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12
Bestseller
Bestseller
Holidays

Victoria Falls to Cape Town

Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe
12 reviews
Available Departures: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov

21 days from

US$3,940

without flights
Cycle
Guided Group
TOUGH TOUGH

An epic mountain bike holiday in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa

Trip Code: VCMB
Holiday Grades
          

Our Holiday Grades Explained

To show the relative difficulty of our holidays, each trip is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please read the 'Is this holiday for you?' section or contact us.

 1 - 3 LEISURELY
1 - 3 LEISURELY

Suitable for most people in good health, holidays at this grade include only limited amounts of activity.

View leisurely holidays
4 - 6 MODERATE
4 - 6 MODERATE

Suitable for reasonably fit individuals, such as weekend walkers and cyclists. There can be the occasional more difficult day.

View moderate holidays
7 - 9 CHALLENGING
7 - 9 CHALLENGING

Physically challenging holidays, where you need to be prepared before you go.

View challenging holidays
10 - 12 TOUGH
10 - 12 TOUGH

Our toughest holidays, involving many long days, often in isolated areas. A high level of fitness and previous wilderness and mountain experience is essential.

View Tough holidays

Victoria Falls to Cape Town

Highlights
  • Cycle from Victoria Falls through Botswana and Namibia to the Cape of Good Hope
  • Wildlife spotting on the Chobe River and during the game drives at Moremi
  • Amazing cycling across the Kalahari and wild Namib Desert
  • The sunrise at Sossusvlei and the hike to the top of Dune 45
  • Cape Town, Table Mountain and the ride along Chapman's Peak Drive

At a Glance
  • Group Size 6 to 12
  • 15 days biking
  • 1000 kilometres
  • 60% road
  • 40% dirt road
  • 95% vehicle supported
  • Max altitude - 2347 metres
  • Join In Victoria Falls, end in Cape Town

Accommodation & Meals
  • 20 Breakfasts
  • 19 Lunches
  • 14 Dinners
  • 1 nights Guesthouse
  • 17 nights Camping
  • 2 nights Hotel
Overview

This wide-ranging and exciting biking holiday begins at the world-famous Victoria Falls and finishes in Cape Town. After visiting Africa's most impressive waterfall on the very first day, we employ a sensible mix of vehicle transfers and cycling stages, as we bike from Zimbabwe through the Zambezi National Park into Botswana, then via the Makgadikgadi Saltpan, the Okavango Delta and the Kalahari Desert into Namibia and onwards via Sossusvlei and the Fish River Canyon to South Africa.


This action-packed holiday also includes plenty of time off the bikes, to enjoy a riverboat cruise on the Chobe River, game drives in the Moremi Game Reserve (Okavango) and the opportunity to spend a little time with the San (Bushman) people and learn a little of their self-sufficient lifestyle. Then, continuing our journey to the Namibian capital Windhoek, we have several days and half-days of wild cycling, as we cross the vast Namib Desert and stop off to visit the amazing sand dunes at Sossusvlei. Still heading south and following sections of the 'Long Way Down' route, our epic biking journey takes us to the awe-inspiring Fish River Canyon. Crossing into South Africa, we stop off to ride a loop into the spectacular Cederberg Mountains, before making our final approach to Cape Town with Table Mountain looming ahead of us. A final day of cycling from the Cape of Good Hope via the iconic Chapman's Peak Drive is a fitting way to complete this sustained biking expedition which you will look back on as 'the experience of a lifetime'.

Is this holiday for you?

ADVENTURE CYCLING. Suitable for regular, fit bikers with stamina and a thirst for real African adventure. This African odyssey is a fascinating mix of adventure biking, travel and exploration through Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. A mountain bike fitted with semi-slick tyres is best suited for the long stretches on tarmac, but a set of off-road knobbly tyres is al …

ADVENTURE CYCLING. Suitable for regular, fit bikers with stamina and a thirst for real African adventure. This African odyssey is a fascinating mix of adventure biking, travel and exploration through Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. A mountain bike fitted with semi-slick tyres is best suited for the long stretches on tarmac, but a set of off-road knobbly tyres is also needed for the Namib Desert, where traction and control are more important. Mainly on tarmac roads when in Botswana and on gravel roads in Namibia, this is not a technical ride. However, with many days of sustained riding under the hot African sun, this trip presents a real challenge. Our accommodation ranges from comfortable guesthouses to camping wild under the African night, as well using many fixed campsites - some of them with swimming pools. Due to the sheer distance that needs to be covered within a three-week holiday, regular vehicle transfers are unavoidable. However, we have planned the itinerary so that we cycle the most interesting sections of this amazing journey. Vehicle support is almost always available. There are 15 days of cycling and on 11 of these days the distance covered will be 60 kilometres or more. Taking into account the sometimes challenging gravel road conditions, we rate this as one of our toughest biking holidays. BIKE HIRE AVAILABLE LOCALLY.

Why KE?

Giant Talon 29ER 1 hire bikes now available.

These bikes are perfect for this classic ride and are provided with both knobbly and semi-slick tyres so they can be set up to suit the prevailing conditions of each day's ride!

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Itinerary

Meet at the Shearwater Explorers Village campground in Victoria Falls. A single transfer is provided in the early afternoon from Victoria Falls Airport to the campground near the falls. After setting up or picking up our bikes at the camp, we can make a short cycle on quiet roads to check that all is in order for our early start the next day. In the late afternoon we take a short walk to the viewpoint for the majestic Victoria Falls which are on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The camp has Wi-Fi, a restaurant, bar and swimming pool.

Accommodation

Camping

Ascent

25 M

Descent

25 M

Time

1 hr cycling

Distance

10 KM

An early start today as we begin our epic journey from Victoria Falls to Cape Town. Cycling directly from our camp, we pass through the Zambezi National Park and ride to the border with Botswana at Kasangula. The cycling is relatively straightforward on an undulating tarmac road through the bush, but the group will need to keep together in this exciting reserve area as it is home to lions, elephants, rhino, buffalo and many other animal species. We cross into Botswana and then make a 13 kilometre transfer to our camp by the Chobe River at Thebe. We have lunch on arrival and settle in at the camp before our mid-afternoon river-boat cruise on the Chobe River (included). The Chobe River cruise is one of the best wilderness experiences in Africa and is definitely not to be missed! As well as affording the chance to see elephant, hippo and crocodile, the river is famous for its spectacular varieties of birds, including the African fish eagle. Overnight at the Chobe River Camp.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

400 M

Descent

350 M

Time

4 - 5 hrs cycling

Distance

68 KM

A classic African biking day lies ahead of us and we will have an early start, at sunrise, to make the most of the cool conditions. The cycling is on a good quality tarmac road and is relatively flat throughout. However, being in Botswana we shall certainly feel the heat of the sun today and hopefully have a sighting of an elephant or two along the way. Arriving in Pandamatenga, we will stop for lunch, before transferring (4 hours including breaks) to the town of Nata. We visit the Makgadikgadi Saltpans in the late afternoon to experience the stunning sunset, before driving the last stretch of road to our camp near Nata.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

