EPIC South Africa ~ Rebooted

The ‘Epic’ tour was planned and designed over 18 days in its original format. The 18 days did include a rest day and a few shorter days but did prove to have a few too many longer days.
In its revamped guise it covers the same ground but with several more relaxed days, half rest days if you will, which makes for a more relaxed ride with more time to enjoy our overnight locations.
The tour itself melds the ‘Southern Spear’ tour over 12 days and the Cape Conquest tour over 9 days together along with a few additional spots along the way. Three weeks is a long tour and not for all riders. Some prefer shorter tours which allow them to make best use of their vacation time.
However, for those who are retired or indeed not subject to ‘leave’ constraints… it is EPIC!!!
In a nutshell the tour will include much of the best scenery with ever changing landscapes and climactic conditions which is a hallmark of riding a motorcycle through South Africa. From the dry arid Great Karoo (Valley of Desolation) to the Mediterranean Vineyards and fruit farming hub of the Fairest Cape, then up through indigenous foliage along the much vaunted ‘Garden Route’, closely followed through ‘Hogsback’ high up in the Amatola Mountains. ‘Hogs’, as it is affectionately called, is a magical place dropped into the middle of stunning indigenous forest with stunning wildlife. Legend and fact has it that this was the place which inspired much of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Visiting Hogsback, you will notice a common theme, many of the accommodation and restaurants in town have names like Hobbiton, Rivendell and The Shire. A tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien with whom this town is popularly thought to be connected. AS a child it is said that the family nanny, who was from the area, would entertain him and his brothers with fantastical stories about creatures who lived in the Amatola Mountains. Irrespective, this village, often shrouded in mist, is both remote and stunningly beautiful, like stepping into a veritable ‘middle earth’.
The ‘Wild Coast’ is a leisurely day’s ride away with tropical forests welcoming the rider as you descend from the mountains and down to the warm Indian Ocean. Heading further we visit Oribi Gorge (a Canyon more than a gorge) and up through the heart of the Zulu People (Zululand) and stunning iSimangaliso Wetlands (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). After a day or R&R, the tour heads through eSwatini (Swaziland) otherwise referred to ‘Switzerland in Africa’ and on to the iconic ‘Kruger National Park’ (Big 5 Game and much more) with a night spent in Hazyview. The next day riders will rise early, long before sunrise and spend the morning seeking out the Big5 and much more on a Big Game Drive. A few days will then cap off the tour with a few days exploring the superb roads in the ‘Lowveld’.
Aaah yes, almost forgot to mention, early in the tour we trace windy roads through Lesotho, a mountainous Kingdom oft referred to as ‘The Roof of Africa. Interesting fact is that Lesotho offers an extremely high average altitude. Lowest point is 1,400 MSL and highest peak is 3,500 MSL. The even better news is that some of the best asphalt roads twist through the mountains and reach well over 3,000 MSL in places.
October 2024 tour will be from Johannesburg to Johannesburg with a few nights spent in Cape Town. A few shorter days will be enjoyed along with a full rest day two nights in the Wetlands.
Please feel free to request a quotation for this ride it will be ‘Epic’ for sure.