Cycling the Cape & Winelands

Traveler Reviews

• J

  JANET

  October 18th, 2019
  4
  Cycling in the Western Cape offers climbing (& descending) mountain passes, riding through semi-arid deserts and...
  Cycling in the Western Cape offers climbing (& descending) mountain passes, riding through semi-arid deserts and along windy coastal roads. Both the distances and level of difficulty vary day-to-day. Regardless each day starts early. Each day included some time in the van. There were times when cyclists and bikes were transferred in the truck when the roadway and shoulder looked invitingly cyclable. There also several times when the transfer backtracked over the route ridden the previous day. The quality of the accommodations varied from modern, clean and efficient to quirky and - in one case - dangerous. There was no access to laundry during the 10 days. The food options varied from sandwich picnics at the side of the road to white tablecloths. There was always water; there were snacks of fruit and sweets at breaks in the cycling journeys.Show more
  Traveled in October 2019
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  Philippa Fitzmaurice

  November 11th, 2013
  5
  Spectacular holiday made very special by the company present What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?...
  Spectacular holiday made very special by the company present What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Stunning scenery What did you think of your group leader? Tallis was superb and a great asset to the tour Do you have any advice for potential travellers? no Is there anything else you would like to add? words are not required to explain how truely spectacular it was - expereince for yourself.Although unfortunately this may not be possible - not sure whther there are any future tours planned with premier departuresShow more
  Traveled in October 2013
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  Claire Mills

  November 5th, 2013
  5
  This was my 4th cycling holiday with Exodus and was the best - fantastic scenery, food, wine and of course the...
  This was my 4th cycling holiday with Exodus and was the best - fantastic scenery, food, wine and of course the cycling! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Cycling around False Bay - coffee and cake in the morning (always a requirement for a Sunday ride), blue skies and sunshine, the most fantastic scenery along the coast, and 'undulating' cycling (plus not too strong a head wind!!!).  And champagne and nougat tasting...... What did you think of your group leader? Really good - extremely knowledgable of the local wildlife, very good at riding up and down the group to make sure no-one got left behind, and pretty adaptable (always good when the heavens open and riding is off for the day!).  Oh and very good at lunches! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? There will be a strong headwind at various points of the holiday which can be a little scary on the downhills, but this is just part of the holiday and there is the bonus of having some great tail winds.  The wine's are superb as is the food, but do remember to take a proper SA plug adaptor!  And I wouldn't recommend the goat or sheep smiley for the western palate!  When you arrive in Cape Town do the red sight seeing bus to see a lot in a short time period Is there anything else you would like to add? Really great holiday, very well guided, enjoyable cycling and great food and wine - what more could you want???  Oh and came back with a sun tan in November - always a bonus!Show more
  Traveled in October 2013
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  Liam Curran

  January 30th, 2012
  4
  A wonderful way to see Cape Town, the surrounding wine growing regions and the dramatic coast. But be warned,...
  A wonderful way to see Cape Town, the surrounding wine growing regions and the dramatic coast. But be warned, although it is classed as a "moderate" trip there are LOTS and LOTS of hills and it is VERY windy! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Unexpectedly seeing a whale in Hermanus, the wild baboons just chilling by the side of the road, the huge open plains and seriously impressive mountains. Then wine wasn’t bad either! What did you think of your group leader? Pete and his crew were great. Really friendly and happy to give some background on the places we saw. Cooking was excellent and just what I needed after a long day on the road. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Don’t underestimate how tough the cycling can be as this is really an exhausting trip, not just because of the hills but also because of how difficult it can be cycling in such windy conditions. Take your own saddle, and padded cycling shorts as you’ll need them. Draught beer is cheap but pretty much everything else is the same price as in the UK. Is there anything else you would like to add? Some of the places you’ll stay are in the middle of nowhere, so expect to make your own entertainment, which, to be fair wasn’t difficult with such a great group of people. I'm sure the samples we got from from the vineyards we visited helped too. Even in the height of summer it gets cold at night. So make sure you bring a fleece/warm jumper or 3!The days are long so don't expect much (if any) pool or beach time.South African electricity sockets are unlike any others in the world, so even if you think you have a "world adaptor" it won't work.Show more
  Traveled in December 2011
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  Graeme Aston

  December 14th, 2011
  4
  Cycling through great scenery with occasional wildlife and places of interest en route. A great advenure, made...
  Cycling through great scenery with occasional wildlife and places of interest en route. A great advenure, made memorable by a good group. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Cycling along the coast around False bay and then the route towards Cape Town.  What did you think of your group leader? Rudi was good fun and has good energy. He  got 13 of us around the full itinerary without any real mishaps.  Lots of local knowledge, but could keep some of his briefings a bit briefer! Organised a good range of restaurants in the evenings. Andrew put in a solid performance as driver and assistant. Very knowledgeable and a great sense of humour!  Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If you're doing the shark cage diving, be careful what you have for breakfast!  Don't expect too much luxury accommodation.  Is there anything else you would like to add? This is my 7th cycling trip with Exodus and my favourite. Book it and enjoy yourself!Show more
  Traveled in November 2011
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  Jane Dennis