450 M

Descent

300 M

Time

5 - 6 hrs cycling

Distance

107 KM

A slightly later, but still early, start today sees us riding the level tarmac road from Planet Baobab towards the frontier town of Maun. We ride through the first part of the morning and then transfer for 2 hours or so to Audi Camp which is just outside the town of Maun. We have lunch and then the remainder of the afternoon is free and this gives our crew the time to organise supplies and prepare for the Moremi game drives. There is the option this afternoon or on the afternoon of Day 6 (at extra cost paid locally) of taking a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L

Ascent

100 M

Descent

100 M

Time

3 - 4 hrs cycling

Distance

66 KM

It’s time to leave the bikes for a couple of days and put our wildlife watching hats on. Leaving early in the morning, we’ll enter the Moremi Game Reserve in open 4WD vehicle. Moremi is one of the most beautiful wildlife reserves in Africa and includes the eastern section of the Okavango Delta. Not only does Moremi contain the ‘Big 5’ of lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and the elusive and rare rhino, it is also home to cheetah, giraffe and zebra, as well as a prolific number of bird species. It is also one of the last refuges of the now rare African wild dog. We’ll camp wild in Moremi with the night-time sounds of the African bush to entertain us.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

We’ll make an early morning game drive in Moremi, as this is when many of the wild animals are at their most active. Then, we drive back out to the comforts of Audi Camp on the banks of the Thamalakane River. We have most of the afternoon free, with the opportunity to take it easy or to use the swimming pool. Again there is the opportunity to take a scenic flight over the Okavango (booked and paid directly) this afternoon.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L

We will make an early start and cycle through the morning on a level tarmac road that cuts through the wide-open Botswana landscape. As the sun reaches its hottest we will stop for a leisurely lunch and then get on the bus for the transfer (3 hours with stops) to our next camp at the Bushman-style site at Ghanzi (pronounced Hanzee), a town known as the 'capital of the Kalahari'. Once settled in we will have a chance to meet the Bushman people and perhaps get something of an insight into their traditional way of life. We'll take a walk with them and see how these indigenous people track animals and how they use various plants for medicines.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

150 M

Descent

150 M

Time

5 hrs cycling

Distance

115 KM

After breakfast, we'll board the bus and set off on a long transfer (8 hours with stops) heading south then westwards through the desert, across the border into Namibia and on to the capital, Windhoek. We pass through a number of far-flung settlements and have plenty of opportunity to enjoy the sheer enormity of the Kalahari with its red sand plains and dunes, rock outcrops known as kopjes, generally dry riverbeds and scrubby vegetation including stately acacia trees. We will stay at a comfortable guesthouse in Windhoek and eat out at the legendary Joe’s Beer Garden where the menu includes zebra and oryx as well as vegetarian options.

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Meals

B L

We have some free time in Windhoek this morning as our crew arranges the supplies for the next leg of our overland journey. This gives us an opportunity to catch up on any bike maintenance that may be required and, if needed, to pay a visit to the well-stocked local bike shop. Leaving Windhoek in the late morning, we transfer (2 hours) through some pretty stunning scenery towards the Gamsberg Pass (2347m). This pass marks the edge of Namibia’s Central Escarpment, which is one of the highest ranges in the country. From here, back on our bikes and having left the tarmac roads behind, we will need to acclimatise ourselves to the gravel roads of Namibia. Dropping down from the pass, the road twists and turns and undulates its way through a spectacular desert and mountain landscape. It's very different here in Namibia from the level plains that we traversed in Botswana. We can expect to reach our camp at the Rooisand Desert Ranch by late afternoon.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

300 M

Descent

950 M

Time

3 - 4 hrs cycling

Distance

47 KM

Starting off early again, we’ll make the most of the cool desert morning and begin our undulating gravel road ride towards today’s objective - the desert camp at Sesriem. After traversing the Gaub Pass, set amongst some of the most dramatic mountain landscape so far, we cross the Tropic of Capricorn en-route to the small and isolated settlement of Solitaire where we have lunch. We will transfer approximately 50 kilometres during the middle of today's stage. Then, it’s back on our bikes for the final 2-hour plus ride to Sesriem where, after setting up the camp, we can cool off in the pool or take advanatage of the bar.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

600 M

Descent

940 M

Time

6 hrs cycling

Distance

100 KM

Leaving before dawn, we cycle into the desert area known as Sossusvlei and after a couple of hours reach the foot of the famous Dune 45. On the way we will be able to witness the dramatic desert sunrise on some of the highest sand dunes in the world. We leave our bikes and have the opportunity to hike to the top of Dune 45. Then, after cycling for another hour to the end of the tarmac road, we leave the bikes again and take a pleasant hike into the spectacular Hidden Vlei with its iconic skeleton trees. Walking through the incredible scenery of the desert and the magnificent dunes, with their endlessly changing colours and contrasts, is a truly amazing experience and we’ll spend as much time here as we can, before walking back to our bikes. Here, we will be reunited with our support vehicle and have lunch before driving back to spend a second night at our camp at Sesriem. In the late afternoon, we can make a short excursion into Sesriem Canyon.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

70 M

Descent

270 M

Time

3 hrs cycling

Distance

60 KM

Starting very early, once again, we take the opportunity to cover some distance in the cool desert pre-dawn. We'll cycle throughout the morning through some epic desert landscapes on a road that is for the most part good hard gravel, but with some corrugated and sandy sections that keep the average speed down. Look out for oryx (gemsbok) crossing the road. After around 4 hours we'll take a break at the support vehicle and have lunch. At this point, the road continues to rise ahead of us and it's a popular choice to jump in the support vehicle for the next short section of our journey towards Betta Campsite. However, this is a cycling holiday and at a lonely road junction and isolated ranch 40 kilometres from our destination we'll stop again and get back on our bikes for the completion of the day's ride. Rounding a couple of low hills on our left-hand side, the road continues to rise gradually and we will be happy to reach Betta Campsite which has a pleasant feel and desert mountain views. The attached GPS stats show the first part of the day's ride only.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

500 M

Descent

200 M

Time

6 - 7 hrs cycling

Distance

90 KM

Another early start and another day on gravel desert roads, we head towards the south-west descending a little to a prominent dry river bed and then following this gradually uphill to a right turn at 24 kilometres. The road threads its way amongst low hills in a range of different colours and there's a good chance to spot ostrich and oryx beside the road. After a couple of stops under shading acacia trees, we arrive at the turning to the Kanaan Campsite and transfer on a sandy road to our wild camping place. This is a remote spot tucked up under a rocky hill, but there is a toilet block and shower.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

300 M

Descent

500 M

Time

4 - 5 hrs cycling

Distance

67 KM

After an early breakfast we hit the road and make the long transfer (7 hours with breaks) southwards to the Fish River Canyon. This completes our epic journey across the wild Namib Desert and gives us the chance to let our legs recover from the riding of the last few days. Reaching tree-shaded Hobas Campsite in time for a late lunch, we can then ride the 10 kilometres of gravel roads out to the Fish River Canyon, where we can explore and then experience the sunset over the world’s second largest canyon, before riding back to camp. If we are running late and hungry, we can transfer back from the canyon to our camp.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

