Motorcycle Tours South Africa

Tour 2: Durban - Sun City - Kruger - Swaziland: 14 days

From Durban, our motorcycle tour takes us over the impressive Sani Pass to the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, then on to Johannesburg's mines and Sun City. The return leg of our motorcycle tour takes us through the rolling hills of Mpumalanga, the old gold town of Pilgrim's Rest and on to the famous Kruger National Park - the size of Belgium.

Day 1. Durban-Arrival Day

You will be collected from the airport in our shuttle bus and taken through to your guest house where you will be given time to settle in and freshen up after your flight into South Africa. Welcome to Durban, Surf City of South Africa.

Later we will meet at the tour centre where bikes and accessories will be allocated and plans for the start of the ride will be made. This is also an opportunity to ask any last minute questions and to get to know the other riders over a few snacks and welcome drinks.

Day 2. Durban-Valley of a Thousand Hills

Today is spent learning about & experiencing African Zulu culture at "Valley of 1000 Hills" pheZulu Safari Park as well as a visit to Ushaka Seaworld on the Durban beachfront. In the morning we ride from Durban to Drummond "Valley of 1000 Hills" along a tar road which used to be the original wagon trail between Durban & Pietermaritzburg. Enjoy a short bush drive where you will have the opportunity to see game animals and birds followed by a show of Zulu culture, dancing, stick fighting, lifestyle and cooking at pheZulu.

See live crocodiles and snakes including a 100 yr old 4,5m long African Python. You will have the opportunity to purchase African curios at the very well stocked curio shop and then enjoy a local meal including crocodile steaks or "Potjie Kos" cooked on an open fire. After lunch we will ride to the Durban beachfront to Ushaka Seaworld to enjoy a tour of the aquarium, snorkeling in the "Snorkeling Lagoon" or for the more adventurous a "Shark Cage Dive" with "Ragged Toothed Sharks"(Optional). uShaka is the 5th largest aquarium in the world with a seal pool, penguin rookery, dive tank, snorkel reef and touch pool. Total ride distance for the day is only 95km.

Day 3. Sani Pass-Drakensberg

Today we ride from Durban to the Sani Pass Hotel, a distance of 230km for an early arrival where we will be collected by the Sani Pass Tours offroad vehicle or quads for a thrilling drive/ride up the Sani Pass to the highest Pub in Africa. Here we will enjoy a delicious lunch and the most amazing views of the Drakensberg at an altitude of 3000m above sea level.

See "Ice Rats" scurry around their burrows and then the Cape Vulture catching the thermals high overhead. The "Drakensberg (Dragons Mountains) is South Africa's highest mountain range , is a "World heritage Site" and is referred to as South Africa's best kept secret. Birdwatchers can see the rare Drakensberg Siskin or the Orangebreasted Rockjumper at the top of the pass. The evening is spent at the Sani Pass Hotel relaxing and enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery.

Day 4. Clarens-Golden Gate

We ride from Sani Pass to Clarens via Nottingham Road, Oliviershoek Pass, Sterkfontein Dam & Golden Gate National Park, a distance of 370km. Nottingham Road is the heart of the Natal Midlands Meander and we will have a short stop here to top up fuel, enjoy a snack and look around a craft market. Then it's up the scenic Oliviershoek Pass to Sterkfontein Dam which has the largest dam wall in South Africa, covers an area of 6940ha, holds 2616 million m3 of water and adjoins an 18000ha Nature Reserve.

A short ride further and we reach the entrance to the breathtaking 48sq km "Golden Gate Highlands National Park" situated in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains with its scenic winding roads and impressive sandstone cliffs. The park was formed in 1963 to protect the sandstone cliffs above the Little Caledon Valley. Only 15km outside Golden Gate's exit lies the tranquil village town of Clarens, an artists haven & renowned for its art and craft shops, scenic views & sandstone buildings. This is why Clarens is known as the "Jewel of the Free State". The evening is spent at the splendid Maluti Mountain Lodge.

Day 5. Johannesburg-Gold Reef City

This morning we ride 295km towards Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa via Bethlehem, Reitz, Frankfort and Villiers taking in some amazing Free State countryside & arrive in time for an afternoon tour taking in "Gold Reef City" which is a brilliant recreation of a gold mining village in the 1890's.

Descend down a Gold Mine Shaft to 220m below the surface and see gold being poured. See "Gum Boot Dancing", early architecture, fun rides, sightseeing train and purchase souvenirs at the many curio shops. We overnight at a Johannesburg Guest House.

