Gravel Races in South Africa

Three-day supported gravel race limited to 100 riders, 249km along the southern Cape coast from Stilbaai Harbour to Stanford via Witsand and Arniston.

Seven-day, 750km full-service gravel stage race across the Great Karoo from Graaff-Reinet (Robert Sobukwe Town) to Shamwari Game Reserve, 25-31 October 2026. 8,500m of climbing. 2026 entries sold out.

A ~500km self-supported bikepacking adventure starting in Ceres in the Western Cape, threading remote Karoo dirt roads and mountain passes on a single long push.

Three-day stage race through the wine farms and coastal mountains of the Western Cape, from Lourensford Wine Estate to the whale-watching town of Hermanus. Mixed gravel + premium hand-built singletrack with finish-line wine and beachfront recovery.

A 1,120km non-stop desert dash across the South African Karoo with a 120-hour cutoff. Self-navigated between race villages through searing heat and freezing nights.

One of South Africa's toughest one-day marathon events, the ~121km Attakwas Extreme crosses the rugged Attakwaskloof between Oudtshoorn and the Klein Karoo. Ridden on gravel jeep tracks and rocky mountain roads, it is a fixture of the early-season Western Cape calendar.

A premier early-season mountain-bike stage race based at Kaleo Guest Farm on the edge of the Tankwa Karoo, run over rocky gravel farm roads and technical climbs in the Cederberg/Skurweberg. A popular Cape Epic build-up race.

The world-renowned eight-day mountain-bike stage race through the Western Cape, covering roughly 700km with around 16,000m of climbing on farm gravel, jeep tracks and singletrack. Raced in two-rider teams; one of the sport's premier endurance events.

Self-supported, non-stop bikepacking race across South Africa on gravel roads, farm tracks, remote valleys, and mountain passes. Riders navigate by GPS over the Freedom Trail with only three compulsory checkpoints offering food and basic accommodation.

Point-to-point South African gravel race from the Hartbeespoort area toward Sun City. Racepass lists 80 km and 160 km options for the 2027 edition, organized by Faces Advendurance.

A three-day mountain-bike stage race of roughly 265km from Glencairn Farm near the southern Drakensberg to Scottburgh on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast, run on farm gravel roads, forestry tracks and singletrack. The OG edition is UCI-sanctioned.

A self-supported 151km gravel race with 2,500m of climbing in South Africa's Cederberg mountains, starting and finishing at Nuwerust Farm.

Three-day Drakensberg-foothills stage race from the high berg down to the Tugela Valley. Gravel farm roads, switchbacking jeep track, fresh-cut singletrack and famously generous race villages. Two-rider team format.

A three-day mountain-bike stage race in the northern Drakensberg foothills, starting and finishing at Em'seni near Winterton and descending toward the bushveld on farm gravel roads, district roads and singletrack.

A single-stage 230km endurance race from Willowmore through the Baviaanskloof wilderness to Jeffrey's Bay, run mostly on gravel and dirt roads and famous for its compulsory night-riding element. Ridden solo or in teams.

One-day 167km race from the northern slopes of the Swartberg in the Great Karoo, through the Klein Karoo to a finish at Louvain Guest Farm in the Langkloof. Gravel, mountain and e-bikes welcome.

A 100km mass-participation mountain-bike/gravel event crossing the Prince Alfred's Pass, one of South Africa's longest unpaved mountain passes, from the Klein Karoo town of Uniondale to the coastal forests of Knysna. Held on the last Sunday of September, it doubles as a seeding event for the Cape Town Cycle Tour.

Single-stage Karoo gravel race finishing on top of the Valley of Desolation. 2026 brings a new 130km route with 2,000m of climbing, plus an untimed 66km Taste of Desolation.

Seven-day "Race With Soul" stage race through the Klein Karoo and Garden Route — from Saasveld singletrack to summiting the mighty Swartberg Mountain and the desert-like Kammanassie. Two-rider team format, world-class hospitality, electric race village. One of South Africa's premier stage races for the gravel-adjacent crowd.

Spring gravel race through the Overberg and Riviersonderend Mountains, starting in Greyton. The 130 km route is 95% gravel with private farm-track access, rolling hills, technical climbs, and fast descents.

Point-to-point 100-mile gravel race from Loskop Dam to Dullstroom in the Mpumalanga highlands. The unmarked route uses gravel and district roads and requires GPS navigation through climbing terrain to a highland finish.

Free State gravel event with 30 km, 86 km, 160 km, and GPS-mandatory 280 km route options. The route is described as non-technical gravel riding on open rural roads, with the 280 km Lion route aimed at endurance riders.

252.8km unmarked point-to-point overnight gravel ultra from Cullinan in Gauteng to Dullstroom in the Mpumalanga highlands, starting 17:00 Friday with a 24-hour cut-off and finishing at Dunkeld Country & Equestrian Estate.

Gravel and MTB race using farm gravel roads in South Africa's North West Province. The event offers a 100-mile main route and a 60 km option, emphasizing open countryside riding rather than technical trail sections.

Fast-rolling gravel race through the Overberg canola fields, 153km from Villiersdorp to Hermanus, with an 82km option from Wolwekraal to Benguela Cove.

A rugged gravel race on the edge of the Karoo below the Langeberg range in the Western Cape, with multiple distance options across remote farm and mountain-pass gravel.

Single-day 230-km gravel ultra crossing the wild Baviaanskloof World Heritage Site from Willowmore to Jeffreys Bay. Self-supported between feed stations, four-rider team format encouraged, expect kudu, elephants, and a 6 a.m. start that finishes after dark for most.

New UCI Gravel World Series event in the Western Cape. Fynbos-lined gravel roads around the Potberg mountains near the southernmost tip of Africa.

Dramatic gravel riding through the stark Tankwa Karoo and Witzenberg mountains. Remote semi-desert landscapes, challenging passes, and stunning mountain vistas.

South African Gravel National Championship along the Vaal River through the Vredefort Crater.

A stunning gravel race through the indigenous forests and lagoons of the Garden Route. Ancient yellowwood trees, dramatic coastline, and rolling fynbos-covered mountains.

Three-day, 265-km point-to-point stage race from the Sani Pass foothills down to the Indian Ocean at Scottburgh. Three concurrent races (Race, Adventure, Trail) across the same iconic course of farm-track gravel, hand-cut singletrack, and the famous Floating Bridge through the Umkomaas valley.

Cross the vast Karoo semi-desert on endless gravel roads. A true test of endurance through one of Africa's most remote landscapes.

Nine-day, 900-km point-to-point stage race from Heidelberg (south of Joburg) to Scottburgh on the Indian Ocean. Two-rider teams traverse the Drakensberg, Midlands, and KZN coastal forests on a mix of farm gravel, jeep track, and fresh-cut singletrack. The grand-daddy of SA cross-country stage rides.

Six-day gravel stage race along South Africa's Garden Route. 684km and 11,300m of climbing through diverse Western Cape landscapes.

UCI Gravel World Series qualifier in the Cederberg wilderness of the Western Cape.