200 M

Descent

200 M

Time

2 hrs cycling

Distance

20 KM

A great morning of cycling with views across to the awesome Fish River Canyon on our right-hand side. Heading south, the gravel road skirts around the most broken terrain, crosses a level sandy area and gains a little height before dropping down spectacularly into the canyon to the camp at Ai Ais. This is a famous hot springs resort and we will get there in time for lunch. The afternoon is free to try out the thermal pools which are perfect for soaking weary legs after 2 weeks of hard riding. The camp has a bar and a swimming pool amongst its facilities.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

500 M

Descent

1000 M

Time

4 hrs cycling

Distance

70 KM

After a leisurely start, we make a reasonably short transfer (3 hours including breaks) to our camp on the banks of the Orange River. Once we reach the valley of the Orange River, the greenery of the irrigated fields, orchards and vineyards comes as something of a surprise. Near Aussenke we pass one of the largest vineyards in the southern hemisphere. There may be the option to ride the final section to camp. The camp itself is close to the banks of the river and has a pool and a bar. Arriving in time for lunch, there’s the option to spend the afternoon canoeing on the river (at additional cost) or to explore the area by bike. Alternatively, you can choose just to chill by the pool and reflect on the journey so far.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

To keep our journey on track, today is another transfer day (8 hours including border crossing formalities and breaks). We cross into South Africa and drive on the main road to the Cederberg Wilderness Area. We stop off in the interesting town of Springbok where you will need to buy a snack (lunch) to eat on the bus as we continue southwards. The scenery is ever-changing and increasingly mountainous as we near our destination. The Algiers Campsite is set in a eucalyptus forest with the rock formations of the Cederbergs looming above.

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

From our campsite, we bike on tarmac up to the Uitkyk Pass and then continue on gravel into the Cederberg Wilderness Area. This is a stunning area of rugged, mountainous terrain renowned for its spectacular rock formations. Black eagles are regularly sighted and this region is also home to the rare caracal and to animals such as leopard. Although we’re now only 200 kilometres from Cape Town, it feels like we are a world away. There is the option to ride the 6-kilometre singletrack Lot's Wife Trail and we will also make the splendid 6-kilometre return hike up to the famous 'Maltese Cross' rock formation, beneath the imposing peak of Sneeuberg, with superb views along the way. (As an alternative if the Maltese Cross trail is closed we can visit an impressive site of Bushman (San people) rock art). After this hike, we will cycle back to the Algiers Campsite (option to take the support vehicle instead).

Accommodation

Camping

Meals

B L D

Ascent

900 M

Descent

900 M

Time

4 - 5 hrs cycling

Distance

65 KM

After breakfast, we start the day with a 2-hour cycle ride on a gravel road to Clanwilliam. This is a great ride, taking us by way of a scenic reservoir and dam. At Clanwilliam we board the support vehicle and set off on the drive to Cape Town, stopping off for lunch at Melkbosstrand. This is a great photo opportunity; the views of the beach, the sea and of Table Mountain are spectacular from here. After lunch, it’s back on the bikes for another short section on a quiet road towards Cape Town; stopping off on the outskirts of the city at another great Table Mountain viewpoint. From here, we transfer to our accommodation in Cape Town and freshen up before going out for dinner and a couple of beers.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B L

Ascent

250 M

Descent

650 M

Time

3 hrs cycling

Distance

40 KM

After breakfast, we transfer from our accommodation to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, stopping at Boulder Beach en-route to visit the famous penguin colony. At the cape we walk the short distance to the old and new lighthouses and on to one of the world’s great landmarks, the Cape of Good Hope itself. The scenery is simply stunning, as rugged cliffs rise from the broiling Atlantic Ocean. Then, from Cape Point, we cycle on the distinctly undulating road back to our base in Cape Town, with luck assisted by the prevailing wind. We will have a lunch stop in the nature reserve and then cycle the famous Chapman’s Peak Drive between Noordhoek and Hout Bay on the Cape Peninsula. Constructed during the First World War, this spectacular road runs above the Atlantic, tracing the rocky coastline by way of 114 bends and offering breath-taking views as it skirts the 593 metre-high Chapman Peak. This great road forms a part of the annual Cape Town Cycle Tour (formerly the Cape Argus). Returning to Cape Town, we can celebrate the end of our epic African odyssey.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B L

Ascent

1000 M

Descent

900 M

Time

4 - 5 hrs cycling

Distance

80 KM

Your holiday ends after breakfast. A single transfer to Cape Town Airport is provided in the late morning.

Meals

B
Download Trip Notes
The Route
Airport Airport
Point Point
Direction Direction
Bike

Essential Information

We've compiled some of our Frequently Asked Questions to help you learn more about this amazing trip.

  • A locally based English speaking bike guide
  • Single timed airport transfers as described
  • All land transport involved in the itinerary
  • One or more support vehicles and drivers
  • A full support crew
  • All accommodation as described
  • Meals as per the Meal Plan
  • Chobe River cruise

  • Travel insurance
  • Visas (if required)
  • Tips for local guide and crew
  • Airport departure taxes (if applicable)
  • Optional activities
  • Some meals as per the Meal Plan
  • Miscellaneous personal expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc
  • Bike Carriage on the flights - please check with your carrier for charges

The group will meet at the campground accommodation in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

A single transfer from Victoria Falls Airport is provided in the early afternoon of Day 1 of the Land Only itinerary. On the last day of the Land Only itinerary there is a single tranfer from the hotel in Cape Town to Cape Town Airport for flights departing mid afternoon.

Anyone may join the group transfers by prior arrangement. Travelling as a group or on public transport saves energy. If this is not practical, we can provide private transfers at an additional cost.

Hotel contact details and an emergency number will be provided with your booking confirmation.

All meals are included (except 6 dinners).

Water from the taps may not be drinkable in all locations on this trip - please check with your guide. We recommend taking water purification tablets and a reusable bottle with a filter such as Water-to-Go, which can both be used to help make safe other water sources. Please note that we do not encourage the purchase of single use plastic bottles.

All meals, except 6 dinners, are included in the trip price. Breakfast is usually cereal, coffee, tea and toast. Lunches will be picnic style and dinners will be braais (barbecue), potjies (stew), stir fries, pasta, etc. Most meals are generally cooked on an open fire. Water is provided from the support vehicle and there are drinking water taps at the majority of the lodges we use. It’s a good idea to bring a supply of your favourite energy bars, gels etc. from home, as these are not widely available locally.

