Active Escapes
Established in 2007, they specialise in holidays with an outdoor edge.
If you're the kind of person who needs a mountain or two, ocean swims, and breath-taking scenery to really enjoy your getaway, their tours should be right up your alley.
We understand that outdoor people range from those who thrive on endorphins, to those who simply love relaxing in the quiet of nature; and as such Active Escapes offers all types of active, outdoor and nature-focused holidays. Hiking, slackpacking, mountainbiking, trail running, canoeing, river rafting, horse riding or fishing; we know how dynamic people like to spend their time.
KZN Midlands - Mountain Biking Mecca
Tour Operator: Active Escapes
South Africa
3 hours
Off-road
Guided
Supported
Prices from
Guided
R 500
Overview
Tour Operator Active Escapes
sublime single-track and country roads
The beautiful KwaZulu-Natal Midlands offers arguably the best mountain biking in South Africa. Whether you are keen on riding the handcrafted single track of Howick and the Karkloof or taking a gentle ride through attractive farmlands and quiet country roads, stopping to visit local art studios and organic deli's along the way, we can customise a fully supported or self guided Midlands tour to suit your particular needs.
Given the wide open spaces and mountainous terrain it is no surprise that the Midlands is home to many passionate mountain bikers and organisations such as the Howick Mountain Bike Club, who through a system of sanctioned access with land owners such as Sappi, have created the largest network of single-track available in the country.
The Midlands community is very proud of their natural heritage and several conservancies and conservation NGO's are highly active in the region. The result is a well managed environment and a healthy relationship between conservation and mountain biking with many of the local races contributing portions of their earnings to these organisations.
Join us on a tour and experience the rich mountain biking culture in this neck of the woods!
Tugela River Mountain Bike Tour
Tour Operator: Active Escapes
South Africa
3 days (Bike: 2 days)
75 km (~38km per day)
Active
Off-road
Guided
Prices from
Guided
R 2500
Overview
Tour Operator Active Escapes
red earth trail blazing and handcrafted single track
Training for a multi-day stage event or tiring of your same old routes? Need some hills to sweat and new track to tame... or maybe just a weekend away from the rat race? Just 2.5 hrs from Durban and 3.5 hrs from Johannesburg, the Tugela Valley makes for an easy weekend getaway of trail blazing through mountainous foothills, private game reserve and historic battlefields.
We can tailor a tour to your group's fitness and skill level, so whether you're a single-track maniac or a dirt-roadie looking for time in the saddle, we have a route to suit. Most of the riding takes place on private farms and reserves, inaccessible to the general public. Day rides can be arranged on prior request but we recommend a 2 - 3 day tour to really experience all that area has to offer.
Starting out in the foothills of the Drakensberg, groups can chose between routes in the Cathedral Peak or Champagne valley. For the fit, the now famous Bezuidenhout's Pass (near Sterkfontein dam) can be descended as part of a long-day circular route. From the foothills of the Berg, we'll head to a bush lodge perched on the banks of the Tugela, where two days of red earth trailblazing await. From the smooth flowing tracks along the rivers edge to a rock and roll descent off Spioenkop Mountain - there are routes to tantalise and test all levels of rider.
Overnighting in bush lodge accommodation, the vibe is relaxed with enough time to float on a tube down the river or kick-back under an Acacia, beer in hand, reminiscing about the single-track of the day.
Lower Wild Coast Adventure Tour
Tour Operator: Active Escapes
South Africa
7 days (Bike: 5 days)
205 km (~41km per day)
Active
Off-road
Guided
Supported
Prices from
Guided
R 10000
Overview
Tour Operator Active Escapes
Riding Wild on a Coastal Mountain Biking Trail
Taking place on the Lower Wild Coast, this unique mountain biking destination was placed on the map by the famous Imana Wild Ride. Our tour follows more or less the same route as the Wild Ride but takes things at a slightly more relaxed tempo. The full tour begins in Morgan Bay and follows the rugged coastline north, to finish in Coffee Bay (4 Ride Days) or through to Umngazi / Port St. Johns (6 Ride Days).
Groups can overnight in the friendly Wild Coast hotels along the way, or chose a mix of accommodation - from nature reserves, hotels, vibey eco-lodges and private cottages – offering a kaleidoscope of wild coast flavours along the way.
The more laid-back pace of our Wild Coast Adventure tour offers plenty of time for swims, chats to the locals and photos along the way, so is aimed at social groups with a good level of mountain biking fitness and adventurous spirits, looking for a cycle tour on the wild side.
