Cycling the Drakensberg & Kruger

• Eight days of cycling with full vehicle support
• Mostly paved routes with two short sections on hard-pack dirt roads
• A few challenging climbs; most roads have little traffic
• Group normally 4 to 14 plus leader. Minimum age: 16
• Nine nights in lodges and chalets, two nights in a permanent tented camp
• E-bikes available for an additional cost

There are 11 breakfasts, five lunches and five dinners included on this tour. For breakfast, expect a good selection of cereals, toast, jams, fruit and yogurt, coffee and rusks. Occasionally we have a cooked breakfast or buffet. Included meals are cooked and prepared by your guide and drivers. On two days, we have a cooked lunch, but most days we have a large selection of sandwich ingredients including cold meats, bread, salad, cheese and crisps. Vegetarian and other dietary requirements are well catered for but please inform our team at least two weeks before you travel. The tour leaders do all the shopping and meal planning for each group. Each tour has a cool box for cold drinks and you will be made aware of nights when alcohol is not available so you can purchase some beforehand. We supply the following drinks on all tours: fruit juice and squash served with breakfast and lunch, tea and coffee served with breakfast and dinner. All other beverages will be at your own expense.

Although the greater part of South Africa lies north of the tropic of Capricorn, the temperature is moderated by the altitude. The average midday temperature is likely to be about 22C (72F) on the coast and 24C (75F) inland. This trip covers various different weather regions. Generally, inland areas will be dry between April and October (although storms can occur); in the Drakensberg mountains, rain is more common at this time. In August, the nights can be very cold, especially in the Drakensberg where temperatures can drop below freezing. However, the days are warm and crisp with generally cloud-free skies. During November through February, rain sometimes falls and the temperature is higher. However, as anyone who has travelled to these parts will say, rain is often a blessing, it manifests the local colours, drops the sometimes-sweltering temperatures and never generally lasts too long. It also means the night skies are incredibly clear.

This trip has been rated Activity Level 4 (Moderate/Challenging).

Eight days of cycling

Average distance: 34mi (55km) a day with full vehicle support

The cycling is all on well-maintained paved roads, apart from two short stretches of hard-packed gravel road on days 5 and 7. Most of the cycling is over undulating terrain with some challenging climbs followed by long, flowing descents. Our cycling guide leads the group and a support vehicle follows at all times. We stop every 9mi (15km) to refill water bottles and eat snacks. Helmets must be worn by all cyclists in South Africa.

Legal note: All group members joining this tour will be asked to sign an indemnity form at the start of the trip. This is a requirement of the South African Tourism Service Association, of which our local supplier is a member. As a client of Exodus Travels Ltd, your rights under the Package Travel Regulations (1992) are unaffected, and Exodus remains liable for the actions of our sub-contractors.