During this trip the group will spend 1 nights in a guesthouse in Windhoek, 2 nights in a hotel in Cape Town and 17 nights camping. For the nights spent wild camping, facilities will naturally be minimal and basic - although the locations more than compensate for this. All organised campsites that we use have washing facilities, toilets and many have swimming pools. Hot showers are available every night with the possible exception of Day 5 and Day 13 when we are wild camping. We use our own tents each night; these are well-made and spacious (2.4 x 2.4 metre footprint and 1.8 metre high) Safari canvas tents, with a window and mosquito-mesh screens to keep insects out. You can see an image of our tents on the website gallery. All accommodation is allocated on a twin-sharing basis. If you are travelling by yourself you will be paired up with another single client of the same sex. Single tent and single room occupancy can be pre-booked - please refer to the Dates and Prices page for this holiday on our website.

Please note that the holiday will run more smoothly if you are ready to assist with camp chores, such as setting up and packing away tents.

The trip will be led by an experienced local cycling guide. In addition, there will be a support vehicle and driver, as well as a camp assistant.

The altitudes on this holiday are not extreme and the maximum altitude attained is no more than the equivalent of a pressurised cabin on an international flight. You may ‘feel’ the altitude the first time you trek above 2000 metres but all that is required is a slower pace to compensate. You should pay particular attention to your hydration levels while trekking above 2000 metres.

A total of about £300 should be allowed to cover miscellaneous expenses, departure taxes and the non-included meals. Since a great deal of this trip is spent in remote areas, it is best to carry your personal spending money in the form of cash. When we are wild camping there will be little, if anything, to spend money on. However, the organised campsites usually have a bar area and we would suggest a budget of around £5 per day for drinks is sensible. In cities like Windhoek and Cape Town there are ATM’s where you can withdraw local currency using a credit or debit card. We will be in Botswana for 6 days and will need to get Botswana Pula in Kasane. Sterling, US Dollars and South African Rand can all be exchanged in Botswana. In Namibia the currency is the Namibian Dollar and again Sterling and US Dollars can be easily exchanged. In South Africa, the local currency can be obtained easily. We recommend that you bring US $50 to US$100, £100 to £200, as well as SA Rand (1000 to 2000) for the Namibian and South African sections.

Tips are the accepted way of saying ‘thank you’ to your local guides and porters. They do not form part of their wages. KE always pays local crews the best rates of pay, no matter what country they are in and any tips they receive are seen as a personal thank you from group members. For our part, we advise local teams that tips are not a duty or a prerequisite but are a bonus and entirely dependent on the service that is given. We recommend that you tip your crew, if you feel that their services have been good. As a rough guide, we suggest you allow a total of £50 for tipping your crew.

If you are taking your own bike, we suggest that a ‘hardtail’ mountain bike with front suspension is appropriate for this holiday. It should have a good range of gears and we recommend you fit fast-rolling all-rounder or semi-slick tyres which work well on the surfaced roads and non-technical trails typically found on our Adventure Cycling holidays.

Since you are depending on your bike to transport you throughout your holiday, it’s important to ensure it is in good working order. If you are not mechanically minded, get your local bicycle dealer to service it for you.

Please contact us if you are unsure about the suitability of your bike.

You can either take your own bike or hire one locally. Our agent has a mix of Giant Talon 29ER 1 and Giant Fathom 29ER 1 bikes for hire which are perfect for this ride. These are hardtail bikes purchased in either 2016 or 2017. The two models of bike are similar, with Shimano components, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and 100mm suspension forks. The bikes are also fitted with a single bottle cage. Bike rental is subject to availability and costs £250 (subject to change) paid in Victoria Falls on Day 1. Please note that this must be paid in cash, either in GBP, US$ or in €Euros. If you want to hire a bike, please contact the KE office and we can reserve one on your behalf. We must stress that your hire contract is with the local rental company and KE cannot be held responsible for any issues arising from bike rental. If you do hire a bike, we recommend that you take your own shoes, pedals and possibly even your saddle, which will go a long way towards making it feel like your own bike. You will also need to take a helmet, which must be worn at all times when riding. One final issue with regard to the hire bikes is that they are generally fitted with regular knobbly tyres. However, a pair of semi-slick tyres is also provided with the hire bikes and these can be fitted for those sections of the route where they make the cycling easier.

Airlines require that you pack your bike properly for travel and for this holiday we recommend that you use a purpose-made soft bike bag. These can be relatively inexpensive. They are also light in weight, easy to handle and, most importantly, can be packed into a small space to allow easy transportation in the support vehicle. You will need to partially dismantle your bike to pack it in your bag.

PLEASE DO NOT USE a purpose-made rigid bike box for this holiday. We do not have the space in the support vehicle to transport these bulky items.

Please contact us if you have any questions regarding travelling with your bike.

Throughout this trip we have the back up of our 12-seater safari-truck support vehicle. Each morning our main baggage will be loaded onto the support vehicle which will follow the group on the day's ride. The support vehicle will go ahead on occasion, to set up lunch or to make preparations at the next overnight camp. During the course of this ambitious bike journey there will also be regular transfers with the whole group in the  support vehicle and the bikes on a purpose-made trailer. When game-viewing at Moremi we use a different vehicle, an open-topped, 4WD Toyota Landcruiser. The local biking leader and the support vehicle driver will watch over the group and there will be regular fruit and water stops, every 20 kilometres or less, to allow the biking group to reassemble. We want everyone to enjoy their cycling experience on this trip and we recognise the importance of group members being allowed to cycle at their own pace. The support vehicle will pick up any group members who wish to take a break from cycling at any time.

Apart from your bike in its bag (if you are taking your own bike), you should travel with one main item of luggage, such as a KE Trek Bag or similar holdall, as well as a small day pack or mountain bike-specific hydration pack. The day pack can be used to carry valuable items such as cameras and GPS devices whilst travelling and will also carry your day-ride essentials during the rides.

Your baggage allowance on the flights will depend on your airline. When choosing your flights, whether booking them directly or through KE, you will need to consider the cost of carrying your bike. These costs are your responsibility.

For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in the ‘Dates and Prices’ table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements.

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check for the latest advice before travel. For the most up to date information on entry requirements, please visit the UK Government website.

UK nationals do not normally need a visa to enter Botswana for stays of up to 90 days.

 

Travelling with children under 18yrs - Botswana

Parents travelling with children under 18 years will be asked to show the child’s full unabridged birth certificate. If the child is travelling with one parent, with another adult or unaccompanied, the parent or parents who aren't present will need to provide an affidavit giving their consent for the child to travel. Please note that they are very strict and they do not accept photocopies of birth certificates or short versions. This is also applicable if you are transiting through Botswana. For further details please see FCO website https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/botswana/entry-requirements

Visa South Africa

UK and USA passport holders do not require a visa for short stays. You must have 2 blank pages in your passport.

Rules on travelling with children under 18 years have been relaxed. Visa exempt children entering South Africa only need passports, and not birth certificates as previously required. This applies if the child is travelling with both parents, one parent or an adult who is not a biological parent, and school groups. There are some different requirements for unaccompanied children, and children who do not have UK passports or visa exempt passports. For full details please see the FCDO website.

Visa Namibia

UK and USA passport holders do not require a visa for short stays. You should carry a photocopy of your passport with you at all times when in Namibia for identification.

