The Attaquaskloof Ox Wagon Route situated in the Western Province is a must for serious MTB riders.
There are two route options you can choose from, a 35km and 120km circular route which both start at Bonniedale Farm.
The terrain varies from mountain fynbos, steep climbs and precarious downhill stretches on both single and jeep tracks.
This 34km route is for the intermediate rider, with a 17km ascend on gravel zigzagging roads to the top of the mountain.
Guests can do this route for free but day visitors need to make prior arrangements.
Other activities include bird watching and hiking.
Tranquilitas features a number of single track MTB trails that will accommodate the skill set of any rider.
The trails have been designed to be fast, flowing and include views of various landmarks and historical sites in the area.
The climbs on the route are designed to be smooth and follow the contours of the landscape resulting in quick elevation gain.
Virginia Trails is located on the Virginia Farm in Eston, KwaZulu Natal which is halfway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
MTB enthusiasts can expect some great purpose built single track found along the 80km of farm trails, designed to be fast and free flowing with a few technical sections along the way.
The terrain on each route varies and includes a great mix of sugar cane fields, grasslands, deep valleys, streams and dams with the whole trail network consisting of a East, West and North Loop which can be combined to form a number of varying routes, allowing riders the freedom to select their own route options and distances.
The standard route options include a 2km Blue Route and 2.5km Pink Route which is ideal for kids, the 8km West Green Route, the 12km East Green Route and the 28km North Green Route .
The trails are also used by hikers, there are shower, changing facilities and a small coffee shop on premises as well as a braai area, with accommodation packages available to those wanting to incorporate a visit to the Virginia Trails as part of getaway.
Trail usage bookings are essential via bookings@virginiafarm.co.za , and are open in the Summer from 6am to 6pm and during Winter from 7am to 5pm.
Daily rates are R45 per adult, R30 for Students and Pensioners and R20 for children under the age of 12 which covers the use of the trails, a bike wash and sage of the ablution facilities and braai area.
B’sorah MTB Trails is spread out on one thousand six hundred hectares of game and cattle farm, situated between Hartbeespoortdam and Krugersdorp, an hour away from the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The 22km route is made up of challenging climbs and downhill strips, jeep tracks and some technical aspects with turn-offs for shorter distances along the way. Cyclists can also purchase their own route map and create or extend your own route.
Other attractions to B’sorah Trails also include a variety of running and hiking trails, picnic areas and various accommodation offers on site.
Entry is R25 per person per day.
Central Park Bike Trails is situated in Modderfontein Reserve and are maintained by Two The Core Events, who are also responsible for the planning and cutting of new trails and offers cyclists looking to test their skills on some unique tracks, the ideal destination to do just that.
There are four main routes for cyclists to explore, the 10km Orange Route which consists of mainly Jeep Track with some climbs along the way and no overly technical sections, the 20km Green Route which has a combination of Jeep and Single Track traversing up a few mild climbs, the 30km Yellow Route which is mostly Single Track with some Jeep Track and fun technical sections and the 40km Red Route which mimics the Yellow Route but also boasts a ton of rocks, drop-offs and tight corners.
For those riders looking for more of a challenge, they can try their luck on the Klondike Section / Black Route which is an extra 4km loop with tons of technical sections, rocks, drop-offs and tight corners – not for the faint hearted.
All of the trails loop back to each other so riders can choose to shorten their ride.
Visitors to the reserve are also able to use the picnic area located at the Fish Eagle Dam where fishing is permitted on a catch and release basis.
The operating times are Tuesday to Sunday from 6am to 6pm with the park remaining open on a Wednesday evening until 10pm for Night Riding.
Sani Spoors, located in Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal, is home to a bunch of farmers who are passionate about mountain biking and came together to create a system of trails on the working farms, which catered for all skill levels known today as Sani Spoors.
Sani Spoors have seven tracks that visitors can challenge themselves on, the 17km Rainbow/Khotos Clamber which has minimal climbing but a few technical sections, the 7km Mzimkulu Run which has no ascent and is a flat and gentle ride, the 10km Milk Run which is made up of mostly pine forest and single track with a couple of climbs and rocky sections, the 17km Jackal Jol which has been compared to the Milk Run but has a few more climbs, the 3.3km Intshitshi Spoor which is a flat and gentle ride along the river, the 17km Heaven and Hell trail which boasts some of the most spectacular views with a few testing climbs and exhilarating downhill forest single track and lastly the gruelling 32km Ekhutuleni Elevation which is the most technical and exhilarating of all the trails.
