BASIC INFORMATION

​

• The tour follows the Karoo section of the Freedom Tail

• 8 nights Accommodation 7 days riding.

• Food and basic accommodation is provided at support stations. Bedding and towels provided

• One riding tour leader and one support vehicle per group. Vehicle can carry overnight bags.

• E-bikes welcome. Charging points available at all overnight stops.

• Self navigated. Riders can use traditional Freedom Challenge maps or GPS for navigation.

• Riders can be assisted by support vehicle where required.

• Rider vehicles can be transferred from start to finish at additional cost of R2000 per vehicle.

COST

• R11,000 Per Person (includes 8 nights accommodation and meals)   SIGN-UP HERE

​

PAYMENT TERMS AND WITHDRAWALS

​

• Deadline for tour bookings and payments is 5 April 2024

• You may pay in instalments of your choosing, please use same invoice number on all instalments

• Booking is only confirmed once at least 20% paid

• Withdrawals before 5 April receive 95% refund or 100% rollover credit

• Withdrawals before 30 April will receive 70% refund of total entry fee or 80% rollover credit

• Withdrawals after 30 April are non-refundable

• If tour does not take place due to Force Majeure, pandemic or political unrest then you may chose between rollover to postponed date or following year at no extra cost or refund as per above withdrawals

​

​

ROUTE

​

The route follows the Freedom Trail from Klipfontein to Bucklands through the Karoo region of South Africa along a wide variety of off-road terrain – dirt roads, farm roads and tracks, footpaths and animal tracks. Many of the trails retrace old historic wagon routes which are no longer in regular use.

​

See Distance splits and average ride times in table below and GPS route below that.

​

Day 1: The tour route starts from Klipfontein, which is next to the "Battle of Stormberg" site near Molteno in the Eastern Cape. From there you head South past Romansfontein and tackle the Aasvoelberg Mountain then decend down the spectacular Bamboesberg pass into the Great Karoo and onto Rietfontein. 

​

Day 2: From Rietfontein you head through the town of Hofmeyr, stopping for a famous pie at the Farmhouse Coffee Shop before tackling the Elandberg mountains to reach the Elandsberg Farm overnight stop.

​

Day 3: Starts with fast rolling beautiful district road through the Elandsberg Valley down to the Fish River basin before crossing the Fish River at Longacre Bridge. Then another optional stop at the Mountain View Coffee shop before heading into Tam Safari's game reserve in the Spekboomberg valley and onto Groenfontein Farm.

 

Day 4: Day 4 is all about the beautiful and challenging climb up the Schurfteberg which includes riding through a portion of Mountain Zebra National Park. Once over the Schurfteberg you enjoy a magical winding decent followed by rolling district road to Fietskraal.

​

Day 5: The fifth day takes you past Tollies African Safari's and up into the Groenkloof valley before descending the infamous Struishoek portage following the path of white painted rocks down a rather disused old cattle track for a couple hours. There is an easier option to get to Pearston via district road if you so choose.

​

Day 6: Leaving Pearston you are into the great wide open space of the Karoo along fast rolling district road for 30km before tackling the Karoopoort mountains and then decending down through the beautiful Kuduskop Game reserve where riders often pass herds of giraffe and other game. After Kuduskop its back onto fast rolling district road for final 15km to the majestic Toekomst Farm House on the edge of Darlington Dam. 

​

Day 7: The final day is probably the flattest with only one notable climb through Perdepoort before traversing more game reserves to Kleinpoort for another Pie Stop at the Kleinpoort Pedstal and ending with 30km of rolling district road to Buckland's Guest Farm on the Grootrivier at the foothills of the Cockscomb mountains.

​

From Bucklands there are options to continue your ride on the Freedom Trail Through the Grootrivierpoort to Patensie and onto PE or Jefferys Bay or Alternatively you can ride from Buckland's towards Steytlerville and/or Willowmore or even down to Plett via Uniondale. 

​

For more detailed description of the route and tour read Aileen Kennaugh's report from the 2023 Karoo Meander Tour

​