Travelling with children under 18yrs - Namibia

Parents travelling with children under 18 years will be asked to show the child’s full unabridged birth certificate. If the child is travelling with one parent, with another adult or unaccompanied, the parent or parents who aren't present will need to provide an affidavit giving their consent for the child to travel. Please note that they are very strict and they do not accept photocopies of birth certificates or short versions. This is also applicable if you are transiting through Namibia. For further details please see FCDO website.

Visa Zambia VCMB

Please Note: Only those choosing to join Victoria Falls to Cape Town (VCMB) through Livingstone in Zambia will require a visa for Zambia.

British passport holders do not need a visa in advance and can obtain a visa on arrival. The Government of Zambia recently announced the removal of all visa fees for British passport holders. However implementation of the policy has not yet been confirmed and British nationals may still be charged $25 on arrival.

Other nationals should check details online to see if they need an e-visa. 

A visa for Zimbabwe is required. This is obtained on arrival (usually at Victoria Falls Airport) and the cost is $55 single entry and $70 double entry. Payment must be made in cash and you should take small denomination notes for this.

If you have a severe allergy please inform the KE office before you travel. We will do all we can to help, but we cannot guarantee an allergy free environment on KE trips. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' are not carried as standard by KE leaders and staff. You should inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

VACCINATIONS

You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you specific require any vaccinations or other preventive measures. You should be up to date with routine courses and boosters as recommended in the UK e.g. diphtheria-tetanus-polio and measles-mumps-rubella), along with hepatitis A and typhoid. Malarial prophylaxis are required. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required if travelling from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travellers having transited for more than 12 hrs through an airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. On holidays to more remote areas you should also have a dentist check up. A good online resource is Travel Health Pro.

The unit of currency in South Africa is the South African Rand.

The unit of currency in Botswana is the Pula.

The unit of currency in Zambia is the Zambian Kwacha.

The unit of currency in Namibia is the Namibian Dollar. The Namibian and the the Southern African Rand have the same value, and the Rand  is accepted everywhere in Namibia.

The better conditioned you are the more you will enjoy your trip. We suggest that you adopt a sensible weekly exercise regime and fit in a number of long cycle rides in hilly country to ensure you are physically capable of taking part in this trip - this will also provide you with an opportunity to make sure all your riding kit is tried and tested before you travel. Cycling is obviously the best activity to prepare for this trip, however, running, squash and swimming are also good for developing aerobic fitness and stamina.

We cover a lot of ground on this holiday and the climate varies as we head south. During the earlier departures (April, May, June) we will usually see Victoria Falls at its best, with high flow. The Zambezi River level falls through the season and can be quite low by October. Similarly, early in the year, as we progress into Botswana and the Okavango, we will find lush conditions following the rains and wildlife can be harder to spot amongst the tall grass and dense vegetation. Later in the year, the drier conditions mean that the animals congregate around the waterholes and are easy to find. Generally, we can expect daytime temperatures to reach as high as 35 degrees Centigrade, falling as low as 10 degrees Centigrade at night. Extremely, in the most open, desert areas, night time temperatures can drop as low as freezing. From April through to October is the 'dry season' in both Botswana and Namibia. However, rain cannot be ruled out entirely and this would normally come in short, but heavy bursts. By the time we get to Cape Town, we have entered a different climatic zone and during the Southern Hemisphere winter period it will be much cooler (15 to 20 degrees Centigrade) with some rainy days any time from April to September. October is the beginning of summer in Cape Town and it is drier and warmer. 

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that before travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe.  Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation.  We receive regular updates directly from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground.  If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use.

  • Lonely Planet has guides to the various countries

  • Rough Guide has guides to the various countries

Africa South: Geocenter Publishing. 1: 4,000,000

Large map with clear, attractive cartography. It shows the whole of Southern Africa from the southern tip to Namibia's northern border, including Livingstone and Harare. Internal administrative boundaries are drawn, with names of the provinces. Roads, with intermediate distances on main routes, railways, local airports, and ferry routes are shown, national parks clearly marked, and places of interest highlighted. Multilingual legend includes English. Index on reverse.

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation.  When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct.  Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

This holiday is part of our Explore International range. Participants on these trips can book through KE or through one of our international partners. This helps us to gather together sufficient numbers of like-minded adventurers to get your holiday up and running quickly. Led by an English-speaking guide, the cosmopolitan nature of these groups can be an important part of the experience!

For this holiday you will need your usual cycling clothing, including shoes, cycling gloves and helmet (which must be worn at all times when cycling).

Bike Wear

  • Cycling helmet
  • Cycling shoes
  • Daypack or mountain bike-specific hydration pack (e.g. Camelbak)
  • Water bladder - min. 2 litres water capacity (we encourage re-filling water bottles rather than single use plastic)
  • Padded (baggy) cycling shorts
  • Long leg cycling trousers (winter bib tights) and/or leg warmers
  • Lycra arm warmers
  • Base-layer – thermal tops
  • Mid-layer - short and long sleeved cycling tops
  • Fleece jacket or jumper
  • Lightweight windproof top
  • Lightweight waterproof jacket
  • Regular biking gloves
  • Long-fingered biking gloved
  • Warm hat that fits under your helmet
  • Buff
  • Sunglasses
  • Sun cream (inc. total bloc for lips/nose)
  • Camera
  • Mobile phone

Other Stuff

  • Travel and off-the-bike clothing and footwear
  • Warm jacket for cool evenings in the desert
  • Sleeping bag (comfort rated 0°C).  A 5cm thick foam camping mattress is provided.
  • Sleeping bag liner (silk liners are lightest and best)
  • Camping pillow
  • Wash bag, towel, toiletries, including anti-bacterial handwash
  • Headtorch and spare batteries
  • Swimwear
  • Basic First Aid kit and personal medication
  • Insect Repellant
  • Chamois cream (e.g. Assos/Ozone)
  • Rear light (eg. clip-on silicone band LED) for early morning starts
  • Water purification tablets
  • Reusable cloth bag for shopping (to avoid plastic bags)

Spares

If you are hiring a bike you do not need to bring any spares. The hire bikes are provided in good condition and a supply of spares is carried. You may be asked to pay directly for any spares used, especially in the case of crash damage or damage by mis-use. If you are taking your own bike, you should consider taking a minimum of spares, including a couple of spare spokes (for each wheel if they are different), spare brake blocks (or brake disc pads), chain links/chain connector, rear derailleur hanger and any non-standard parts specific to your bike. If you are taking your own bike, we suggest that you also take a couple of spare inner tubes.

Repairs

Whilst not essential, it is a good idea that you familiarise yourself with how to carry out at least some basic repairs to your bike e.g. changing an inner tube and fixing a puncture. Your bike guide will be happy to help with repairs and general maintenance, but being able to carry out a simple repair yourself could save the inconvenience of having to wait for assistance.

Hydration and Energy Snacks

You should take suitable water bottle(s) (we encourage re-filling water bottles rather than single use plastic) or a hydration pack and you should also consider taking a small supply of the gels, power bars or sports drink mix that you would normally use on a ride at home.

Please contact us if you have any questions about your equipment.