Day 6. Johannesburg-Soweto-Sun City

After breakfast we meet our guide for a tour of Soweto, home to 6 million people & Africa's largest township and visit informal settlements, affluent suburbs, Mandela House, Hector Peterson Memorial, Celebrity Houses and visit a Shebeen (Tavern) It was in Soweto, in 1976, that the final phase of the resistance to apartheid began. The anniversary of this uprising, 16th June, is commemorated as Youth Day.

In the afternoon we take a scenic ride of 150km via the beautiful Hartebeespoort Dam to Sun City. Hartebeesportdam lies in a valley to the south of the Magaliesberg mountain range, covers and area of 20km2 is a popular watersports location and supplies water to adjacent farmland through a 544km network of canals. It is a popular stop off point for bikers and we will stop at the well known Uncle Charlies for our lunch. Then it is a short ride through to Sun City Pleasure Resort to check in and look around. Evening spent at Sun City.

Day 7. Sun City

We spend the day at Sun City. Take the tour of the spectacular "Palace of the Lost City" or stay over for an additional R4500.00/night. Go on a balloon trip over the Pilansberg National Park, try the "Zip Slide" ariel runway where you reach speeds of 120km/hr, waterski, jetski, visit "Valley of the Waves", play a round of golf at the Gary Player designed golf course, have high tea at the Palace, gamble in the casinos or visit the crocodile farm. Sun City was the inspiration of self-made millionaire Mr Sol Kerzner and was started in the late 1970's with the Palace being added many years later. It is a very popular holiday destination for South Africans and International visitors alike.

Day 8. Lydenburg

Today we travel 420km from Sun City to Lydenburg a distance of 420km via Rustenberg, Pretoria & Machadadorp to experience the most amazing bike riding country in South Africa, "Mpumalanga". We will pass through Dulstroom a popular Trout Fishing location and then on to the Sudwala Caves the oldest caves in the world at 3000 million years old, where we will descend into the caves on a guided cave tour. This will be followed by a visit to the Dinosaur Park and Curio Shop.

Day 9. Blyde River Canyon-Pilgrims Rest & Waterfalls Tour

This morning we ride some of the most amazing roads in South Africa starting with the amazing Blyde River Canyon which has been cut to a depth of 700m of shale and quartz to create a scenic jumble of cliffs, islands and plateau's to form a 20km canyon. Only in the Blyde River Canyon are found all the South African primates being the baboon, vervet & samango monkeys as well as both species of bushbaby. Here we explore the Pinnacle, Three Sisters & Bourkes Luck Potholes.

Next we visit Pilgrims Rest where we pan for gold at the diggings site on the bank of Pilgrims Creek just like the prospectors of 1874. We visit the amazing Print House, Royal Hotel, Miners House, Dredzen & Company and Alanglade. We overnight in the Pilgrims Rest area. Distance covered today is 140km.

Day 10. Graskop-Sabie-Kruger national Park

We start the day by covering the breathtaking Waterfalls Tour where we see 7 waterfall in the space of 100km. You will see Horseshoe falls, Lone Creek Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, MacMac Falls, Maria Shires falls, Lisbon Falls & Berlin Falls.

Then we ride from Graskop to Sabie and Hazyview for our transfer to an offroad vehicle and a drive into the world famous Kruger National Game Reserve. The afternoon will be spent on a game drive where we hope to see Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Buffalo, Giraffe & Hippopotamus as well as many more animals and birds. Kruger National Park is South Africa's largest game reserve and is 352km long and 60km wide and covers 19633sq km about the size of Israel. We overnight at a game camp and enjoy an outdoor barbeque, the stars in the sky and African night sounds.

Day 11. Kruger National Park-Swaziland

After another morning game drive in Kruger National Park we transfer to our motorcycles and ride a scenic route through White River, Nelspruit, Barberton. Badplas and then into the Kingdom of Swaziland.

In the afternoon we ride through the border post, Mbabane and on to Manzini where we will have the opportunity to visit a craft centre and purchase colourful crafts, fabrics, swazi candles, carpets, wallhangings and carvings. The evening is spent at the Mbabane casino. Total ride distance for the day is 250km.

Day 12. Swaziland-Big Bend-Golela-St Lucia

We start early today for our ride through the rolling hills of Swaziland passing through Big Bend and the border post at Golela before riding down the N2 to the St Lucia Estuary

Day 13. St Lucia-Shakaland

Day 14. Durban.

The last day of our tour consists of a 340km We will aim to arrive in Durban just after lunch so we can unpack, return the bikes and equipment and reflect on an amazing 2 week adventure which has taken you through some of the most amazing places of interest in South Africa and a round trip of nearly 3500km.