Our South African motorcycle tours combine the very best routes, scenery, wildlife and accommodation, creating the ultimate adventure and showing off the ‘true South Africa’.
Riding BMW adventure bikes, this motorcycle tour across South Africa will take you on incredible roads with perfect tarmac through achingly beautiful landscapes…
From the rugged wilderness of the Cederberg to the vast expanses of the Tankwa Karoo, the world famous coastal roads of the Western Cape to the stunning Drakensberg mountains… this place is adventure riding heaven for sure! It’s so good that the owners of Ride Expeditions emigrated here and are proud to call South Africa a second home… come and see why!
Our South African motorcycle tours show riders exactly what friendly local hospitality is all about. Think beautiful seaside hotels, fancy restaurants, remote guesthouses, traditionally prepared local dinners, elephant encounters & game drives. Past riders describe our motorcycle tours in South Africa as "the complete adventure experience".
One thing that makes an adventure motorcycle tour through South Africa so special, is the diversity. The people, the food, the landscape and the riding conditions - no two days will be the same! A motorcycle holiday in South Africa is not a once in a lifetime trip - it’s something you’ll want to come back to experience again and again!
Whether you prefer riding big adventure bikes such as the BMW R1250 GS, performance enduro machines like the KTM 450 EXC or the smaller adventure bikes like the Royal Enfield Himalayan… if you’re looking for an incredible ‘off-the-beaten-track’ motorcycle holiday in some of the most stunning & interesting countries on the planet, you’re in the right place. Simply get in touch with us to discuss your preferred motorcycle tour and we’ll take care of the rest, ensuring you have a life changing experience, whichever tour you choose!
We at Ride Expeditions have a passion for doing things right, a passion for motorcycles and a passion for adventure travel. Our tagline - 'The World's Greatest Motorcycle Adventures' - is our mission. It's what we strive to be. It's what we want our riders to experience. We understand the ingredients that make an adventure... it's not only about the bike; it's not only about the routes; it's not only about the destinations. It's a combination of every element of your motorcycle holiday and we pay attention to every detail from start to finish...
South Africa is big-bike country and it’s easy to see why bikes like the BMW GS and KTM Adventures are such popular motorcycles in this country. Depending on which motorcycle tour you choose, you can expect everything from smooth & twisty coastal roads, pencil straight gravel tracks and rugged & rocky jeep trails. The riding in South Africa is what big adventure bike were made for and whether you’re a seasoned pro or relatively new to the adventure riding scene, there really is something for everyone!
If you’re looking for the perfect riding temperatures we would recommend October & November or March & April… these are the months we choose to schedule our fixed departure motorcycle tours in South Africa.
December and January is mid-summer and it gets very warm, especially when you ride further inland where temperatures will easily reach 45c… dressed head to toe in full bike gear – this is far from ideal! These mid-summer months can also get extremely windy which is less than ideal.
If you prefer riding in slightly cooler temperatures, September (the start of spring and also a great time to see the wild flowers in bloom and great white sharks) & May (the start of winter and when the whales start arriving) also provide an excellent riding climate!
Winter in South Africa runs from June – August. The temperatures are lower and the chance of rain is higher, but it’s still beautiful at this time of year as the volume of the streams and waterfalls increase. There may not seem like ideal months for motorcycle touring in South Africa, but if you’re the kind of rider that doesn’t mind slightly harsher conditions, you’ll still have an incredible adventure! The big BMW’s have heated grips anyway!
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again… South Africa is undoubtedly adventure motorcycle riding heaven. Whatever your level of experience, you’ll surely have an incredible riding adventure in South Africa. For the less experienced, a motorcycle tour along the Garden Route will leave you buzzing. For the more experienced, tackle Baviaanskloof and the rougher routes in the Cederberg and be blown away by the spectacular scenery and starry night skies. It’s all here and it’s just stunning. Adding to the experience is incredible accommodation, food, wine, wildlife, varying scenery and friendly local people. Need we say more? We love South Africa.
There is a massive food culture in South Africa and a motorcycle tour is a fantastic way to sample the culinary delights. You may actually be surprised by the array of different influences you will find here. As well as the traditional recipes of the indigenous population, the Dutch, French, German & British settlers all introduced their own culinary delights. When you add into the mix the delicious dishes brought along by the Malays & Indians from the East you will be hard pushed not to fall in love with the eclectic mix of now traditional meals on offer.
From braaibroodjies to biltong, boerewors to bobotie, the locals certainly know their cumin from their coriander. Our South African motorcycle tours are not only about the riding and we understand that food is always an important parts of everyones holiday and we aim to serve you an array of all the local dishes. We know that after a hard days riding there’s little better than to share a cold beer or glass of wine around an open fire while our local team cooks you a traditional meal over the hot coals.
The seafood is phenomenal, the braai (BBQ) is a way of life and the melktert is a must try (Cameraman Ian’s personal favourite, who can easily polish off in one sitting a tart that serves 8). South Africans take their cooking very seriously and love ‘shisanyama’. Shisanyama is a Zulu word which literally translates as “to burn meat’ and refers to the act of friends and family coming together to cook meat on an open fire… you’ll certainly get into the spirit of shisanyama on these South African motorcycle holidays!
The wine in South Africa is not only amazing, but it’s super cheap! And don’t worry – we keep the support vehicle fully stocked!
From giraffes to elephants, whales to penguins and ostrich to lions, you will be guaranteed to see an array of these beautiful animals on our South African motorcycle holidays. You can even spot ‘Big 5’ in numerous national parks and game reserves. Watch our for the roaming baboons and tortoises on the tracks too!
The scenery on our South African motorcycle holidays is stunning. Not only is it beautiful but it changes dramatically from day to day. You will ride through a fantastic mix of rugged wilderness, scenic coastal roads, winding mountain passes and vast expanses of nothingness. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed on a single day of our South African rides
Unfortunately, South Africa has a reputation for being dangerous. But don’t let the statistics put you off. It’s true that South Africa does have a high crime rate, but those statistics are not generated from the locations where we take our motorcycle tours! The high crime areas are generally the townships and lower income communities, which we avoid.
Out in the sparsely populated countryside the locals could not be more friendly and welcoming. In the towns & cities, you simply need to be sensible, as you would anywhere else.
COVID-19 NOTIFICATION
For all tours cancelled by Ride Expeditions, riders can choose to receive a 100% refund or to transfer all monies paid to any future tour.
Ride Expeditions Ltd is a company committed to customer satisfaction and consumer financial protection. At no extra cost to you, and in accordance with ‘The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018’, all passengers booking with Ride Expeditions Ltd are fully insured for the initial deposit, and subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in your booking confirmation form. The policy also includes repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Ride Expeditions Ltd. This insurance has been arranged by Towergate Travel through Zurich Insurance PLC.
Book your next tour with confidence with Ride Expeditions.
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