Motorcycle Tour

Cape Town - Windhoek

The reverse course of the Windhoek-Cape Town tour, yet completely different and in no way less attractive! From the green hills of South Africa to the sandy desert expanses of Namibia.

Description

Almost 3,000 km spread over 12 beautiful riding days easily leave the impression that one has experienced a whole world tour. The most beautiful city in the world, Cape Town, as the starting point, the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Agulhas, the orchards and vineyards of the Cape region, the Cederberg mountains, Namaqualand, the diamond mines of the West Coast, the Richtersveld, the gorges of the Orange River, the small coastal town of Lüderitz Bay, the Namib Desert, the Khomas Highlands and Namibia's capital Windhoek offer so much variety and contrasts that you will live on long after the trip.

Gravel roads, farm tracks, mountain passes, and coastal roads, combined with fantastic accommodations and culinary specialties, make this tour unique and unforgettable.

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Day stages:

Day 1: Arrival - Germany to Cape Town

Day 2: Cape Town

Day 3: Exploration of the Cape Peninsula

Day 4: Cape Point - Hermanus

Day 5: Hermanus - Stellenbosch

Day 6: Stellenbosch - Cederberg Mountains

Day 7: Cederberg Mountains - Doringbaai/Strandfontein

Day 8: Strandfontein - Namaqualand

Day 9: Namaqualand - Orange River

Day 10: Orange River - Lüderitz Bay

Day 11: Lüderitz Bay - Helmeringhausen

Day 12: Helmeringhausen - Namib Desert

Day 13: Namib Desert - Windhoek Mountain Lodge

Day 14: Windhoek Mountain Lodge - Departure

Day 15: Arrival Germany

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Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival - Germany to Cape Town

Individually booked departure flight to Cape Town/South Africa (usually overnight flight)

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Day 2: Cape Town (ANEW Hotel Green Point, Cape Town)

Arrival at the completely new built airport in Cape Town, where you will be picked up by us. Already the way to the hotel offers magnificent views of the city's dream scenery. We stay at the ANEW Hotel in Greenpoint, located in the heart of Cape Town opposite Greenpoint Park. Our modern hotel offers not only a great location, but also the integrated Jaffer Modern Gallery with art exhibitions from Africa and all over the world. After checking in, there is a small welcome round of the group and then it's time to relax and discover Cape Town: a city tour with the double-decker to the classic sights of the city is just as much an option as an extended stroll on the nearby "Waterfront" at the harbor. We will have dinner together in an interesting restaurant in the city.

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Day 3: Exploring the Cape Peninsula (ANEW Hotel Green Point, Cape Town)

After a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel, we meet for a general briefing on the tour and today's stage. After a briefing on the GPS and the handover of the motorcycles, we start for a first-round over the entire Cape Peninsula. Although this is only about 140 km long, there are some highlights. Almost the entire route is made up of coastal roads, with the world-famous "Chapman's Peak" with its 114 curves being particularly noteworthy. There is also a lot to see: the coastal towns of Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, and Simons Town at False Bay, where we also stop at the penguin colony of Boulders Beach. Via Scarborough and along the beaches of Hout Bay and the extravagant Camps Bay we experience the side of the Atlantic coast. And from Signal Hill we have magnificent views of Seapoint, the Waterfront, and Table Bay. In the evening we meet again at our hotel and ride from there together to dinner. (100% tar)

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Day 4: Cape Point - Hermanus (Windsor Hotel)

On our way to the "Cape of Good Hope", the southernmost tip of the Cape Peninsula, we will take the spectacular "Chapman's Peak" as a pleasant start to the day. At the "Cape of Good Hope" the growing tourism in South Africa is already very noticeable, but: you simply have to have been there once! Then about 200 km of beautiful coastal roads await us. Towards evening we reach our destination, the tourist town of Hermanus, whose Atlantic bay is famous for the regular visits of whales. Our hotel is located directly on the sea.

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Day 5: Hermanus - Stellenbosch (Roosenwijn Guesthouse)

Over small gravel roads, we first head east to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of the African continent and the geographical border between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Now we continue in a northerly direction. We take a short coffee break in the small artist town of Greyton, whose houses and old trees remind us of times long gone. Afterward, we pass the "Theewaterkloof Dam", the largest water reservoir in Cape Town, and then ride over the Franchhoek Pass to our destination, a pretty boutique hotel in the center of picturesque Stellenbosch.

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Day 6: Stellenbosch - Cederberg Mountains (Mount Ceder Guestcottages)

Over winding, at first still asphalted roads we ride further north. The spectacular Bains Pass leads us into the huge fruit orchards of Ceres, from where we reach the Ceder Mountains via the Gydo Pass. On fantastic gravel roads, we continue through extreme landscapes to the great Clanwilliam Dam. Our destination today is beautifully situated cottages in the Cederberg Mountains.

