Capetown - Windhoek Tour

 

Tour Profile: Grated gravel roads, winding pass roads, some sandy stretches, easy Enduro terrain, some very remote areas, daily distances between 250 and 350 km

The enormous variety of terrain and attractions offered by this tour can hardly be beaten by other tours in our extensive programme. Nearly 3.000 km are covered, (mostly off-road) during 12 excellent days spent in the saddle of one of our new, specially prepared Yamaha motorcycles, leaving you with the impression of having travelled around the world.

Discover Cape Town, arguably one the most beautiful towns in the world at your leisure and spend some entertaining hours shopping at the Waterfront, or visit landmarks like Table Mountain. Once on the move, visit coastal attractions such the legendary Cape of Good Hope, Hermanus Bay for some whale watching, Cape Agulhas where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet, before moving back inland. Travelling north you ride through the orchards and scenic wine areas of the Western Cape before tackling some of the famous passes around Cape Town. The next leg of the journey takes you through the Cedarberg Mountains with their remote secondary roads and awe-inspiring views into Namaqualand.

Next come the diamond mining areas on the west coast, Richtersveld, the intriguing gorges of the Fish River Canyon and the small town of Lüderitzbucht on the Atlantic coast. From here it is back inland to experience the Namib Desert and central Highland of Namibia, before finally heading for Windhoek and the end of the tour.

It has to be said that his tour offers so much variety and contrasts in the terrain, that it will live on in your memory for many a year after you have returned home. Gravel roads, farm roads, passes and coastal routes all on a GPS and detailed road book make sure you see the best the region has to offer.

These routes are combined with some unique and very individual top-class accommodation and culinary delights along the way, to contribute to what we promise is a unique and unforgettable experience.

This tour is not suitable for absolute beginners, but any reasonably experienced road rider will easily be able to meet its demands.

Day 01: FLIGHT UK – WINDHOEK – CAPETOWN

Departure from Gatwick is on a scheduled over-night flight with Air Namibia, which takes you via Windhoek to Cape Town.

Day 02: CAPETOWN

Arrival is at midday in Cape Town where you meet your tour guides and fellow travellers.
The international airport is 30 km away from the accommodation at the "Winchester Mansions", one of the best hotels in South Africa and right on the coast.
Apart from the sea, it offers a great view on the splendid skyline of the city dominated by Table Mountain. Cape Town is justly counted amongst the most beautiful cities in the world, not only because of its fascinating scenery, but also because of its impressive architecture, its cultural diversity and happy-go-lucky nature of the inhabitants giving it an almost Mediterranean flair.

After settling in and having a brief introduction, there is still time for a stroll along the Waterfront, Cape Town's beautifully restored harbour with its many shops and bars prior to dinner.
Dinner/Bed/Breakfast – Winchester Mansions Hotel.

Day 03: OFF ROAD TRAINING – CAPETOWN

After a leisurely breakfast, it is a short trip to an Off -Road Park located 40 km out of town.
This enables you to become familiar with the bike and navigation equipment, before getting some training on riding safely on sand and gravel, which will help later in the tour.

The afternoon is then at your disposal to continue exploring as there is plenty to do  A trip to the top of  Table Mountain, a walk around the Waterfront, a visit to the colourful Green Market with its many African traders, or go to Robben Island, the jail island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated. Certainly there is no shortage of things to do before dinner at a very special restaurant.
Bed/Breakfast – Winchester Mansions Hotel

Day 04: CAPE HOPE – HERMANUS
This is first 230 km step of the journey and full day on the bike. First off it drops down the coast to the legendary "Cape of Good Hope" for a group photo at the Cape Point, an excellent memento and reminder of your fellow travellers.

The Cape of Good Hope was feared by the first European sailors because of its dangerous currents and winds as much as it was a reason to celebrate the prospect of going on land and refilling supplies after a long time at sea. The Cape is one of the seven floral kingdoms on earth. From here the route follows coastal roads that are a motorcyclists dream as well as the odd trail taking in Chapman’s Peak along the way, before ending up at Hermanus Bay. The hotel itself is right on the Atlantic coast and allows you to study in comfort the many whales that visit throughout the year.
Dinner/Bed/Breakfast – Hermanus Hotel .

