Cycling the Cape and Winelands

Amazing scenery, good food and wine (at very reasonable prices) and I laughed every day. The group was the usual [operator] mix of interesting, well-traveled people who love cycling. The long straight roads in strong winds were a challenge – even on e-bikes, but I thoroughly enjoyed the climbs (apart from one on what I think was the hottest day and trying to conserve my battery) and the downhills were very enjoyable, especially down to Barrydale with dramatic storm clouds on the horizon. Passing an ostrich was also a highlight for me. We didn’t race – it was static in a field.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were a few: Fransshoek Pass most definitely, both the climb and the long, winding downhill; the last day from Simonstown back to Capetown was wonderful and I really didn't want it to end; the coffee stop at a pretty village called Elim (the lady who served us was lovely) and watching the Wales v S Africa rugby match in a bar in Hermanus, even though Wales lost. Everybody was very kind and so very involved. I will also always remember the wise but sad words of Craig, our bus guide on Robben Island.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Peter stepped in at the last minute and I loved his attitude, humor and knowledge of history, language, books etc. Both he and Ende were wonderful company and made the trip for me.

Advice for Potential Travelers

Unless you're very fit, go for an e-bike. Not so much for the hills but to battle those incredible headwinds. I read a few novels based in S Africa and written by South Africans beforehand and on the way, which really intensified the South African experience for me. They varied from the light and amusing Tannie Maria novels by Sally Andrew (based in the Karoo) to the much darker Life and Times of Michael K by J.M Coetzee. I bought some trinkets (Christmas decorations, small animals from recycled materials etc) from street-sellers from Zimbabwe and Malawi on the way (they really need the money) and now wish I'd bought more. Oh, and look out for passing snakes - beautiful creatures.

An excellent trip with a great group and group leader. The itinerary enabled a real mix of cycling in the countryside and by the sea. It was a bit windy for a couple of days and there were a couple of testing climbs but it was all very manageable.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were a lot of them. The cycle to Cape Town via Chapmans Peak was pretty special, as were the whales in full view of the restaurant in Hermanus and it is always great to see penguins by the ocean.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Tallis did a great job leading the group, he was very experienced and found some great bars and restaurants during the trip. He and Peitrus helped us win the quiz at Charlies Garage Craft Brewery in Simonstown which was worth a five star review on it's own!

Advice for Potential Travelers

We have been on more than 10 [operator] cycle trips and the hotels on this trip were collectively the best we have stayed in. The food and wine were excellent and very good value for money. If you have not been to Cape Town before make sure you have a couple of days at the start to have a look around, and if you can go to the top of Table Mountain it is really worth it.

If you are after a trip that is more than just cycling, this is for you! The first 3 days are tough, but you get challenging mountain pass’s followed by exhilarating downhills. You cycling through a variety of landscapes, from coastal roads and paths, to the arid desert of the little Karoo, vast countryside and plush mountainous roads. No day is the same which is nice! The food and wine is also a big bonus.

Most Inspirational Moment

Either completing the Fransshoek Pass, being at the top before you go down the incredible downhill. Or the final ride from Simons Town to Cape Town, that was by far the most beautiful cycle and we had stunning weather. I clearly can't chose as I would also reccomend booking this trip during Whale season (July-Oct) as we saw whales breaching from our hotel at breakfast, as well as mother and calf, there were a lot of whales around and they were not shy, had some amazing viewing all from the shore, no need to book a boat trip out!

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was good, listened to the group and was flexible with restaurant choices / plans which made for a relaxing feel.

Advice for Potential Travelers

This holiday felt like it had it all, cycling of course, but you also had time in the afternoons (most but not all) to enjoy the areas and relax a bit. The food was fantastic so this felt like a challenging but also relaxing holiday, which was nice!

We have done many [operator] cycling trips and this was up there with the best. We have 4 main criteria for rating our trips (the country itself, the cycling, the food and the group of people) and each varies depending on where we go. This trip rated highly on all 4. Cape Town itself is absolutely stunning, feels safe, extremely friendly people, lots to do. The scenery on the trip is beautiful – mountains, vineyards and incredible coastline. The standard of food was very high everywhere and add in the local wine, we ate very well (favorable exchange rate makes it so cheap). The cycling has it’s challenging moments but is generally fine if you are fit and a regular cyclist. The balance of cycling and rest days has been carefully thought out and the guides were good at managing a group with cyclists of different speeds. Lovely mix of activities along the way including wine tasting, visits to National parks to see animals (Penguins, baboons, ostriches etc), short hikes, Southern most tip of Africa. We had a lovely group of people and had a lot of fun, expertly looked after by Ado and Brad.

Most Inspirational Moment

No individual stand out moments but so many incredible views along the way and the perfect weather in the middle of the British winter was just so wonderful.

Thoughts on Group Leader

This was our second cycling trip with Adonia as leader, he is very good at balancing all the group's needs, not always easy with a mixed ability group. He always put safety as a priority, but allowed enough freedom for stronger cyclists to go at their own pace when possible. He has the right balance for imparting his excellent local knowledge but not too much that people lose interest. He worked very hard to make sure everyone was happy, was organized and kept things running on time. Bradley was his co-worker who is also an experienced guide and cyclist and the two got on well and worked as a great team.

Advice for Potential Travelers

The hills on the cycling are mostly fine but the headwinds can be exhausting and energy sapping. On the first half of the trip the winds were against us and even on the shorter flatter days it was hard work for everyone. It's the luck of the draw though and the later longer hillier days were fine.

A fab trip with beautiful and varied scenery, some challenging cycling with lots of wildlife along the way and great company. Most of the accommodation was really lovely and some quite special places. Restaurants choices were good and the food was excellent. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t on our side so the itinerary was changed to accommodate the conditions for a couple of days but this in no way detracted from a brilliant holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

Loved the whale watching from the hotel as I never thought we would see them so clearly from the shore. Visiting the penguin colony was also great fun, although it’s possible to see the penguins from the boardwalk it was definitely worth paying to see them closer up on the beach.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Adonia and Ernest were amazing. They worked incredibly hard for us in what turned out to be tricky circumstances due to some heavy rain. They kept us safe on the roads, always had a plan B, kept us informed when things needed to change or provided options for us to choose as a group if there were choices available. Their local knowledge was fantastic and they seemed to enjoy sharing it with us. Nothing was too much trouble and they definitely made this trip special.

Advice for Potential Travelers

Be prepared for changing conditions as sun in the morning could be wind in the afternoon and can make the cycling quite challenging. This also means the itinerary may need to change due to the conditions so best to come with an open mind and be prepared to go with the flow. I bought a 3 pin plug for South Africa at the airport and it turned out to be a great purchase so would recommend bringing one. I also brought quite a bit of cash which wasn’t necessary as card payments were taken everywhere and a very small number of places (penguin colony is the one that sticks in my mind) only took cards. A couple of extra days on to the trip to explore more of Cape Town is worth it.