Race to Cradock route
The Race to Cradock (RTC) is often described as the perfect introduction to the Freedom Trail, offering a true mix of everything that makes the route legendary. Spanning 580 km from Rhodes to Cradock, it combines rugged mountain trails and technical riding with wide-open Karoo roads that test both skills and endurance. Riders encounter demanding portages that require bikes to be pushed, hauled, or carried, adding a raw physical challenge to the journey, while the remote farmlands and vast open spaces highlight the trail’s unique balance of beauty and brutality. With its blend of tough climbs, tricky navigation, and stretches of fast, open riding, the Race to Cradock captures the essence of the Freedom Challenge in a compact but unforgettable format.
6 days
580 km
8 300m
June 2027
map & compass
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The route follows the Freedom Trail from Rhodes to Cradock through the Stormberg 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. Apart from the riding, there are numerous portage sections where riders will have to hike, push and even carry their bikes.
Support station splits
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