Cotswold Outdoor Red PantonMany of the Equipment items listed above are available from Cotswold Outdoor - our 'Official Recommended Outdoor Retailer'. When you book a holiday with KE you will receive 12.5% discount voucher from Cotswold Outdoor and other retailers.
>> Find out more

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 from 12 reviews

Vic Falls to Cape Town ★★★★★

All the tour leaders helped to give me the best trip of my life. If it is possible I would like my tour leaders managers to be informed also that I was very happy and grateful for their manner in which they conducted the trip. Bradley in particular had a lot of knowledge about what we were seeing, African politics and his great sense of humour and enthusiasm really created an exciting environment. Bradley made sure that the mixed ability’s of the group were catered for and his cooking was firs t rate. The guys also were super efficient at setting up camp , preparing food etc even at the end of long days. As a result of this I would definitely recommend this trip to others on the back particularly of the tour leader’s performance.
By Liz from Manchester | 30 July 2024

Challenging and rewarding trip! ★★★★★

Cycling and camping in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa was an immersive experience. You really get to absorb the environment and get a strong introduction to the culture and day to day life.

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By Barb from Florida, USA | 29 July 2024

Victoria Falls to Cape Town Mountain Bike Epic ★★★★★

Well organized. Professional staff. Great trip. Bradely was professional, interactive, pleasant, funny, helpful and all round did a great job organizing and keeping us on track, on time, well fed and cared for.

By Kate from Edmonton | 21 June 2024

Victoria Falls to Cape Town Bike Epic ★★★★★

This trip has a varied itinerary with enough cycling to satisfy the need for activity. Some of the gravel cycling was tough with corrugation, rockiness and sand, at times all at once. Overall, the hilly sections of the trip were comfortable to do with a good fitness level. The guides were flexible with each day's cycling details in order to accommodate everyone. I had a flat tire three days in a row. The guides were very good at fixing problems, especially the effects of the sand/dust. Arri ving a day early allowed for a better experience of Vic Falls (still with high water in May) and enjoy the beautiful pool at Shearwater campground. Some of the Botswana scenery became a bit monotonous, but there were wildlife sightings that compensated for this (including a herd of 6 ostriches racing beside and across the road). The safaris were great (as good or better than a Masai Mara safari week that I had done in the past). An elephant crossing the Chobe river was truly memorable. After a switchback downhill on day 9, the scenery with late day light was magical. Taking the time to stop for photos was very worthwhile. (If you bring a camera, have a backup: the sand caused my camera to seize up mid-way through the trip). We drove to Dune 45 on Day 11 for the sunrise and some of us cycled back the 60 km in a headwind (challenging but I thought it was worthwhile). None of us cycled from camp to the Fish River canyon viewpoint on Day 14, with no regrets when we saw the condition of the road on driving there. The optional 50km ride and the canoeing both on day 16 are to be highly recommended. The day 18 petroglyphs and nearby rock caves were fabulous (we skipped the Maltese Cross hike). The camping was in very large tents, and the food was amazing (great cooking by the guides). Baboons got into our tents at Ai-Ais: a small lock would be advisable for the tent zippers. The final cycling day via Chapman's Peak was amazing! We only had a bit of rain on one day. The highest temperature was 35 degrees (heat exhaustion for me on day 12 and I gave up by 1 pm after 3 hours of nausea). Electrolyte tabs with magnesium are a very good idea for the hot conditions. Our small group all stayed an extra day in Cape Town to climb Lion's Head (there were ladders, chains and scrambling only near the top, but this section was not for this chicken), then Table Mountain (Platteklip Gorge route--steep but no exposure), very recommended. This trip can be a challenge at times, but it's worth it.
By Johanne from Canada | 04 June 2024

Fabulous trip ★★★★★

Fabulous trip - a holiday that just kept on giving. Every day was different, with new landscapes. Likewise the support team of Bradley, Charles and Sandili just kept on giving. My highlights were the ever changing landscapes, with great cycling with a variety of surfaces and cycling techniques.

By Richard from Winchester | 05 May 2024

Traveller Reviews
4.9 out of 5 from 14 reviews

Vic Falls to Cape Town
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
All the tour leaders helped to give me the best trip of my life. If it is possible I would like my tour leaders managers to be informed also that I was very happy and grateful for their manner in which they conducted the trip. Bradley in particular had a lot of knowledge about what we were seeing, African politics and his great sense of humour and enthusiasm really created an exciting environment. Bradley made sure that the mixed ability’s of the group were catered for and his cooking was firs t rate. The guys also were super efficient at setting up camp , preparing food etc even at the end of long days. As a result of this I would definitely recommend this trip to others on the back particularly of the tour leader’s performance.
By Liz from Manchester | 30 July 2024

Challenging and rewarding trip!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Cycling and camping in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa was an immersive experience. You really get to absorb the environment and get a strong introduction to the culture and day to day life.

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By Barb from Florida, USA | 29 July 2024

Victoria Falls to Cape Town Mountain Bike Epic
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Well organized. Professional staff. Great trip. Bradely was professional, interactive, pleasant, funny, helpful and all round did a great job organizing and keeping us on track, on time, well fed and cared for.

By Kate from Edmonton | 21 June 2024

Victoria Falls to Cape Town Bike Epic
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This trip has a varied itinerary with enough cycling to satisfy the need for activity. Some of the gravel cycling was tough with corrugation, rockiness and sand, at times all at once. Overall, the hilly sections of the trip were comfortable to do with a good fitness level. The guides were flexible with each day's cycling details in order to accommodate everyone. I had a flat tire three days in a row. The guides were very good at fixing problems, especially the effects of the sand/dust. Arri ving a day early allowed for a better experience of Vic Falls (still with high water in May) and enjoy the beautiful pool at Shearwater campground. Some of the Botswana scenery became a bit monotonous, but there were wildlife sightings that compensated for this (including a herd of 6 ostriches racing beside and across the road). The safaris were great (as good or better than a Masai Mara safari week that I had done in the past). An elephant crossing the Chobe river was truly memorable. After a switchback downhill on day 9, the scenery with late day light was magical. Taking the time to stop for photos was very worthwhile. (If you bring a camera, have a backup: the sand caused my camera to seize up mid-way through the trip). We drove to Dune 45 on Day 11 for the sunrise and some of us cycled back the 60 km in a headwind (challenging but I thought it was worthwhile). None of us cycled from camp to the Fish River canyon viewpoint on Day 14, with no regrets when we saw the condition of the road on driving there. The optional 50km ride and the canoeing both on day 16 are to be highly recommended. The day 18 petroglyphs and nearby rock caves were fabulous (we skipped the Maltese Cross hike). The camping was in very large tents, and the food was amazing (great cooking by the guides). Baboons got into our tents at Ai-Ais: a small lock would be advisable for the tent zippers. The final cycling day via Chapman's Peak was amazing! We only had a bit of rain on one day. The highest temperature was 35 degrees (heat exhaustion for me on day 12 and I gave up by 1 pm after 3 hours of nausea). Electrolyte tabs with magnesium are a very good idea for the hot conditions. Our small group all stayed an extra day in Cape Town to climb Lion's Head (there were ladders, chains and scrambling only near the top, but this section was not for this chicken), then Table Mountain (Platteklip Gorge route--steep but no exposure), very recommended. This trip can be a challenge at times, but it's worth it.
By Johanne from Canada | 04 June 2024

Fabulous trip
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Fabulous trip - a holiday that just kept on giving. Every day was different, with new landscapes. Likewise the support team of Bradley, Charles and Sandili just kept on giving. My highlights were the ever changing landscapes, with great cycling with a variety of surfaces and cycling techniques.

