Cycling the Drakensberg & Kruger

This was our first [tour operator] cycling holiday and it won’t be our last! The scenery was varied and beautiful, the hotels were better than I was expecting and the cycling was challenging but manageable and a great way to see the countryside. We were able to ride at our own pace through out the trip, with one of the guides at the front and one bringing up the rear and breaks every hour or so for water and snacks. Food from the [tour operator] Mobile Kitchen was excellent - every meal was something different and we were often the lunchtime the envy of other tour groups! The buffet meals in the hotels were also good - a range of options to suit everyone.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Probably the safari in the Kruger - we saw an incredible volume and variety of wildlife, often quite close up - lions 3ft away, elephants crossing the road in front and behind our vehicle. The crowning glory was a leopard spotted by one of our group which just seemed to want to show off for us!

What did you think of your group leader?
Bradley, Skhu and Rea did a fantastic job of looking after us all. From fixing bikes (and the truck) to cooking (including baking a cake on the barbecue!) to sharing their knowledge and love of South Africa and its animals, all three were amazing.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
It is worth doing some training ahead of the trip, some days were quite tough - up to 2000m of climbing. But we could all ride at our own pace - there was never any pressure to keep up - so don’t let it put you off. There is always the option to get a lift from the truck!

Is there anything else you would like to add?
There is no bar or other access to beer or wine on the first night, so if you want a drink (and you might after a long transfer), you will need to buy something either at the airport or at one of the stops on the drive.

This was a good trip with a great balance of cycling and safari. However, there are some really long transfers between days, not just the transfer to and from the airport. With 14 in a 14 seater minibus it was not the most comfortable of journeys, especially for the men with their larger shoulders. Make sure you do some training before you go as there are some long hills, which require endurance. The guides were most helpful and encouraged everyone. They also prepared some good meals, taking into account everyone's dietary needs.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Getting really close to some of the animals in Kruger

What did you think of your group leader?
Bradley was informative and helpful, also a great cyclist.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Train for the hills. There are many and they require endurance, especially in the heat. If you take your own bike, like I did, it would be preferential to have a 11-32 cassette. I only had 28 and it was very hard work at times.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
[The tour operator] could improve the experience if a bigger minibus was used. It was very tight with 14 passengers in the back in a 14 seater bus, when some of the transfers are over 4 hours long.

This tour is not a race it’s about taking your time and embracing the scenery, culture and everything the trip has to offer.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Seeing the diversity of the scenery and the wild animals in Kruger.

What did you think of your group leader?
Tallis ably assisted by Vuyo were first rate tending to all our requirements. All the meals prepared by the leaders were excellent considering the facilities available to them, more than enough for everyone and dietary requirements well catered for.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be prepared for some long challenging hill climbs but scenery is worth the effort.

A wonderful trip full of beautiful varied scenery, challenging cycles, wildlife, and history! While we did spend substantial amounts of time cycling, it also felt like there was a good amount of time for non-cycling activities: visiting several historical / archeological sites of interest, hiking, swimming on multiple days, and enjoying a beer in the evening. The cycle days also weren't rushed, with good breaks for coffee and lunch on most days. Our lead guide, Peter, was fantastic: so experienced in leading cycle trips and a conservationist on top of it, which was particularly insightful for our time in Kruger. The accommodation was all very comfortable and the many meals prepared by the guides were great: including several barbecues and often hot breakfasts or lunches at picnic spots!

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Cycling in the Golden Gate Park (day 1 of cycling) with herds of zebra crossing the road in front of us; the peaceful setting of the Sungubala Eco Camp; everything about Kruger Park; setting off just after sunrise for our toughest day of cycling.

This is the trip for you if you're looking for challenging cycling through soaring mountain scenery combined with wildlife spotting in the Kruger National Park. There's also time for relaxing away from a city environment in comfortable accommodation in beautiful natural surroundings. The trip is a good mix of active cycling days on a variety of routes (mostly low traffic) but with hills! The game drives in Kruger give a good break before two quite challenging cycling days toward the end of the tour. All round a great trip for people who enjoy active outdoor holidays.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Completing the challenging rides through the majestic scenery of the Drakensberg Range and, particularly, the ride along the spectacular Blyde Canyon. Spotting wildlife in the Kruger National Park and observing a rare African Wild Dog face off hyenas on a morning game drive was inspirational!

What did you think of your group leader?
The group leader worked hard to ensure the group was looked after well. He has a good knowledge of local history and was sociable with the group. All the team of guides worked hard, were good-humoured and took care to ensure everyone had a good time, plenty to eat and drink and enjoyed the cycling and other activities.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
There is plenty of uphill on many of the routes so a bit of cycle training is advised. However all the routes are do-able and there is a support vehicle following the group at all time. Great for travellers who want social media downtime as WiFi is limited in many places.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
There are some relatively long travel days but the drives are scenic with plenty of stops along the way.

Very well run trip with Jean-Paul Gardelli looking after us, Ende driving,fixing bikes and game spotting and Skhumbuzo ably assisting and telling stories. The guys turned out excellent meals every day on the road and kept a steady supply of liquorice allsorts to get us up the hills!

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Ende our driver spotting a leopard on a branch driving out of Kruger was brilliant. The scenery is truely spectacular ( just like the ads!)

What did you think of your group leader?
Jean-Paul Gardelli was great. Very informative on many subjects thrown at him. Obviously loves his country and got on really well with everyone..Nothing was too much trouble for him.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
This is a great trip for the moderately fit. Lots of variety in the scenery and the driving sections are not too long.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Lots to see in South Africa so try and incorporate another tour