X-Trax Trails

Boschkop MTB Park is situated just east of Silverlakes in Pretoria.

The Park offers over 15km of single track with technical features through rivers and over boardwalks and is suited for beginners & more advanced riders.

Entry is R20 per adult and R10 for children under 12.

Since its inception in 2009, the Cascades MTB Park has grown in popularity with cyclists over the years.

Having hosted the MTB World Championships on numerous occasions, this venue offers superb riding conditions in the heart of KZN and boasts a number of XCO, XCE and Downhill trails with the public able to access the trails for free.

The trails are maintained regularly thanks to the KZN MTB Commission who have taken charge of maintaining the Cascades area and the park is open all day, every day.

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.

Set in the Vredefort Dome just outside Parys is where you’ll find the Berakah Eco Trails.

The dome itself, originated from a meteorite which struck the earth and is a geological structure with a central core of granite-gneiss, surrounded by steep rock formations which forms the mountainous area.

The Berakah Eco Trails are famous for mainly 4×4 and quad bikes with some paths suitable for mountain bikes and trail running.

Distances vary with a choice of 6km to 14km routes set in jeep track and rocky terrain with maps available at reception.

Bookings are essential and fees are R30 per bicycle with accommodation available.

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 Dunkeld Country Estate is just three hours outside of Johannesburg and is found just behind the picturesque town of Dullstroom, offering outdoor enthusiasts 36km of manmade trails which encompass numerous bridges and streams stretching over vast areas of prime country side on single track paths.

The Estate is situated at 2076m above sea level which is great for those cyclists looking to train at high altitudes.

There are three trails to choose from, the 8km Blue Forest Trail which is a scenic route traversing over single track and is set within the highest point in the Estate at 2080 meters above sea level.

The 15km Orange Mountain Trail is aimed at the intermediate to advanced riders and is a tough route with some steep climbs and gnarly descents with a great mix of single track and bridge crossings.

The 13km Green Trout Trail features a few water crossings and some beautiful forest terrain with some fast and furious sections.

The Estate also offers visitors an array of other activities which include fly fishing, clay pigeon shooting, archery, horseback riding and bird watching.

Mankele, established in 2007 and situated in the heart of Mpumalanga boasts a variety of outdoor activities for the whole family.

There are a variety of well marked trails to suit all fitness levels, the Adventure zone is a 2.4km flat track, 5km Blue Route suited to beginners, 4.5km Pink Route for the intermediate rider, 8.5km  Orange Route which is technical and used for Nationals Cross Country, 20km Green Route which is moderate to hard, 1.8km Black Route, 35km Red Route which extends off the Green Route, 55km Purple Route which is for the advanced riders, 1.8km Down Hill not for the average rider and Black Dot Routes along the way.

Other attractions other than accomodation include rafting and paintball.

Mankele is open seven days a week from 6:30am to 6pm, with a strict no helmet no ride policy

Situated between Knysna and Plett you’ll find Harkerville forest.

There are four circular routes available which are perfect for some recreational mountain biking, the 14km Yellow Route featuring gravelled service roads, the 12 km Blue Route featuring forest slip paths and single track, the 15km Green Route and the 24km Red Route.

All four routes start and finish at the Garden of Eden and permits are required which are obtainable from the Garden of Eden Kiosk or Kranshoek Road Gate.

If you’re looking for some of the best flowing, fairly non technical singletrack just outside of East London, hand built by a passionate mountain biker, then 3 Silo’s MTB Park is the place for you.

Cyclists get to choose between three main trail options, the 20.5km Red Route and 18km Blue Route which include some technical sections and climbs and the milder 10.7km Yellow route.

You can look forward to terrain that includes singletrack, floating and wooden bridges, switchbacks, climbs and some stream crossings.

And not forgetting the kiddies, they get to go wild on the kiddies 7.5km Green Route which include shorten options of 2km’s and 4km’s and comprises of singletrack with mild climbs as well as a 80m floating pallet bridge on the 7.5km route.

The trails are also open to trail runners and walkers with a café on premises open from Wednesday to Sundays, 7:30am to 5:30pm.

The trails are open all day everyday throughout the year, with entry fee being R20 on the weekend and R10 during the week via honesty box.

GPS: S32°54’21.0”/ E27°52’10.0”

Oak Valley offers three various trails, the 14km Blue Route for the family, 24km Red Route for strong riders and 32km Black route for the more advanced riders.

The trails are mainly singletrack with bridges over farm fences and streams.

The daily rate is R40 per adult and R30 for kids and is open all year round.

Other features include The Pool Room which has a restaurant, wine tasting area and deli located 500m from the start of the trails.

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.

Open to the public for more than thirty seven years, the privately owned Mountain Sanctuary Park is nestled in the Magaliesberg Mountains.

There is a 12km bike trails for MTB enthusiasts to tackle, with this specific trail forming part of the Magalies Monster race and is not for the faint hearted.

Cyclists can also take advantage of some of the other dirt roads with terrain ranging from easy like the Barnardsvlei Road to seriously physical such as the Breed’s Neck Mountain Pass

Other attractions include a braai and picnic facility as well as nature walks and walking trails.

Day visitors are welcome but bookings are essential as there are a limited number of guests allowed in the park daily.

Day visitors entry fee: Per person – R100; Children under 12 – R60

Camp Shaka MTB trails has various trail options available from 7km to 35km.

The terrain varies from dirt road, tar road and jeep track and is graded as a moderate ride.

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.

Just a few minutes outside of Silverlakes is Rosemary Hills Farm.

The venue offers mountain bike riders three trail options, the 6km, 10km and 27km through beautiful rosemary fields, past dams and across streams.

The courses include forests, bridges, ruins, floating bridges across dams and drop-offs.

The latest edition to their venue is the 1km toddler trail which is free for children under the age of 6.

Entrance is R30 per adult and R15 per child.

This venue also has a coffee shop on site and kiddies play.

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.

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.

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.