  November 21st, 2011
  4
  The tour leader Rudi Swanepoel & driver Jabula worked very hard to ensure the holiday was a success. Rudi is still...
  The tour leader Rudi Swanepoel & driver Jabula worked very hard to ensure the holiday was a success. Rudi is still young but he dealt well with the group. The tour had a great mix of cycling and sight seeing. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The landscape is fantastic and the coastal rides were a real highlight. Trip to Robben Island. Whale watching in Hermanus. ( A must trip ). What did you think of your group leader? Rudi came under pressure from the front riders to extend the rides and change the itinery, he coped well with this. Rudi & Jabula worked well as a team. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If you want to do some sight seeing in Cape Town then either go prior to the trip or stay for a few days at the end, as there is not enough time without. Is there anything else you would like to add? The accommodation varied in quality Swellendam & Simonstown were at the lower end.Show more
  Traveled in October 2011
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  Andrew Fonseca

  September 30th, 2011
  4
  An excellent trip where the first half of it is very European (Dutch and Scottish Highlands) followed by areas with...
  An excellent trip where the first half of it is very European (Dutch and Scottish Highlands) followed by areas with different wildlife. Coastal areas provided great viewing spots for whale watching and the views were great too! Needless to say the wine was very good so bring plenty of cash for this. Local food deffinitely worth trying!! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Last day cycling up to and around Chapman's Peak especially as the rainy weather gave way to sunshine. What did you think of your group leader? I can safely say that our leader was second to none compared with all other work/adventure travel I've done. Nothing was too much trouble, attended to all our needs and always provided alternatives if there was no immediate solution. His local knowledge and enthusiasm was excellent which made the trip that more enjoyable and fulfilling.  Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Come prepared for the weather!!! The weather can be very variable especially in the winter with strong winds and driving rain followed by glorious days of sunshine. Mornings can be very cold especially at the beginning of every ride. BRING A UK TO S.A. POWER ADAPTOR. VERY DIFFICULT TO BUY LOCALLY!!!!!!!   Is there anything else you would like to add? Mountain bikes supplied were ok but could do with being replaced soon. However, the leader and assistants were always at hand should there be any problems and were excellent. Seriously consider bringing your own mountain bike or hybrid if you can deal with the hassle and cost.Shark diving is brilliant and worthwhile doing but is around £130. Show more
  Traveled in August 2011
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  Lina Sheldon

  February 15th, 2011
  5
  This part of South Africa is definitely the right place to go on this type of tour. Relaxed and quality experience....
  This part of South Africa is definitely the right place to go on this type of tour. Relaxed and quality experience. Out of this world beautiful sceneries, stunning coastal routes... To my taste, the weather is just right for this physically quite demanding experience: not too hot and not humid. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Breathtaking downhills.  What did you think of your group leader? Peter is a really fantastic, amazing and one of a kind tour leader! He is very professional and organizing, resourceful and very patient, attentive to every detail, goes extra mile to take care of you. Could not be better.  Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Do not forget to take with you all the proper gear: gloves, gel saddle, cycle shorts etc are essential for long cycling days. Sport drinks contributed to my performance on last days :-).  Is there anything else you would like to add? Just go on this trip, this going to be an experience of your life time!Show more
  Traveled in January 2011
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  Nigel Rouse

  January 5th, 2011
  4
  An excellent trip for those who enjoy some exercise with the opportunity to celebrate each stage success with the odd...
  An excellent trip for those who enjoy some exercise with the opportunity to celebrate each stage success with the odd tipple, plenty to see and do and with variety wildlife, wine, whales, wine gums. The scenery is fantastic and varied plenty of high speed down hill stretches after the odd climb a hidden gem. Local food was fantastic and plentiful 460 km in the saddle and I put on weight!! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Probably finally ticking whale watching off my list unfortunately the wind off the coast prevented the planned cage diving and trip to Robben Island. The final coast route into Cape Town caps of the trip longest day but it flies by  What did you think of your group leader? Excellent leader and driver always part of the group as well as doing the organisation, cooking and demonstrating patience with some of the groups "characters". Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Local bikes were fine although they need some maintenance through the trip, bring a gel saddle and padded shorts to protect those pilesShow more
  Traveled in December 2010
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  Michael Stephens

  March 26th, 2010
  4
  This was indeed a great trip. The cycling was great - if a little demading at times - , the scenery wonderful and...
  This was indeed a great trip. The cycling was great - if a little demading at times - , the scenery wonderful and the acommodation, wine and food of the highest order. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Thus is hard to say following a trip that was memorable in so many respects.  The cycling on the last day back along the west coast of the Cape Peninsula would take some beating though. What did you think of your group leader? The leadership of the Group was excellent.  In Peter and Tallis, we found enthusiasm, knowledge and information about South Africa and excellent caring and communication skills. They are great chaps to travel with! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Simply go and enjoy it! Is there anything else you would like to add? No; it has all been said above!Show more
  Traveled in February 2010