It is 139km of riding through to Coffee Bay and close on 200km to Umngazi from our starting point in Morgan Bay. The standard tour will cover the full distance over 5 days of riding with the last long day of the Imana Wild Ride being split over two days. The average daily ride distance is around 45km/day, with the final day being just 21km through to Umngazi River Bungalows. However, for less fit groups we can also do the full route over 6 ride days. A 'rest day' can be included at any of the overnight places enroute, which allows one to make this as much a holiday as a journey.
Pondo-Pedal Mountain Bike Tour
Tour Operator: Active Escapes
South Africa
3 days (Bike: 3 days)
120 km (~40km per day)
Active
Off-road
Guided
Semi-Supported
Prices from
Guided
R 2400
Overview
Tour Operator Active Escapes
A whetting of Wild Coast trail riding over a cost effective long weekend
The Pondo-Pedal Mountain Bike tour is the perfect tour to cut your teeth on if you looking for a whetting of wild coast trail riding, and are perhaps a little short of leave, friends... or looking for a stepping stone to the Lower Wild Coast MTB Adventure.
Our 3 day Pondo-Pedal to Mtentu and back, packs the adventure and experience of Wild Coast riding into a long weekend. Starting out at the Wild Coast casino (Port Edward), we'll cycle to the newly renovated Mtentu Lodge. Spend a free day paddling up the gorgeous Mtentu estuary, swimming under forgotten falls in Mkambati Nature reserve or cycling through to Msikaba. We'll spend two nights at the lodge before cycling back to the Wild Coast casino via a different route. Depending on the time and tides, we'll cycle a beach route one way and an inland route the next - stopping at local villages for a cold quart or a plunge in one of the natural pools along the way.
The Pondo-pedal tour can be extended down to Mbotyi or even as far as Port St John's, depending on your support and back-up requirements. However these tour extensions will be customised tours so we'll provide a quote on request.
Tours are best timed to coincide with a full or new moon period so we can take advantage of the hard-pack beaches created by the spring low tides. The route is reasonably technical with some short, but steep, hills, some tricky sections along cattle paths and long sections of beach riding so a reasonable level of fitness and mountain biking skills is recommended.
Riding High in the Northern Berg
Tour Operator: Active Escapes
South Africa
3 days (Bike: 2 days)
80 km (~40km per day)
Avid
Off-road
Guided
Prices from
Guided
R 4500
Overview
Tour Operator Active Escapes
Altitude training and pure joy
Just 4hrs from Joey's & 3hrs from Durbs, our Northern Drakensberg MTB weekender is a lodge-to-lodge guided MTB tour, combining sublime single-track with majestic mountain views. Altitude, ascent and some technical descents, offers the perfect training ground for advanced riders looking to 'up their game' or train for a multi-day event, whilst easier tour options can be tailored to novice, intermediate and family riders.
The tour option described is designed for the intermediate to 'Advanced Rider'
Sky Ride Mountain Bike Tour
Tour Operator: Active Escapes
South Africa
6 days (Bike: 4 days)
186 km (~47km per day)
Active
Off-road
Guided
Supported
Prices from
Guided
R 7500
Overview
Tour Operator Active Escapes
Riding high in the Eastern Cape Highlands
Discover the Rhodes less travelled, on a fully supported 4 day cycle tour in the Eastern Cape highlands. Riding from Rhodes to Wartrail via Tiffindell, and New England to Franshoek via Barkly East, you'll cycle some of the highest roads in South Africa - altitude riding amidst spectacular surrounds. Expect breathtaking passes, scenic farm roads and thrilling descents with sandstone batholiths and rugged mountain peaks as the backdrop.
This is as close as one gets to 'Drakensberg Cycling', with the luxury of daily vehicle support, comfy lodgings and sumptuous meals to look forward to at the end of each day. Ride distances range from 40 – 51km/day with close on 1000m ascent on climbing days. This tour is aimed at dirt-roadies with a moderate – good level of cycling fitness, looking for a social ride or training along quiet country roads with scenic terrain.
We aim to have you out the saddle by mid-afternoon, offering ample opportunity for relaxation, swimming in a mountain stream, or casting a line. An optional day can be added to the itinerary for those who fancy a change of activity; choose from hiking, horse riding, river rafting (in summer season), visit to a rock art site, or an extra day's riding for the dedicated MTB enthusiast. Non-riders are welcome to join the group, space permitting, and we can arrange for daily activities to keep them entertained.