All of the trails start at the Olde Duck restaurant on the Drakensberg Garden Road with a strict no helmet no ride policy.
Visitors can also opt to take on a trail running route, try the fine food and beverages on sale at the Olde Duck Restaurant while the kids feed the animals in the animal farm or try their hand at the specially created kiddies track.
All visitors need to fill in the required indemnity forms and pay the relevant fees at the Vanilla Rose gift shop which is on the same premises as Sani Spoors and the Olde Duck.
Daily fees are R45 per person, R135 per week or R450 for Annual Subs.
Hopewell Trails is located in the Hopewell Conservation Estate just outside Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.
The trails consist of 5km, 12km and 35km routes that take visitors through a variety of biomes that range from different types of grassy fynbos to valley bushveld in the kloofs and northern section of the property.
Hopewell Trails is a good fitness tester and has an intermediate grading.
The Trails are open on Friday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s from 7am to 5pm and during weekdays by appointment.
The Vlei Park MTB Trail is situated in Rietvlei and boasts an array of trails suitable to all levels of riding expertise.
You will find colour coded trails from the 4km Yellow trail for beginners, an 11km circular Jeep/Single/Forest track all amalgamated for the more intermediate riders and lastly, the blue and black trails which are for the more advanced riders.
The venue also has a day picnic facility and caters for various functions from birthdays to team-buildings.
A single ride entry is R25, Multi entry (10) is R150 and Annual Loyalty Membership is R960.
The Big Red Barn situated minutes from Centurion is a mountain biker’s haven with a variety of trails with varying lengths to choose from.
There is 27km “Blast off” trail for the more experienced riders, a 16km “Easy Rider” trail suitable for beginners, 12km fast free flowing trail and even a 4.2km suitable for children under adult supervision.
Other family activities available at the Red Barn include Acrobranch and trail runs with a restaurant and picnic spots available on site.
Tickets for adults are R45pp and R25 for kids under the age of 12. There are also MTB guides available for hire.
Groenkloof Nature Reserve is situated in the Fountains Valley which is just 5km outside of Pretoria and offers visitors the chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of busy city life by offering an array of outdoor activities which includes mountain biking.
The reserve itself was established by Paul Kruger in 1895 to protect game and wildlife from poachers and is South Africa’s first nature sanctuary.
All of the MTB trails are well marked, offering cyclists a unique ride on single and jeep track with a few technical points thanks to the overall rocky terrain, with riders being able to choose various route options on subsequent loops.
The terrain is a varying mix of single track, jeep track , bridge and river crossings, steep ascents and rocky climbs dependant on the riders choice of route and may include encounters with wildlife in the park.
Other activities visitors can choose to take part in at the reserve include horse, hiking and 4×4 trails as well as guided safaris through the park, picnic and braai areas.
Groenkloof Nature Reserve is open in the Summer months (Sep- Apr) from 5:30am to 7pm and during Winter (May-Aug) from 7am to 6pm and is located on the corner of Eeufees Road & Christina De Wit Ave in Pretoria.
Admission – R35 for adults; R20 for children aged 7 to 17 and R10 for children younger than 7.
Situated perfectly between Centurion and Johannesburg, Northern Farm is a mountain bikers dream location, with varying terrain suitable for all fitness levels and for the whole family based in a safe environment.
The MTB Routes have been established on an actual working farm that spans more than 2500 hectares, with animals and farm vehicles having the right of way.
Cyclists have four main routes to choose from here, the 12km Green Route which is classified as relatively easy over farm roads, the 22km Blue Route which has a nice mix of farm roads, single track and easy obstacles for the beginner rider, the 34km Red Route which is suited to the intermediate rider and has a mix of single track and obstacles and the 62km Black Route which has a few technical sections and obstacles laden on single track, suitable for the intermediate rider.
The kiddies also have their own 8km Pink Route which is set on farm roads with all routes clearly marked.
On completion of your ride, you can take advantage of the onsite coffee shop while you have your bike washed or try to identify some of the 270 recorded bird species found in the Diepsloot Nature Reserve.
The farm is open on weekends and public holidays from 6:30am to 5:30pm from May to August and 6am to 6pm from September to April.
Cyclists are required to purchase entry tickets on arrival to the farm at R40 per person.
3Rivers Trails consist of a network of trails in the Thornhill area of the Eastern Cape. Each location features between three and six routes.
