-round during daylight. Best April-September. Spitskop gates: daylight hours.