Mount Your Bicycle and Explore
Option 1 with routes of 20 and 30 km (mountain bikes)
Cycle along Baron van Reede Street in the direction of Cango Wildlife Ranch and after 2km turn left into North Street and 800m further turn right onto Jan van Riebeeck Road. It turns into a gravel road. For the 20km option follow the gravel road to the turn off to Surval Boutique Olive Estate, ride through the estate to join the R328 tar road and follow it back to Oudtshoorn.
For the 30 km route pass the turn off to Surval and continue along the gravel road to where it ends at the Schoeman Hoek church. Turn right and join the R328 at Cango Ostrich Farm, where you can stop for a coffee or something colder before continuing back to Oudtshoorn. This is an easy route and does not require a high level of fitness.
Option 2 with routes along tar roads of 20km, 30 km and 60km. (Road bikes as well as mountain bikes.)
Route 1 (20km)
Cycle from CP Nel Museum along Voortrekker Road in the direction of Calitzdorp. Turn left onto the R328 just past the SAPS Training College towards Mossel Bay. Follow this road till you reach Safari Ostrich Farm where you turn left. This is the ideal place to enjoy refreshments. Follow the road towards Oudtshoorn and turn right into Rademeyer Street as you reach the first houses. Follow it and then turn left into Langenhoven Road and end at the museum again. This is an easy ride and does not require high levels of fitness.
Route 2 (30km)
Don’t turn left after the police training college. Follow the R62 till you reach the Volmoed turn off to the left. Follow it till you reach Volmoed then turn left at La Plume Guest House past Highgate Ostrich Farm where you can enjoy refreshments. Follow the road till it meets the R328, turn left and follow the road till you turn right at Safari Ostrich Farm and make your way back to Oudtshoorn as with Route 1. This route requires moderate fitness.
Route 3 (60km)
Follow the route as with Route 2 but once you reach Volmoed, don’t turn left. Keep straight on, past Volmoed until you join the R328 several kilometers ans some hills further on. Turn left and follow the road to Safari Ostrich Farm where you turn right and back to Oudtshoorn. This route requires a higher level of fitness.
Option 3 with routes of 25 tot 40km (Mountain bikes only)
Route 1 (40 km)
Follow Langenhoven Road towards George, turn right into Rademeyer Street just before the railway bridge. Cross the river and turn left at the first stop street. Follow the tar road to Safari Ostrich Farm and turn left onto R328 and then right at the De Zeekoe turn off about 800m past Safari. Follow the gravel road past De Zeekoe on your left and keep left for 6,5 km till you reach a tar road where you turn left towards Volmoed. About 2,5 km later, turn left at La Plume Guest House and cycle past Highgate Ostrich Farm till you meet the R328. Turn left on R328 and right again after a short descent of about 100m before you reach the bridge. The gravel road takes you past the Bakenskraal Ostrich Palace. You exit on the Oudtshoorn/George Road. Turn left across the long bridge and follow the road into town.
Route 2 (25 km)
Follow the same route as above but don’t turn off at De Zeekoe. Follow the R328 over the bridge and turn left to Bakenskraal to complete the route as above.
Option 4 with routes of 50 to 65km (For mountain bikes and requiring a good level of fitness)
Cycle from CP Nel Museum towards George along Langenhoven Road, cross the railway bridge and immediately turn left past the old station. From here there are three different routes.
Route 1. (50 km)
After about 4km turn right to the Oudtshoorn Research Farm where tar turns to gravel. After a few kilometers you will find Thorny Creek Brewery on your left. This is the ideal spot to stop and get some refreshments. Should you miss the opportunity to get out of the saddle and enjoy something cool, you might regret it because shortly after Thorny Creek you will encounter Spookbult which will make you sweat for about 5km until you reach a T-junction. At the junction, turn left towards the Kammanassie Dam. About 6km further you will see the dam on your right. Turn left at the junction and this road will bring you back onto the tar road past the station and back to Oudtshoorn.
Route 2 (55km)
Don’t turn off to the Research Farm, keep straight past Karoo Lusern Butchery till the tar turns to gravel and follow the road to the Kammanassie Dam where you turn left towards Dysselsdorp. You will reach Dysselsdorp after about 9 km then turn left on the gravel road towards Oudtshoorn. After a further 6 kms, turn left to Rooiheuwel Primary School whereafter you will again join the tar road past the station and back to town.
Route 3 (65 km)
The same as the previous one past Karoo Lusern Butchery, but turn left just before the tar road turns to gravel and cycle till you reach a T-junction. Turn right and cycle to Dysselsdorp. At Dysselsdorp turn left onto the tar road and follow it till it meets the busy N12. Turn right at the T-junction and follow the N12 for only about 600m before turning left onto the Vergelegen gravel road. Follow the gravel road until it meets the R328 between Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves. Turn left and follow the tar road back to Oudtshoorn. This route requires a high level of fitness.
Option 5 with two routes of 45 and 100 km.
Cycle from CP Nel Museum along Voortrekker Road onto R62 towards Calitzdorp. Turn right after about 6 km onto the Lategansvlei gravel road.
Route 1 (45 km)
Follow the gravel road for about 10km and turn left to cross the Wynand’s River. Then turn left to De Hoop and cross the R62 after about 6km. Cycle past the De Hoop church and join the cement road where you turn left. In less than a kilometer you will cross a bridge and then turn right towards Grundheim Wines. Pass Grundheim Wines on your right, cross the tar road further on and cycle past De Zeekoe guest farm. When you reach the R328 turn left and after about 800m turn right at Safari Ostrich Farm and follow the road to town.
Route 2 (100 km)
Take the Lategansvlei road but don’t turn off after 10 km as with the previous route. Follow the Lategansvlei road all the way past the Wildehondekloof Game Reserve till it reaches the Matjiesrivier road where you turn right. The gravel turns to tar along the way. Follow the road past Swartberg Country Manor till you reach a T-junction with Kobus se Gat on your left for refreshments or a meal. Follow the R328 all the way back to Oudtshoorn. This route is not for the faint hearted or cyclists who are not very fit.
Option 6 (Short but challenging mountain bike trails for advanced mountain bikers)
Cycle form CP Nel Museum along Baron Van Reede Street. Turn left into Church Street and follow it till it ends at the foot of a koppie. This koppie has great and challenging 4×4 and single tracks which can be used by advanced mountain bikers. (Fortunately, both the provincial hospital and MediClinic are in close proximity.)
For more information on accommodation, activities and attractions please contact Oudtshoorn & De Rust Tourism: enquiries@oudtshoorn.com | 044 279 2532