Day 05: HERMANUS – STELLENBOSCH

The route leaves the tourist haven ignoring the congested tarmac roads, instead taking many narrow gravel roads that lead along the scenic coastal line straight towards "Cape Agulhas", the most southern spot of the African continent. The Cape also marks the geographic border between the Indian and the Atlantic Ocean.
After a photo stop the route heads north until towards the small dreamy town Greyton. This picturesque town has houses and old trees from a bygone age and it is easy to believe you have taken a trip back in time as you grab a coffee.
Refreshed the route then passes the "Theewaterkloof-Dam" which creates the reservoir which supplies Cape Town. By now you start wanting to take a picture after every corner, such is the terrain and the "Franchhoek Pass" will consume a large amount of camera memory.

The overnight destination is a small private wine-growing estate near Stellenbosch where you can enjoy the home-made Chardonnay while enjoying the splendid view over the vineyards.
Dinner/Bed/Breakfast – Stellenbosch.

Day 06: STELLENBOSCH – CLANWILLIAM

The route continues north and almost immediately you leave the tarmac as you move to the more remote areas not visited by many tourists.
The spectacular “Bains Pass” leads towards the extended fruit plantings of Ceres and further across the “Gydo Pass” points you along some magnificent mountainous roads through the Cedarberg Mountains.
The gravel road here is very winding, and you really will have to decide between riding or stopping to enjoy the spectacular vistas that seem to endlessly appear.
Eventually the route brings you to the huge "Clanwilliam-Dam" before you drop down and reach to the small town of Clanwilliam in the foothills of the Cedarberg Mountains, which is known for its large roiboos and fruit plantations.
Accommodation for the night is provided in "St du Barry's Country Lodge", a lovely guesthouse built in the traditional colonial style.
Dinner/Bed/Breakfast – St du Barry's Country Lodge

Day 07: CLANWILLIAM – STRANDFONTEIN

The route moves through the rugged rocks of the Cedarberg Mountains with more stunning views to tempt you with constant photo stops.
In the afternoon, you reach the extended wine-lands on the banks of the Olifants River, South Africa's most northern wine farming area apart from that in the Orange River Valley. The Olifant river feeds huge irrigation plants which allow fertile orchards as well as fruit and vegetable farming in this region.
From here the route moves eastwards straight to the Atlantic coast where overnight is spent in the holiday resort Standfontein, staying at “Seabreeze” a guesthouse with views of the ocean and provides an excellent fish meal as you might expect.
Dinner/Bed/Breakfast – Seabreeze Hotel

Day 08: STRANDFONTEIN – NAMAQUALAND

From here the route runs north nearly parallel to the coastline passing the mouth of Olifant River. Having refuelled in Lutzville, it is time to leave civilisation behind.
The gentle and seemingly endless hill ranges of Namaqualand dominate the landscapes throughout the day. Continuing north on narrow, bending and less maintained tracks, passing abandoned farms and seemingly deserted villages you end up at the day’s final remote destination "Die Houthoop" (The Woodpile) on the fringe of the Namaqualand.
Here you will enjoy an unforgettable sunset over the Atlantic and a seafood dinner prepared on the open fire whose ingredients cannot be found fresher and more tasty anywhere on the West Coast.

This part of South Africa falls into the winter rainfall area of the country, which stretches in a broad strip for about 1000 km along the southern and western coast of the sub-continent towards the north and still influences the climate conditions in Namibia's south-western areas.
In the east and south, this strip of land is separated from the inland by high mountain ranges, which makes for clearly defined climate zones.

Beyond the mountains lies the semi-arid Great Karoo, which belongs together with most of Namibia into the summer rainfall area. Dinner/Bed/Breakfast – Die Houthoop.

Day 09: NAMAQUALAND – ORANGE RIVER

After breakfast you travel on gated gravel tracks passing large diamond mines. The fishing village Port Nolloth on the coast offers a welcome opportunity to re-fuel and to relax during a short coffee break.
From there is onto narrow, seldom used tracks that lead through the rocky landscape of Richtersveld, one of South Africa's most unusual areas, that has hardly been touched by civilisation. Again and again, ancient diamond mines, most of them abandoned, are to be found along our route until we reach the southern banks of the Orange River in the afternoon.

