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Dates and rates
Booking code: RRT
05.03.12 - 12.03.12	USD 2090

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South Africa

Road bike training camp in South Africa

Summer is calling! Nothing beats a road bike ride in perfect conditions in magnificent Cape wine region! – Individual and group travel

The first 5 days can be enjoyed in the wine lands, 125 miles away from the Metropole Cape Town. On the safe, quiet roads we pass many beautiful and inviting wineries. The route ranges from flat to slightly hilly and is framed by the up to 5400 ft high Langeberg Mountains. Finally, we cycle along the most beautiful coastal roads in the country along False Bay and the Cape of Good Hope, where the well-known annual Cape Argus Bike Race takes place in March.

Itinerary

Group 1: 31-47 miles per day, Group 2: 62-70 miles or more per day
mi = miles, Hg = Height gain in feet

Day 1 Arrival in Cape Town

Welcomed by your tour guide. Cycle on the N1 through Paarl, Worcester and Robertson to Montagu. Cycling time approx. 2,5 hrs. 5 nights in the beautiful Montagu Country Hotel: Room allocation and coffee. Small group trip (1-2 hrs) in Breedetal. Traffic on the left-hand side! Evening meal together (menu) and information about the following days.

Day 2 Cycle Ashton – Bonnivale

After breakfast together the two groups go their separate ways.
Group 1: Cycle through Kogmanskloof to Ashton and further onto Robertson. Small tour of the town and a stop at the Dutch reform church as well as the Wine Co-operative. Cycle back to Montagu along the Breede River and past several wineries, where we will stop and taste the wines. 38 mi, Hg +600 ft
Group 2: Cycle through Kogmanskloof to Ashton. On undulating roads we continue on to Drew and pass many farms along the way. Cycle along the Breede River through Bonnivale, which is well-known for it‘s cheese, to the Weltevrede Wine farm (arrival around midday and wine tasting), finally cycle back to Montagu. 56 mi, Hg + 1200 ft. Evening buffet. Specialities are Babootie, a tasty mince mince dish with fruit and curry, Karoo lamb pie, tender lamb well-known for it‘s great taste, Indian Tandoori curry dish.

Day 3 Cycle Ashton – Breedetal – Robertson – McGregor

After breakfast we cycle towards Robertson together:
Group 1: Cycle through Ashton and past wine farms on the way to Robertson. Continue through the Steppe of the Little Karoo to McGregor. Here we have lunch. 47 mi, Hg +600 ft. Cycle back to Robertson. Wine tasting. Transfer to Montagu.
Group 2: same as group 1. Cycle from Robertson back to Montagu. 65 mim, Hg +900 ft. Barbecue evening, locally called Braai. Tender beef steaks, ostrich spits and filets, Boerowoers, as well as different salads.

Day 4 Resting day

There are many different possibilities (locally bookable):

• Hike on the 4200 ft high Bloupont, 6-7 hrs
• Hike in the Kogmanskloof, 3 hrs
• Hike to the hot springs, 1 hr
• Rock climbing
• Visit the hot springs
• Visit the village museum of the native Khoisan, with it‘s herb and medicinal plant garden
• Tractor drive on the 4200 ft high Assegaikop
• Hours safari drive in the Aquila Game Reserve. Safari in open Land Rover. Lunch
• Wine tasting
• Golf in Robertson or Montagu
  Evening menu

Day 5 Cycle Barrydale – Tradouw Gorge – Swellendam

After breakfast together the two groups go their separate ways.
Group 1: Bus journey to the Op-de-Tradouw Pass. Start of the bike tour along the Langeberg Mountains to Barrydale. Cycle through the beautiful Tradouw Gorge with it‘s variety of endemic protea and erica type plants to the mission village of Suurbraak. Continue past lush pasture land to Swellendam, the third oldest town in South Africa. Have lunch under the old oak trees in a garden restaurant. Tour through Drostdy. Final transfer by bus back to Montagu. 39 mi, Hg +1200 ft
Group 2: Cycle along the Langeberg Mountains past fruit and wine farms to the 950m high Op-de-Tradouw Pass. From here, the same as group 1. 75 mi, Hg +3600 ft. Evening menu of local fish (Kingklip)