By Richard from Winchester | 05 May 2024

A genuinely memorable experience
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This trip was everything I could have hoped for in an overall experience that I think will be difficult to match. The combination of fabulous landscapes, wildlife and cycling is a potent mix making for a truly memorable time. The cycling itself was varied in both difficulty and ease, no two days being identical due to changes in conditions and surfaces. There is no doubt some was very challenging but in turn rewarding. Once in the “flow”and acclimatisation having been made each day was diffe rent and always pushing my own boundaries in a positive way. The esprit de corps was excellent and everyone pulled together as a cohesive and sociable unit.

The landscape and environment continuously changed with amazing light changes and vistas that were hard to capture simply by photography, it was an mesmerising experience. The wildlife did not disappoint, with numerous sightings and close up encounters with a wide variety of animals. It felt very natural and with a lightness of touch, seeing wild animals in their natural habitat and not feeling intrusive.

The team, Bradley,Charles and Sandeles were second to none, working tirelessly to give the group the best possible experience they could hope for. Their combined knowledge of animals and the environment was second to none and their mechanical, practical and driving skills were top notch. They were truly professional on all levels giving a huge sense of reassurance and support, as well as being great company.

I totally recommend this trip if you want to push yourself and have a genuinely memorable experience.
By Andy from Menai Bridge | 12 April 2024

Victoria Falls to Cape Town
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Great experience and great guides

By Earl from Seattle | 02 April 2024

Unforgetable adventure
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Its been an unforgetable adventure. Bradley led a tour I was on last year: it was he who mentioned about this trip to me and the fact he would lead it made me coming on this trip a no-brainer... he is a top man as well as being a top trip leader. Support team: worked 24hrs to be the best, which is what they are.

By Lucius from Tintagel | 02 April 2024

Epic holiday, good hard cycling and great exposure to wildlife

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By Paul from Perranporth | 04 July 2023

Everything was a highlight
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Outstanding support crew in Africa who made the trip so wonderful and memorable. I enjoyed the camping the most, gave such a feeling of being part of camplife and more engaged with the setting, especially the wild camps. Bradley is an outstanding Tour Leader and guide, he is knowledgable, polite, considerate, always good humoured and goes to considerable lengths to meet individual needs and requests. He deserves to have a great career in the tour industry.

By Lorna from Hereford | 11 May 2023

3 weeks of Incredible Experiences - Trip of a Lifetime
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This trip is vast. With 3 pretty packed weeks of activities & fun, it's really hard to sum this trip up in short so apologies for the long review. Yes, there is the cycling, and some of that is truly incredible. But there's an unbelievable amount also going on off the bike. The Chobe River cruise was spectacular (Elephants, giraffes, birds, lizards etc) & set a seemingly impossibly high bar from which to follow, but the trip continued to outdo itself. Cycling along the long straight somewhat roads that exist in Botswana can be at times a little, same same, (its not cycling through village after village like you might find in the far east) but this is then all forgotten by the sheer mixture of emotions that come from seeing elephants & such forth from the seat of the bike (a mixture of joy, excitement & please don't squish me); although the excellent guiding team kept us safe and ensured we were well briefed to have the best & safest experience possible. The Trip to Moremi is amazing, we actually saw more on the transfer from Maun to Moremi than we did inside the park itself. So you effectively spend significantly more time on 'game drives' than advertised. Locking Eyes with a Leopard at 4-6ft is something our group is not going to forget. Being early in the season (March Departure) , there is a lot of water about so this 'apparently' limited our animal spotting potential, however, I certainly didn't feel like we missed out. Nambia is a huge change of scene for the trip, and the horizon becomes significantly more interesting & the tarmac stops. The gravel roads are regularly 'ploughed' to keep them running smoothly, but at times can be like riding on corrugated sheeting. Given the distances involves I would be surprised if any trip was done without finding a rough section, but overall the roads are great & the two scenic passes are spectacular. The 45km early morning (4:30 start for us) dash to see the sunrise on the dune is amazing and is on smooth tarmac. The Sesriem Canyon visit was amazing and well worth getting back on the truck for. Day 12 is advertised as a 90km ish day but has been done as a 140km day previously. It's the toughest day of the trip cycling wise, with for us the poorest road (very soft), the support team actually drove the first 40km and we did the rest as a continual (well with stops every 15km and a leisurely lunch) 90km. The last section is long, flat & hot so quite a few jumped in the truck. Fish River & Ai Ais are very much desert days, and are hot & epic, with great views. Ai Ais is defiantly a bit 'tired'. But the large outdoor pool (stargazing swim anyone) is amazing. Crossing over in South Africa the Cederberg wilderness area we were in an alternative campsite due to the Algiers Campsite flooding/fire. But if anything this was a change for the better (afternoon wine tasting) and a superbly presented campsite. We had some minor tweaks to the cycling routes here also but anything in this area is going to be amazing. The cycling in Cape Town is great also, and a real change as the roads are a bit busier & the drivers slightly less amazing. However, anyone used to cycling in the UK on B roads in the hills etc will be totally fine. The two restaurants in cape town were really fantastic ends to the trip. One thing I didn’t expect was how good the food was, the crew knew the demands of the trip and very much had planned the diet to cater to the needs of the trip with appropriate fuel for big days etc. The truck held a well stocked ‘shop’ for our regular 15-20km breaks with Nuts, Sweets, Fruit & generally a selection of ‘daily specials’. Some things for those planning this trip: - We got rained on hard at a couple of points, bring a good waterproof. (Its also really useful for the safari drives) - I mainly used long sleeve Craghoppers safari shirts & bib shorts for cycling to limit sunburn. But a vast mixture of road & mountain bike kit was used across the group. - For the first 2 weeks we wondered why we had the sleeping bags & warm clothing, but you will use it. - For those who have never used electrolytes tabs before, you WILL need them on this holiday to avoid dehydration as you will drink a vast amount of water given the heat. Those in the group without or using table salt as a replacement didn’t fare so well. Although it should be noted that sharing supplies and support teams stocks etc sorted this out. - I wouldn’t bring your own bike unless you are happy to write it off. At first, looking at the hire bikes I thought they were a little tired looking in all honesty, but by day 14 I was amazed at how they have been kept in such good condition given the challenges of the terrain and the dust. The ground agent services the bikes & the support vehicle between each trip & this was very clear. COVID Related Note: The trip I was on was the first trip back since COVID was a thing. This did slightly change our trip (only for the better) in that we were quite often the only campsite guests and that everyone was SO happy to see us. Some of the campsite shops & bars were not yet open but the group was well provisioned from local supermarkets so this was not a problem. KE & the ground agent kept us extremely well informed of changes to requirements on a sometimes daily basis. But this did not interfere with the trip. TLDR: Just book it, you won’t regret it. We saw more Elephants and Giraffes than Dogs for 3 weeks…
By Andrew from Biggar | 04 April 2022

Amazing African cycling tour
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This is a fantastic tour of Southern Africa. Cycling is hard at times, but rewarding, and brings the opportunity to see so many epic and beautiful sites. Every day exceeded expectations. The organisation of the tour was excellent and our guides were superb, cooking great food, managing all aspects of the trip and keeping the bikes maintained. I cannot recommend this tour highly enough.