The bridge across the river forms the frontier into Namibia. The immigration formalities are usually done quite quickly. Then a short 10 km ride takes you to your accommodation near Noordoever. The night is actually spent in cosy reed-chalets on the river banks.
Dinner/Bed/Breakfast – Noordoewer Lodge.

Day 10: ORANGE RIVER – LÜDERITZ

This leg is the longest of the whole journey. Firstly you stay with the Orange River, riding on some scenic winding roads along the banks before heading west to Rosh Pinah, which is at present a booming mining centre in southern Namibia.
Then you follow the gravel road along the western side of the Fish River Canyon further north, through landscapes of almost overwhelming vastness accompanied by some occasional traffic.
Eventually you reach the desert village of Aus for a break and petrol refill. Then it is approx. 120 km of tarred road that gives you your first taste of the desert. At the end you reach the small coastal town of Lüderitz and its sleepy harbour.


Here time seems to stand still. A lot of Lüderitz' buildings date from past- times when it was a German colony and have been expertly preserved. Just outside the boundary is the abandoned ‘ghost’ town of Kolmanskoop, formerly a centre of the booming diamond mining business.


The overnight stay is in the "Nesthotel" situated right on the Atlantic coast. Because of the icy Benguela stream coming from the Antarctic the coastal climate is often much cooler than in the desert you have just ridden through.
Dinner/Bed/Breakfast – Nesthotel Lüderitz .

Day 11: LÜDERITZ – HELMERINGHAUSEN

After breakfast it is a quick visit to Kolmanskoop and a history lesson before heading back across the desert on the road with its drifting sands. The route then takes you right into the desert and you begin to feel the temperature rise every kilometre along the gravel track.


You begin to understand the vastness of the desert and the scarcity of towns and habitation. Eventually you reach the tiny desert town of Helmeringhausen whose scenery seems to be taken right out of a wild-west movie. However the restored “Helmeringhausen Hotel" is very modern and provides much needed rest for the night.
Dinner/Bed/Breakfast – Helmeringhausen Hotel .

Day 12: HELMERINGHAUSEN – NAMIB DESERT

The main part of the route on this leg takes you right along the border between the desert and central highlands of Namibia: On one side, you find the red desert dunes, on the other side, the bizarre mountain ranges of Naukluft and Tiras line the road.
By the end of the day you will have seen many of the outstanding landscapes of the Namib Desert and experienced the intense heat before stopping at the “Desert Homestead”, located at the fringe of the Namib Desert.

At sunset, you can enjoy fascinating views across the seemingly endless expanse of the barren plains and the starred night sky in the desert provides a unique experience all of its own.
Dinner/Bed/Breakfast – Desert Homestead Lodge .

Day 13: NAMIB DESERT– WINDHOEK MOUNTAIN LODGE

The last day on the bike takes you away from the vastness of the desert. The tremendous viewpoint of the Speetshoogte Pass let you stop and take a lasting look across the Namib desert.
From then, firm well maintained gravel tracks guide you through the southern extents of the scenic Khomas Highlands with its thorn bush savannas, before you come into the capital city of Windhoek.

This is quickly negotiated and you end up at the Gravel Travel base at the Windhoek Mountain Lodge, situated in a height of approximately 2.000 m in the foothills of the Auas Mountains. The day ends with the legendary "bushman fondue" or 'braai' - as it is called in Namibia.
Dinner/Bed/Breakfast – Windhoek Mountain Lodge .

Day 14: WINDHOEK MOUNTAIN LODGE – AIRPORT

This day is at your disposal. An individual stroll through the city centre provides the opportunity for some sightseeing in the capital city where you can relax in one of the many sidewalk cafés. Alternatively you can just sleep-in and relaxing round the pool and catch some sun before packing.

A bus transfer in the early evening takes you back to the Hosea Kutako Airport from where you start your return journey to the UK .

Day 15: ARRIVAL UK
The return flight reaches Gatwick in the early morning from where you head home with a camera full of memories of one of the most unforgettable motorcycle trips of a lifetime.