The procedure for Mountain Bike Trails is very similar to the guided bush walks. There is place for a maximum of 6 participants per trail. Two qualified and armed field guides will lead the trails. Olifants Camp will supply the mountain bikes (sponsored by Mazda Wildlife Fund and Fritz Pienaar, South African Mountain Bike champion). Backpacks, water bottles, bicycle helmets and snacks will also be provided. Departure times for the Mountain Bike Trails from Olifants Camp must be confirmed with reception. Times vary depending on the season. You will enjoy morning and afternoon Mountain Bike Trails. These vary from 3 to 4 hours, depending on the route taken. Full day trails are also available. Reservations will have to be made for all 6 participants for the latter trail. Please note that the full day trails will only be for very fit and experienced cyclists. Children older then 12 years are permitted on the Mountain Bike Trails. At this stage 3 different routes (trails) can be reserved. The trails are graded according to difficulty and technicality. The grading / difficulty of the Mountain Bike Trails vary from green to black (green = moderate length and terrain, black = very technical and strenuous). The recommended trail for beginners and the not-so-experienced rider is the Hardekool Draai trail (green rating). Olifants Camp is situated high on a rocky outcrop, overlooking the Olifants River. This is the base camp for the Olifants River Hardekool Draai Mountain Bike Trail. A fair level of skill and fitness is required for all the Mountain Bike Trails, especially the Border Trail (full day trail, extended to the Gorge). Please remember appropriate comfortable bush clothing, insect repellent, binoculars, camera, correct footwear, hat, sun block lotion and personal medication. The guides carry a first aid kit and a hand held radio for communication with the base camp in cases of emergencies. The 2 fully trained and skilled field guides will lead the trails. It is not a race and full bush interpretation will be done on the trail (interesting nature signs and wild life sightings). All safety drills and aspects regarding the trail will be demonstrated and communicated by the guides prior the trail. It will be compulsory to wear cycling helmets during all Mountain Bike Trails (supplied by Olifants Camp). Indemnity forms will have to be completed before the trail (makes the trail and the expectations more adventurous). Should participants want to utilise their own personal Mountain Bikes, proof of a recent service by an accredited Bicycle Shop will have to be supplied. The participants will then be required to take their own equipment i.e. puncture repair kits, tools, spares, tubes etc. Since this is a new Adventure Activity, we reserve the rights to change any procedures, tariffs and routes without prior notification.
|
1st Mountain bike Trail:Travel with your guide, in an open game viewing vehicle, in a western direction on the main road (H1-5) for 12,1km. A dedicated Mountain Bike Trailer (manufactured especially by VenterSA) carries the bikes behind the vehicle. The Mountain Bike Trail starts at Hardekool-draai, on the banks of the Olifants River. This is a long trail and a certain degree of fitness is necessary.
The trail leads through Mopane veld, with the occasional view of the Olifants River. There are many wild high ways crossing the road. These high ways are game paths, constantly used by Hippo and other general game, walking to and from the river. After about 5km (3.1 miles) cycle, it is time to walk a wild high way, designed by wild creatures. The bikes are left and a short walk down to the river will have any wildlife enthusiast excited. Remember to wear comfortable walking shoes, a pair of binoculars and your bird reference book in your daypack. The guides are armed and have excellent knowledge of the area's fauna and flora. The Mountain Bike Trail continues over rocky terrain, superb for mountain biking for a further 5,7km (3.4 miles) where a small Hippo path turns to the south, towards the Olifants River. Enjoy sumptuous snacks under a huge Sycamore Fig tree, overlooking grunting Hippo wallowing in the Olifants River below. There are plenty of Crocodile, Elephant, Buffalo and general game in this area. The bird life along the river is also outstanding. Return the 10,7km back to the game drive vehicle and remember the unspoiled wilderness encountered by foot and mountain bike. The cycle distance of this Mountain Bike trail is 21,4km. 2nd Mountain Bike Trail:The second Mountain Bike trail is the Olifants / Letaba River Confluence Mountain Bike Trail. Drive by guided game viewing vehicle from Olifants Camp to the Vutamolelo road, north-east of Olifants Camp, not accessible by anybody unless you are a participant on this unique Olifants / Letaba River Confluence Mountain Bike Trail. On the S44 gravel road along the Olifants River, beyond the Olifants River view point, a small unmarked 2-track road 10.3km (6.4 miles) from camp, leads to all excitement and the ultimate Mountain Bike Trail in the world. The vehicle is left here and the bikes are saddled. This route passes the best scenery in the Kruger National Park. Cycle between the Letaba River on your left and the Olifants River on your right. For 6.1km (3.7 miles) along the rocky outcrops of the region, one can expect Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Nyala, Water Buck, Giraffe, Zebra, Klipspringer and Impala to name a few species of mammals. The area is rich in bird life and will also have any botanist enthusiastic (large Baobab trees, Adasonia digitata en route). Enjoy your breakfast packs on the banks of these 2 rivers while watching some of the biggest Crocodile in the world feasting on fish in the rapids below. The melodious call of the Fish Eagle just make you feel more at home in Africa than any other place in the world. The occasional snorting and grunting of Hippo announcing their presence make you realize this is how God created it all. Enjoy an hour or 2 with your armed safari guides along the rivers on short walks before you start the 6km cycle back to the game drive vehicle. The trip is not a race and not strenuous taking into account the time frame. It is advisable to be an experienced rider if you want to enjoy this trail to its full potential (grading = black rating). Loose rocks and branches allow you to make sure that you have to concentrate on the riding condition. The cycle distance of this Mountain Bike Trail is 12,2km (7.5 miles). 3rd Mountain Bike Trail: The third Mountain Bike Trail is the longest of the three Mountain Bike Trails from Olifants Camp. Only 22,2km (13.8 miles) from the camp is the Mozambican boundary. You can look on a map and wonder what it looks like at the international border between South Africa and Mozambique, or you can join us on a morning out in the wilderness on a mountain bike. At around 9,8km (6 miles) from the camp, in a northern direction on the S44 route, past the Olifants River viewpoint, the guides will take you with a game-viewing vehicle to the start of the Klipkoppies Mozambique Border Mountain Bike Trail.
Cross the Letaba River on a firebreak road, straight east. The vehicle is left and final preparations on the mountain bikes are done. Cycle early morning, straight into the sunrise for 9,6km (5.9 miles) through fantastic scenery of the Kruger National Park. Game encountered along the Mountain Bike Trail can include Buffalo, Water Buck, Zebra, Elephant, Kudu and Impala and many more. At a fork in the road, the guides will lead you southeast for 2,8km (1.8 miles) to the border between South Africa and Mozambique. Enjoy your snacks on a hill, overlooking the Olifants River in the distance with Mozambique to the east. Be daring and put your hand through the fence to touch foreign soil before you take the trail back to the vehicle. Cycle down towards the Letaba River, enjoying the wonderful vista of unspoiled wilderness. The cycle distance of this Mountain Bike Trail is 24,8km (15.4 miles). |
