South Africa’s temperate climate makes it an ideal holiday destination for an energetic break involving walking, hiking or cycling. Any of these activities will enable you to approach your itinerary with a different view, and you will be able to see and experience things that you may otherwise not have been able to. Whilst walking or hiking are admirable ways to travel, sometimes it’s just not practical to take so long to cover so little distance! That’s where riding a bike can come into its own: not only will you be out in the great outdoors experiencing the real South Africa, you will also be able to eat up the miles a lot easier while still being able to enjoy the scenery – perfect.

The Cape Winelands
The stunning winelands town of Paarl has a great network of cycle paths which radiate from its centre and are suitable for cyclists of all ages and abilities. You can simply stick to the picturesque tree-lined streets in town, or venture out along paths through lush vineyards; stopping to sample the vintages along the way. The Cape Winelands are the true jewel in South Africa’s crown and you can cycle gentle, undulating country paths interspersed with picture-perfect villages and historic country estates. This region is ideal for packing a picnic lunch on your panniers, picking up a bottle of local wine and exploring at your own pace.

Hogsback – the Eastern Cape
By bike is far and away the best way to experience the breathtaking scenery in this region. You can hire either mountain bikes or normal cycles depending on how energetic you want to be and there is a huge network of tracks to head out to. Some trails you may want to attempt are the gentler (and shorter) Holy Cyrus Loop at 8km; the medium length Deodar Loop and Madonna Loop, at 14km and 22km respectively; and for the very experienced and super fit, the Complete Trail at a thigh-wobbling 28km. This last one certainly requires dedication but, if tackled, is bound to be the highlight of your South African cycling adventure.

Soweto Town Tour
For those who prefer to stick to the more urban routes, you can’t beat a day tour around Soweto by cycle. Join one of the professional tour companies or buy a map and strike out on your own! You can set a leisurely pace as you cycle by Nelson Mandela’s and Bishop Tutu’s houses (both in South Africa’s most notable residential street, Vilakazi Street); or take a breather at the fascinating Hector Pieterson Museum. If you take a professional tour, you will be picked up and dropped off at your hotel and offered a running commentary along the way; but if you prefer to go solo, it’s a reasonably easy city to navigate and you’ll find it hard to get lost if you follow the landmarks.

There are many other cycle paths around the cities and regions of South Africa, and the country has a wonderful infrastructure in place to cater to cyclists of all abilities. If you are heading out on your own however, it is advisable to ask around before setting off, as many of the roads can be treacherous in terms of traffic. But use your common sense, wear a helmet and experience the best of South Africa on your bike.

Rachel Hill is a Southern Africa Travel specialist, a company specialising in luxury, tailor-made South Africa holidays, as well as holidays to other destinations in Southern Africa. Our experienced consultants will help you design your very own luxury South Africa holiday, and will be happy to provide you with a free quote.

The online travel writing provided by Travel Content Online is free to take, providing you take the links in the text, too. Use it to add fresh online content to your website. Thank you for visiting us – hopefully our travel content will bring more visitors to your site, too.

LeadGenerators hopes you enjoyed this article.  An Online Marketing agency based in London, LeadGenerators hosts a series of Social Media and Internet Marketing training sessions and seminars.