MCi TOURS MOTORCYCLE HOLIDAYS WORLDWIDE

2020 Departure Dates

Please call to check availability before booking your flight.  We are also running this tour starting on  25 October 2020 - see tour F2003

To see our brief tour video please click here

Our Grand South Africa Motorcycle Tour starts in Johannesburg, the beating financial heart of Africa, and ends 13 days later with a triumphal entry into the Mother City, Cape Town. After collecting your motorcycle you will travel east to the province of  Mpumalanga, meaning "Place of the Rising Sun".  You will enjoy a full day's safari through the iconic Kruger National Park, covering some of the 21,500 square kilometres, in search of the "Big Five".  Your ride includes the Panorama Route, with natural wonders such as the Blyde River Canyon, God's Window and the potholes at Bourke's Luck. You explore the historic mining town of Pilgrim's Rest before heading south across the rolling hills of Mpumalanga to the Eswatini border for a one night stay in this tiny monarchy.  The Kingdom of Eswatini is the offical new name of what used to be known as Swaziland.  

Lake St Lucia, a World Heritage Site, welcomes you to KwaZulu-Natal and the Zulu Kingdom.  From the coastal plains you head for the Southern Drakensberg.  Here you can relax for two nights with an optional 4x4 tour of Sani Pass which ascends the mountains breifly entering Lesotho.  This is not for the faint-hearted!  The majestic mountain range with its awe-inspiring basalt cliffs - dubbed the Drakensberge (Dragon Mountains) by the early Dutch Pioneers and uKhalamba (Barrier of Spears) by the Zulus - is another of South Africa's listed World Heritage Sites.  You continue south into Eastern Cape province through the region formerly called Transkei.  This is where many of the Xhosa people have their ancestral roots including Nelson Mandela who was born and grew up here.  You will ride past his home en route to Cinsta on the rugged Wild Coast where we spend the night before riding into East London.  From here you will follow the R72 to Port Elizabeth, where we briefly visit the Addo region before heading to Knysna.  Effectively the capital of the Garden Route, Knysna serves as a hub for an exciting network of activities.  You continue along the Outeniqua Mountains and cross into the semi-desert Karoo region.  A motorcycle offers probably the best way to appreciate the stark beauty of this stark, sometimes unforgiving, terrain.

Your next stop is Oudtshoorn, ostrich capital of the world, where you visit the Cango Caves and a working ostrich farm.  Then to Cape Town along Route 62, stopping briefly at Ronnie's Sex Shop (so-called - it sells plenty of beer, but no sex).  You ride through the Breede River Wine Region to the Cape Winelands.  We spend the tour's last days in Cape Town, the Mother City, enjoying the many treasures of the Cape Peninsula.

This Grand South Africa Motorcycle Tour covers some of the best routes in South Africa, in just 14 days.  The thrill is immediate, but you're left with a lifetime of memories to share.

Distance to be covered: Total 3810km, approximately 350km per day    Paved roads only

Day 1 - Johannesburg - Pretoria  Upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport Johannesburg you will be met and transferred to Pretoria for your overnight stay.

Day 2  - Pretoria - Sabie: 330kms  Your motorcycle/s will be delivered to your hotel and after breakfast you will commence your exciting journey.  After some time on the motorway you will enjoy rural roads along the northernmost slopes of the Drakensberg Mountains before spending the night in the provice of Mpumalanga near the start of the famous Panorama Route.

Day 3 - Sabie - Hazyview: 300kms  After an early breakfast you will travel along the Panorama Route and the Long Tom Pass as we travel to the edge of Kruger National Park for a two night stay.

Day 4 - Hazyview  0km  An early start for an exciting full day safari in Kruger National Park - it is worth getting up for!  The aim is to have fun and try and spot the "Big 5".  You will explore the southern regions of the park in an open safari vehicle and be in the hands of an experienced field guide.

Day 5 - Hazyview - Swaziland: 300kms  After breakfast you will travel to the Swazi border and enter E'Sawatini (formerly called Swaziland).  The landscape changes dramatically and becomes more mountainous and you will pass communities that depend on subsistence farming.  This rustic life gives a taste of real African experience.  Continuing through this small kingdom you head towards the capital Mbabane where you will stay on the outskirts.  You have the opportunity to visit a village and enjoy a cultural show and learn more about Swazi culture.

Day 6 - Swaziland - St Lucia: 360kms  Some riding along the back roads of E'Swatini this morning before re-entering South Africa where you will travel along the N2 towards St Lucia, surrounded by the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, which is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Time permitting there is a boat ride to explore the estuary and it surroudings.

Day 7 - St Lucia - Underberg: 460kms  An enjoyable ride in the saddle today as you follow the KwaZulu-Natal coastline southwards making your way to the Drakensberg Mountains with its sweeping curves and endless views.  

Day 8 - A day at leisure.  Not for the fainthearted is an optional 4x4 ride along the stunning Sani Pass and a visit to Lesotho.

Day 9 - Underberg - Cintsa: 500kms  A tour hightlight today riding along the foothills of the Southern Drakensberg region with wide, wide open spaces.  You will ride the N2 heading to Mthatha to enter the Transkei.  This is the heartland of the Xhosa people and is often called Mandela country as Mandela was born here at Mvezo.  Continuing further on the N2 to Chintsa on the Wild Coast.

Day 10 - Cinstsa - Colchester (Addo): 380km  Passing East London today and joining the R72 coastal route passing peaceful coastal villages and rural Xhosa settlements as you make your way to Colchester near Port Elizabeth.  Optional visit to Addo Elephant National Park or afternoon at leisure.

Day 11 - Colchester - Knysna: 300kms  Travelling on the N2 towards Port Elizabeth this morning you will pass the outskirts of the city and join the well known Garden Route.  You will make a stop in the Tsitsikamma Coastal Park before heading to the famous bungee jump at Bloukans Bridge, and Plettenburg Bay before arriving in Knysna for our overnight stay.

Day 12 - Knysna - Oudtshoorn: 200kms  Picture postcard views today with views of the Southern Cape coastline and the Outeniqua Mountains to enter the Klein Karoo region.  The Outeniqua Pass with ideal sweeping curves is a favourite with local riders.  Continuing towards Oudtshoorn with time on the Route 328 before a visit to Cango Caves and an ostrich farm.  

Day 13 - Oudtshoorn - CapeTown: 480kms  A journey today through the heartland of the Klein Karoo on the way to Cape Town along the famour Route 62.  Time permitting you will ride the Franschhoek Pass bfore descending into the Cape Winelands and onwards towards Cape Town where Table Mountain welcomes you in the distance.

Day 14 - Cape Town: 200kms  A lovely last day today as you ride away from the city along the False Bay coastline towards Simons Town along the popular Peninsula Route.  There will be stops at Boulders Beach to see the penguins, Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope.  The afternoon is spent travelling along the scenic Atlantic seabord and weather permitting the day ends with a cable ride up Table Mountain.

Day 15 - Time for last minute shopping in the Mother City before your airport transfer.  Or you can of course add extra nights to your stay in this wonderful city.

Proud partner in the 2019/20 Rhino Ride awareness campaign, supporting conservation efforts across Southern Africa.

For further information on this tour request our Fact Sheet via our Contacts Page   CLICK HERE.