| The Garden Route & Klein Karoo - South Africa’s Funnest Biking Playground Situated about four hours’ ride east of Cape Town and two hours’ west of Port Elizabeth, the Garden Route and Klein Karoo - which together form the Southern Cape Region - are definitely South Africa’s funnest biking playground. Definitely. Positively. And without a doubt. Because, within less than an hour’s ride from George - the region’s capital and its only city - you’ll find everything from dry and semi-arid dirt tracks to damp and muddy forest paths.
And the best thing about the Southern Cape (besides the beautiful, dramatic scenery?) - the quiet roads.
Because the Garden Route and Klein Karoo are mostly rural - with thousands of hectares of pristine conservation land and miles and miles of farmland.
Situated in George and with agents in Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay and Knysna, Schroeder Biking is the home of Biking in the Garden Route and Klein Karoo - for everything from day hire to pre-arranged package tours and personalised itineraries.
Weather
The weather in the Garden Route is generally mild and pleasant throughout the year. Rain falls mostly at night. Summertime is generally warm to hot (wear light clothing and a hat during the day; a light sweater may be required at night). During wintertime, expect warm days and cool nights (wear layers of clothing which are easily removed during the day; a warm coat may be useful at night). Frost is unusual and light snow falls only on the mountain peaks - and only very rarely.
Sunny days per year (Knysna)
|
300 |
| Average Temperature (Knysna) Summer |
Day |
22 0C |
| Night |
14 0C |
| Day |
19 0C |
| Night |
10 0C |
| Average Rainfall (per month in Knysna) |
Summer |
75 mm |
| Winter |
71 mm |
Distances
| Inter - City |
Cape Town to George via Swellendam & Riversdale on the N2 (coastal route)
|
435 km |
| Cape Town to George via Oudtshoorn on Route 62 (inland route) |
490 km |
| Port Elizabeth to George on the N2 |
315 km |
| Johannesburg to George via Kimberley & Beaufort West on the N18 to the N12 and the N1 |
1,200 km |
| Johannesburg to George via Bloemfontein & Graaff-Reinet on the N1 to the N9 |
1,320 km |
| Cape Town to Riversdale on the N2 (coastal route) |
299 km |
| Port Elizabeth to Storms River on the N2 (coastal route) |
180 km |
| Regional |
Swellendam to Riversdale
|
80 km |
| Riversdale to Mossel Bay |
90 km |
| Mossel Bay to George |
40 km |
| George to Wilderness |
15 km |
| Wilderness to Sedgefield |
20 km |
| Sedgefield to Knysna |
25 km |
| Knysna to Plettenberg Bay route |
30 km |
| Plettenberg Bay to Storms River |
60 km |
Our Favourite Trips via Our Favourite Passes
| Swartberg Pass |
| The 27km Swartberg Pass, considered one of the most spectacular mountain passes in the world: an untarred road winds to the summit 1 583 metres above sea level in steep zig-zags and sudden switchbacks, with breath-taking views at every turn. The natural characteristics of the Pass are magnificent – as are the man-made features.
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| GamkasKloof |
Gamkaskloof, also known as "the Hell", is a fascinating valley near Prince Albert, where a small, proud community lived in isolation for more than 100 years.
Legend has it that Gamkaskloof was discovered when trekboers lost their cattle and followed their spoor into the fertile valley. |
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| Prince Albert |
Prince Albert is a delightful South African village in the Karoo, which is part of the Western Cape. Although an arid region there is ample water from the Swartberg Mountains and the village is a wonderful oasis as a result. The Garden Route resorts and beaches lie a two hour drive to the south. Oudtshoorn, the Cango Caves and the Karoo National Park are just an hour's drive away. |
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| Meiringspoort |
The road through the poort is a remarkable engineering feat, but the overwhelming features of a drive through Meiringspoort are the wonders of nature. The folds of the Table Mountain sandstone strata tower above the road, constantly changing colour as you move through sunlight and shade. |
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| Outeniqua Pass |
From George N 12 runs north through the Outeniqua Mountains to Oudtshoorn (60km/37mi). 15km/9mi from George it comes to the Outeniqua Pass (799m/2,622ft). On the way up to the pass there are fine views of the fertile countryside, but beyond the pass the scene changes as the road enters the arid region of the Little Karoo.
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| Seweweekspoort Pass |
Seweweekspoort Pass winds for 17km through the mountains at a level of 600-1000m above sea-level. It crosses the stream 23 times, whilst the mountain slopes on both sides reach 1500 - 2000m. The magnificent vertical rock folds, reaching for the skies on both sides of the road, reflect the inconceivable forces of the volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, forming the chain of Cape ripple-like mountains.
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| Phantom Pass |
Situated in a nature reserve area in the Phantom Forest 9 kms outside Knysna.
It is perfectly located in terms of access to Knysna town and the Garden Route in general.
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| Kammanassie |
The Kammanassie Mountain is an Inselberg in the Little Karoo between the Swartberg and Outeniqua mountains. Structurally the range forms a long, oval shaped dome.
This has developed as a result of the compression and folding of the sedimentary rock.
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| Montague Pass |
Montagu is the gateway to the Little Karoo and also the scenic heart of Route 62. This historic link between Cape Town, Oudtshoorn, the Garden Route and the Eastern Cape, offers travellers remarkable beauty and excellent facilities. All combining to make this one of the most memorable journeys in South Africa, winding through spectacular scenery and mountain passes.
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