Day 6 Tranfer Hermanus – Cycle Kleinmond – Gordon‘s Bay

After breakfast transfer to Hermanus, passing through Stormsvlei and Stanford. The beautiful town, situated on the rocky coast, is becoming ever more popular for the South Africans due to it‘s mild climate. Opportunity to swim in Walker Bay.
Group 1: Transfer to Babilonstoring Nature Reserve. The cycle route takes us through the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, Kleinmond and Betty‘s Bay before reaching Gordon‘s Bay. The last half of the route is directly on the coast. In Betty‘s Bay we stop and look around the Harold Porter Botanical Garden. The Cape region is home to 8% of the worldwide plant species and this park exhibits many great examples of these. Shortly after, we visit the penguin colony in Betty‘s Bay. Fewer crowds than in the well-known Simonstown, with the addition of seeing rock hyrax. 39 mi, Hg +1350 ft. Transfer from Gordon‘s Bay to the Cape Town Hollow Hotel. Two nights in this central, yet quiet, location in the centre of Cape Town, opposite Parliament Garden and not far from Greenmarket Square, Table Mountain and Waterfront.
Group 2: Cycle together from Hermanus to Babilonstoring Nature Reserve, passing through Onrusbaai. The rest is the same as group 1. 58 mi, Hg +1800 ft
Evening game specialities in ,House of Meat‘. Vegetarian options available.

Day 7 Cycle the Cape of Good Hope

Cycle tour on the Cape Peninsula, well known for the Cape Argus Bike Race, which, with 35,000 participants, is the biggest race south of the equator. After breakfast transfer to Muizenberg.
Group 1: Transfer to the Cape of Good Hope. One hour hike on Cape Point. Cycle tour through the National Park. You can see ostrich, mountain zebra, eland and bontebok. Continue through Scarborough and Kommetje to Nordhoek. This is where the Chapmans Peak Drive begins, which is rightly the most spectacular coastal area in the country. Continue over Hout Bay to Camps Bay. Sundowner in a nice bar on the coast. 34 mi, Hg +1800 ft
Group 2: Bike tour from Muizenberg along the eastern side of the Peninsula to Simonstown. Possible sightings of baboons along the way to the Cape of Good Hope. After stopping for a photo opportunity we continue on to Cape Point. Lunch in a magnificently located restaurant. Rest is as group 1. 65 mim, Hg +2400 ft
Evening meal in ,Africa Cafe‘. Specialities from different African countries.

Day 8 Table Mountain and Return journey

After breakfast, and dependant on the weather, we cycle on the 3260 ft high Table Mountain (not included). Fantastic views of the city and mountain top 100 miles away. Following this, a tour of the town by foot and visit the Waterfront. After a last shopping trip, dependant on departure times, transfer to Cape Town Airport and return flight.

Services

Included in price:

• English speaking tour guide
• 5 nights in Montagu Country Hotel 3 & 4*, half board
• 2 nights stay in Cape Town Hollow 4* with breakfast
• 2 speciality dinners in Cape Town
• Constant vehicle backup as well as transport for bikes
• Water, bananas, isotonic drinking powder
• All entrance fees for sightseeing program, except day 5
• English speking tour guide
• South African travel guide

Not included:

• flights to and from South Africa
• Tips
• lunches
• Racing hire bike

Hints

Training camp specific information:

Montagu is situated some 125 miles away from Cape Town in the country side. Surrounded by steep mountains made of sandstone – the Langeberg – valley floors are covered with fruit and wine orchards. The village has aprox. 3000 inhabitants and due to its proximity to Cape Town is quite popular among Capetonians. Besides road biking mtb riding, hiking, golf, good dining, wine tasting canoe paddling, safari in nearby Aquila Game Reserve and visiting the local hot springs are popular.

The climate is warm to hot. The chance of getting wet is close to zero. It is summer time in South Africa. Mornings are general cool and pleasant. Between 11.00 and 15.00 it is hot. During the afternoon the south easterly wind is picking up on speed and cool things down a bit while humidity is low. The daily temperature varies between 77 and 95 degrees F, at night around 70 degree F. Sunrise is around 06.00 and sunset around 20.00. Worcester Medi Clinic is the closest hospital with western standard 53 miles away or 1 hour.

Vacination:

The standard of living in the Western Cape is the highest in Africa, e.g. save drinking water from the tap, no bilharzias, malaria or yellow fever.

If you want to extent the vacation towards Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park, a malaria prophylactic is recommended. Malerone is well absorbed without heavy side effects.