South Africa: Garden Route Motorcycle Tour

After an overnight flight, you land in Cape Town (CPT). We pick you up at the airport and take you to our lodge at the foot of Table Mountain.

Today is free. Rest up or explore the city on your own. Walk down Long Street, the famous party mile. Or stroll along the V&A Waterfront with its many shops and restaurants.

You can also take a boat to Robben Island. This is where Nelson Mandela was held in prison for 18 years.

After breakfast, we pick up our motorcycles. Then we head out to ride the famous Cape Peninsula Route.

Our route takes us south from the city along the False Bay coast to Simons Town. This is one of the most popular tourist routes in all of South Africa. We visit the Cape Point Reserve, home to the Cape of Good Hope. The reserve is part of Table Mountain National Park. It also belongs to the Cape Floral Kingdom, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over 9,000 plant species grow here, and 70% of them are found nowhere else on Earth.

In the afternoon, we ride along the Atlantic coast via the scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive. We pass through Camps Bay and Sea Point before returning to the hotel. A trip up Table Mountain is also on the agenda. From the top, you can see what was once called ‘the fairest cape in all the world.’ The view over Cape Town, Table Bay, and Robben Island is truly one of a kind.

After breakfast, we follow the R44 (Clarence Drive) through Betty’s Bay to Hermanus. Along with Chapman’s Peak Drive, Clarence Drive is the second most beautiful coastal road in South Africa. Many photo stops await along the way.

At Betty’s Bay, we visit the Stony Point Penguin Reserve. This is one of only two penguin breeding colonies on the African mainland. During whale season (June to November), we may spot whales in Walker Bay and False Bay. Hermanus is one of the best whale-watching spots in the world.

After lunch, we take a short detour along the Walker Bay coast. Then we head inland through Elim, a former mission station that takes visitors back in time. The road leads us to L’Agulhas. This quiet town marks the southernmost point of Africa — the place where two oceans meet.

We ride east toward Mossel Bay. The route passes grain fields and rolling hills of the Overberg region. We stop for coffee near Swellendam, the fifth-oldest town in South Africa. It sits along the slopes of the Langeberg Mountains.

We continue to Mossel Bay. In 1992, the Guinness Book of Records named it the place with the second-mildest climate in the world. Mossel Bay marks the unofficial start of the Garden Route.

Our lodge tonight sits a few kilometers outside town, tucked into the foothills of the Outeniqua Mountains. We drive the R328 and start the Robinson Pass. This scenic road winds gently past our hotel and over the mountains before dropping into the Little Karoo. Along the way, we stop often to admire the views and coastal towns of the Garden Route.

This morning we explore the views along the Robinson and Outeniqua Passes before reaching George. From there, we follow the N2 Garden Route to Knysna.

Knysna’s natural beauty and calm atmosphere draw visitors from around the world. The Knysna Lagoon sits at the heart of the town. To the south, the dramatic Knysna Heads guard the entrance to the Indian Ocean. We ride out to the Heads for a panoramic view of the lagoon and coastline.

A boat trip through the estuary is a great way to see the town and its surroundings. The Knysna Waterfront complex and Thesen’s Island offer many restaurants for dinner. All of these are within walking distance from our hotel.

Today is a relaxed day in the saddle. We follow rural back roads when possible. The N2 takes us through the heart of the Garden Route. We ride through parts of the native Tsitsikamma forests and stop at the Bloukrans Bridge.

Some riders may want to try the highest commercial bungee jump in the world — a 216-meter drop. After lunch and a short hike in Tsitsikamma National Park (with its stunning flora), we continue to Port Elizabeth.

In the early days of modern South Africa, the city was known as Algoa Bay. Locals still call it ‘the Friendly City.’ The first British settlers — 4,500 of them — arrived here in 1820. We enjoy a brief city tour, then drive to Addo, near Addo Elephant National Park. Tonight we share a group dinner at our lodge.

After breakfast, we head out for a full-day safari in Addo Elephant National Park. An experienced ranger guides us through the park and shares insights about the local wildlife.