By Paul from Gordon | 10 July 2017

Good trip, hard trip, rewarding trip
★ ★ ★ ★
I'm writing this from a month and a half's perspective since I've been back. First, my husband and I normally do self supported trips so I'm always concerned because the guide and group can make such a huge difference on these kind of deals. The guides were great. They have a really hard job working 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. everyday. Bevan the lead guide was fastidious about our safety and set rules early on that kept the group at a good cadence. He loosened up once he had the group all on track and was very pleasant. Colin and Andy were amazing. I particularly liked Andy's laugh and caught some of it on video that I like to listen to every now again because it makes me smile. The group was pretty good too. It was a really fast group of cyclists. So through Botswana I had to stay on someone's wheel to keep up. That was a bit frustrating because I've never been to Africa before and I really would have liked a slower pace that allowed for more picture taking. I ended up keeping my point and shoot camera in my bra and would grab it out and take pictures on the fly but eventually the camera broke from the sweat. Very frustrating. Namibia in a word is hard biking. The roads are horribly wash boarded. But the landscapes are simply vast and amazing. I would take the hard biking just to see that kind of scenery. South Africa was epic. The bike ride from Cape of Good Hope to Cape Town is a must do. Regarding food - the breakfasts were not so great. Granola and Yogurt. That was pretty much it. You have to get on the road early to beat the heat but it would have been nice to have hard boiled eggs or something a little more substantial. The lunches were ok, not super inspiring but filling...usually cold cuts. The dinners were masterpieces. The guides would usually have some sort of wild game and do some feast of a bbq (a Braii as they call it down there) over an open fire. It was splendid. Logistically, we rented bikes and were so glad we did. The bikes get beat to hell riding on the roads and being on the trailer over such rough roads. The bikes we rented from KE were awesome 29ers that they put skinny tires on for Botswana and then changed out to MTB tires in Namibia and South Africa. We ended up spending a few days prior to the trip in Livingstone, Zambia. I'm really glad we did as it allowed us to get through the jet lag and also visit Victoria Falls with enough time to really see it and hike through the park. We took a microlight flight above it that I highly recommend. We also spent 2.5 days at the end of the trip taking in Cape Town. That was awesome too and the hike up Table Mountain and the views from the top were spectacular. Visiting Robbens Island is a must do as well. Very stirring having a former political prisoner walk you through where they were imprisoned and telling you what it is like. You still see the vestiges of apartheid in Namibia and South Africa. They have a long way to go to get to equality. Some tips that I would recommend KE put in their packing list: Bring some handwashing soap for clothes and clothesline pins. Also I recommend bringing 10 foot or so of light cord for the clothes line. You want to wash your clothes most days. The bathroom and shower facilities were great at each of the campsites. I had a hot shower every day except one or two which was nice. The mattresses they provided were nice too. We had brought extra light weight blow up mattresses just in case theirs weren't any good but we never ended up using them. We also brought down pillows. Basically the sleeping arrangements were like a bed and I slept like a baby every night. Also, you get to see the Milky Way most nights. That is spectacular. I hadn't seen that since I was a kid! All in all, it was a really nice trip and I would recommend it to others.
By Jody from Durango | 17 June 2017

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By David from UK | 25 September 2015

DATES & PRICES

Private Departure?

Gather a few friends, family or club and take over your own departure.

2025

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More Information

  • Victoria Falls to Cape Town
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VCMB/01/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 9 Mar and ends on Sat 29 Mar
  • This departure is guaranteed. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$550
  • Single Supplement Price: US$305
  • Single Tent Upgrade: US$215
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Victoria Falls to Cape Town
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VCMB/02/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 6 Apr and ends on Sat 26 Apr
  • This departure is guaranteed. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$550
  • Single Supplement Price: US$305
  • Single Tent Upgrade: US$215
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Victoria Falls to Cape Town
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VCMB/03/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 11 May and ends on Sat 31 May
  • This departure is guaranteed. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$550
  • Single Supplement Price: US$305
  • Single Tent Upgrade: US$215
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Victoria Falls to Cape Town
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VCMB/04/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 8 Jun and ends on Sat 28 Jun
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$550
  • Single Supplement Price: US$305
  • Single Tent Upgrade: US$215
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Victoria Falls to Cape Town
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VCMB/05/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 6 Jul and ends on Sat 26 Jul
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$550
  • Single Supplement Price: US$305
  • Single Tent Upgrade: US$215
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Victoria Falls to Cape Town
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VCMB/06/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 3 Aug and ends on Sat 23 Aug
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$550
  • Single Supplement Price: US$305
  • Single Tent Upgrade: US$215
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Victoria Falls to Cape Town
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VCMB/07/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 7 Sep and ends on Sat 27 Sep
  • This departure is guaranteed. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$550
  • Single Supplement Price: US$305
  • Single Tent Upgrade: US$215
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Victoria Falls to Cape Town
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VCMB/08/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 5 Oct and ends on Sat 25 Oct
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$550
  • Single Supplement Price: US$305
  • Single Tent Upgrade: US$215
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Victoria Falls to Cape Town
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VCMB/09/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 2 Nov and ends on Sat 22 Nov
  • This departure is guaranteed. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$550
  • Single Supplement Price: US$305
  • Single Tent Upgrade: US$215
  • Download Trip Notes

Land Only Information

The LAND ONLY dates and prices are for the itinerary starting at the campground accommodation in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. A single transfer from Victoria Falls Airport is provided in the early afternoon of Day 1 of the Land Only itinerary. On the last day of the Land Only itinerary there is a single tranfer from the hotel in Cape Town to Cape Town Airport for flights departing mid afternoon.

ZEN_HOLIDAY_DATES_PRICES_LAND_ONLY_USD_NOTICE

BOOK WITH KE CONFIDENCE - No surcharge guarantee

The price of our holidays can change depending on a variety of factors but unlike some other tour operators, KE have undertaken to guarantee the Land Only price of your holiday will not change after you have booked. The price when you book is the price you will pay, whether you are booking for this year or the next. Book early to avoid any tour price increases, get the best flight prices and take advantage of our 'No Surcharge Guarantee'.

KE Adventure is a fully bonded tour operator. We hold an ATOL license (No: 2808) and are bonded with ABTA (Membership No: W4341)


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