The MTB track found at Bass Lake Adventures is set in the seventy five hectare estate, on the 4×4 trail.
The 9km track boasts very technical sections, laden with a wide range of obstacles and can be extended by backtracking over certain areas.
The site is demarcated with information pointer boards with maps available at the Outdoor shop.
Visitors to Bass Lake Adventures can also look forward to the coffe shop on premises, try their hand at some of the other adventure activities on offer including archery and scuba diving, or take advantage at their accomodation offers.
Located in the heart of Gauteng is the PwC Bike Park, one of the first international standard cycle parks in Gauteng.
There is something for the whole family from a tarred kids track for the littlies, junior mountain bike trail, pump track or multi tiered BMX track to four main trails for the older riders.
The Green Circle track is easy flowing, incorporating both single and jeep track and is perfect for new riders, the Blue Square track is faster and is more suited towards the intermediate rider with technical sections, the Black Diamond track is fast and challenging – perfect for the more experienced rider and the Double Black Diamond Track is laden with fast, dangerous single track suitable for the expert or professional cycling category.
The park has a number of Mountain Bikes, BMX’s and Kids Straddle Bikes available for hire, picnic spots and braai facilities on site, running trails as well as a jungle gym and jumping castle also available for the kids.
Fees are R20 for riders under five, R50 for riders under 12, R60 for riders under 18 and R75 for adult riders.
The park is open from Monday to Sunday, 6am to 6pm.
The Bottelary Hills MTB route runs over 20 farms in the Bottelary Hills Renosterveld Conservancy area just outside Stellenbosch. Funds from the MTB route are used to fund the conservancy.
There are five route options to choose from, The Red route which is 18.5km and is a medium to challenging ride with mainly jeep track and farm roads, the Yellow loop which is 6.5km and is graded easy to moderate,consisting of farm roads and single track, the Purple route which is 9.2km graded easy to moderate with mostly farm roads through vineyards, the 13km Green loop consisting of jeep track and farm roads and lastly the Orange 9.7km loop, ideal for beginners and consisting of jeep track and farm roads.
Day fees are applicable and available from the various starting points.
The Garden Route Trail Park is open from dawn till dusk and is nestled at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains and the Karatara River Gorge.
Their carefully designed routes provide riders of all levels with a great supply of adrenalin and amazing views.
There are more than 20km of hand built singletrack with flowing turns, rollers, and river crossings.
Distances include 14km, 12km, and 8km.
There are trail bikes for hire from R350 for half-day and R500 for full-day.
The Giba Gorge MTB Park situated in Westmead KZN has over 30km of main trails which link up with another 10km of alternative routes.
There are 5 main trails, the Blue Route which is 16.3km, the 10.7km Green Route, the 4.6km Purple Route, the 1km Enduro Trail and the 1km Downhill Trail.
All of the trails (except the purple route) offer technical aspects with rocks, roots, drops and tight switch backs.
Other family offerings available at the Giba Gorge MTB Park is the Giba Café, picnic spots, BMX track and trails for runners.
The J-bay bike park just outside of Jeffrey’s Bay caters for all level of riders.
There are six various routes to choose from, Route 1 is 1.5km, Route 2 is 4.9km, Route 3 is 8km, Route 4 is 8km, Route 5 is 1.2km and Route 6 is 2.8km.
Entrance is R40 per person and kids under 12 are free, open seven days a week, except during wet weather.
Other activities also include trails, jungle gyms and trampolines.
The Lebanon Mountain Bike Trails based in Cape Town, offer a great feature mix and are suitable for mountain bikers of any experience level.
There are four routes to choose from,the 7.3km Yellow Trail, the 10.1km Green Trail, the 17.1km Blue Trail and the 23.6km Red Trail.
The trails are open from 7am to 7pm, with permits essential and available for R25 per rider.
There are also shower and braai facilities available to cyclists.
This dirt road MTB trail which is the only road between Rustenburg and Hartbeespoort, is set in the magificent Magaliesberg countryside.
Cyclists can take advantage of a 50km plus distance ride starting from the Hekpoort Petrol Station or tryout the 10km trail from Sugarbush Hill Cottages.
The grading is intermediate to difficult, with riders choosing to use this route in training for the cycling events like the Magalies Monster – you can also pre plan your ride options by referring to the Automobile Association’s Magaliesberg Map.
Other attractions include Sugarbush Hill hiking trails and a multitude of restaurants and shops to browse through and relax in.
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