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Day 7: Cederberg Mountains - Doringbaai/Strandfontein (Thornbay Accommodation)

The bizarre rock formations of the Cederberg Mountains dominate the landscape today. Many sensational viewpoints let us stop and take a deep breath on the winding gravel roads. In the afternoon we reach the large wine-growing areas of the Olifant River and continue east directly to the Atlantic coast, where we spend the night in the small coastal town of Doringbaai. The guesthouse "Thornbay" offers us a great view over the Atlantic Ocean, in a nearby pub, we let the evening end.

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Day 8: Strandfontein - Namaqualand (The Houthoop Guest Farm)

Almost parallel to the coast, we ride further and further north. After the mouth of the Olifant River, we refuel once more in Lutzville before leaving civilization. On lonely gravel roads, we cross the rolling, endless hills of the Namaqualand, passing long-abandoned farms and seemingly extinct villages. Our destination for the day is the guest farm "Houthoop", which is totally isolated near the diamond fields of de Beers. In the evening we will have grilled fish and meat at the campfire.

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Day 9: Namaqualand - Orange River (Norotshama River Resort)

After breakfast, we ride on rutted gravel roads past large diamond mines to refuel in the small, somewhat rambunctious port town of Port Nolloth. After a short coffee break, we continue on smaller gravel roads through the rocky landscapes of the Richtersveld. Again and again, we see old, abandoned mines before we reach the south bank of the Oranje towards the afternoon. The bridge over the river is also the border crossing to Namibia. After completing the formalities we have only 10 km to ride until we reach our accommodation near Noordoewer. We spend the night in small chalets directly on the banks of the Oranje.

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Day 10: Orange River - Lüderitz Bay (Kratzplatz Guesthouse)

Today the longest stage is on the program. First, we will ride along the Orange River on a winding road westwards to Rosh Pinah, the currently booming mining town in the south of Namibia. From there we ride on a relatively busy and partly asphalted road north to Aus, where we take a coffee break at the Klein Aus Vista Desert Lodge. About 120 km of the tarred road lie ahead of us until we reach the small coastal town of Lüderitzbucht. Here time seems to have stood still. Many of the houses still date back to the German colonial era and also the abandoned diamond towns like Kolmanskoop with their completely preserved buildings remind us of the past. We spend the night in the rustic guesthouse "Kratzplatz" directly in the village.

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Day 11: Lüderitzbucht - Helmeringhausen (Helmeringhausen Hotel)

After a mostly cool night, we leave the coast with its cold Benguela current and ride inland into the Namib Desert. Here it seems to get warmer with every kilometer. Over seemingly endless dirt roads we reach the desert town of Helmeringhausen, which brings back strong memories of the "Wild West". We spend the night in the recently renovated Helmeringhausen Hotel.

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Day 12: Helmeringhausen - Namib Desert (Namib Desert Lodge)

Today's stage is characterized by the extreme landscapes of the Namib Desert. A large part of the route leads us exactly along the border between desert and highlands. On one side are the red dunes and on the other side are the bizarre Naukluft and Tiras mountains. At the edge of the Namib is also our accommodation, the "Namib Desert Lodge", not far from the petrified dunes. The starry sky here in the desert is unique.

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Day 13: Namib Desert - Windhoek Mountain Lodge (Windhoek Mountain Lodge)

The last big stage of the tour takes us away from the desert. At the big rim, we climb 1000 meters up the Spreetshoogte Pass and its spectacular viewpoint gives us a last view over large parts of Namib. Then we continue north through the very beautiful Khomas Highlands. Through this high altitude thorn bush savannah, we ride via Windhoek to our Windhoek Mountain Lodge, situated at an altitude of about 2,000 m at the foot of the Auas Mountains, about 15 km south of Windhoek - away from the city in wonderful peace and open countryside. Here we conclude our last day of such a diverse tour with a soothing sundowner and our legendary "Bushman Fondue" in the evening.

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Day 14: Windhoek and departure from Namibia

This day is completely at leisure at the lodge or for a stroll in Windhoek, depending on when your return flight departs, often in the evening. So you can visit some of the sights in the capital and numerous street cafes as well as bazaars and stores with typical handicrafts invite you at least to observe the colorful hustle and bustle around. We organize the transfer to the airport from the lodge.

Usually, these are overnight flights, so your arrival at home will be in the early morning of the following day.

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Day 15: Arrival/Return Germany

The return flight to Germany lands in the early morning, e.g. in Frankfurt/Main, with onward travel by train or flight to your home town if necessary.