Mountain Biking in the Northern Cape

Trails of Wide-Open Adventure

Mountain biking in the Northern Cape is the ultimate escape into South Africa’s wild heart. Here, riders swap crowded trails for endless horizons, canyon descents, and rugged tracks that thread through semi-desert, flower fields, and ancient rocky outcrops. This is adventure biking in its purest form – vast, remote, and unforgettable.

From the bulb-covered Bokkeveld plateau around Nieuwoudtville to the rolling red dunes of the Green Kalahari, every pedal stroke reveals new terrain. Trails wind through working farms, nature reserves, and river valleys where quiver trees stand guard over jeep tracks and technical singletrack. Spring transforms the landscape into a living carpet of Namaqualand wildflowers, while summer challenges cyclists with raw, untamed beauty.

Highlights include the famous routes at Papkuilsfontein Guest Farm, where trails range from family-friendly 4km loops to the dramatic 21km Waterval ride into a sandstone canyon. Elsewhere in the province, cyclists can explore vast gravel backroads, multi-day bikepacking routes, and adventure races that test endurance against the scale of the land.

What sets the Northern Cape apart is its sense of solitude. Riding here means no traffic, no crowds – just you, your bike, and the silence of South Africa’s biggest province. It’s a playground for explorers who want to trade the ordinary for something bold and untamed.

For mountain bikers ready to push limits and soak up some of the country’s most dramatic landscapes, the Northern Cape is waiting. Wide open skies, rugged trails, and a challenge at every turn – this is where you come to get your boots (and tyres) truly dirty.