Addo is home to the Big Five: lion, buffalo, rhino, elephant, and the elusive leopard. The park is famous for its large elephant population. Addo is the only reserve in South Africa — possibly the world — that hosts the Big Seven. Its marine section is home to the Southern Right Whale and the Great White Shark.

We return to the lodge around 18:00 or 18:30. Tonight we enjoy another group dinner.

We leave the coast and ride our BMW motorcycles inland. Most of the day we cruise wide-open roads with barely any traffic. The Eastern Cape landscape gives way to the Great Karoo — a vast, semi-arid region that feels like the American Wild West.

We pass through the border town of Jansenville and arrive in historic Graaff-Reinet. This is the fourth-oldest town in South Africa, full of national monuments and museums.

We ride on to Nieu-Bethesda. This remote hamlet became famous thanks to Helen Martins and her Owl House — a museum with over 300 exhibits, mostly owls. It is a great spot for lunch. In the late afternoon, we visit the Valley of Desolation. Here you can enjoy the quiet beauty while looking out over Spandau Hill and the Great Karoo plains.

Another pleasant day awaits. We continue through the southern plains of the Great Karoo. We leave Spandau Hill behind and head toward Aberdeen. No whisky distilleries in sight — just open farmland and sheep.

The road takes us south toward the distant Swartberg Mountains. After 175 km of flat Karoo plains, we reach Willowmore. It is famous for coffee and cake at Sophies Choice Coffee Shop — a true oasis in the desert.

From here we ride to De Rust, the northern gateway to Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world. If time allows, we make a short detour into the scenic Meiringspoort Gorge. It is one of only two natural passages through the Swartberg range. After a quick stop in Klaarstroom, we head back to De Rust for the night.

Today is a short ride. From De Rust, we head to the Highgate Ostrich Farm for a fun and informative tour. Then we enjoy lunch in or near Oudtshoorn.

Next, we visit the Cango Caves for a one-hour guided tour. Both activities are relaxed. The cave visit suits even those who are not fans of tight spaces.

For the adventurous riders, there is the option to cross the Swartberg Mountain Pass. This gravel road is a national monument and a bucket-list ride for many. The scenery is stunning, but gravel riding experience is required. Temperatures in the Little Karoo can reach thirty degrees. A quiet afternoon by the guesthouse pool might be just right.

After breakfast, we hit the R62 and explore the famous Route 62 on our way to Robertson. We stop for a photo at the infamous Ronnie’s Sex Shop. Despite the name, it sells plenty of beer but no sex.

Next up is coffee in Barrydale. We recommend Diesel & Crème. Then we stop in or around Montagu for lunch.

No motorcycle tour is complete without scenic mountain passes. Today we enjoy them as we ride toward Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.

Franschhoek celebrates the French Huguenots who arrived at the Cape in 1688. As keen riders, we aim to ride every mountain pass we can reach. The Franschhoek and Wellington area offers bikers many winding mountain roads. Hellshoogte Pass and Bain’s Kloof are local favorites. Both are on our bucket list for the day.

We stop in Franschhoek and Stellenbosch for coffee and lunch. Stellenbosch is the second-oldest town in South Africa. It is a prime example of Cape Dutch architecture, with old European influences visible throughout. We spend the night in Franschhoek.

Table Mountain waits in the distance as we head back to Cape Town. We cross the Franschhoek Pass, ride through the Viljoen Pass to Grabouw, and descend via Sir Lowry’s Pass.

By around 15:00, we need to return our rental motorcycles. We ride back into the city on a Friday afternoon. We do our best to avoid the late rush-hour traffic. Once the bikes are returned, the rental station arranges a taxi to take us back to our accommodation.

On the last day, some riders may have time for last-minute shopping in the city. If you want to visit other interesting spots, ask your guide. He can give you tips on how to make the most of your time.

We can also help you arrange an extension in Cape Town. Everyone departing today will be taken to the airport. Bon Voyage!