Make a difference while having a great weekend!

Join us for a luxury 2-day/1-night 80km MTB ride in the foothills of the Outeniquas in the Garden Route. The Garden Route is without a doubt one of the most beautiful, scenic regions in our country. Our tour will take you through some breathtaking areas and stops will include farms producing export quality citrus and a Perceron horse farm with the biggest draft horse in South Africa. Riders will receive lucky draw prizes, goodie bags with packets of our famous choc chip cookies and more!  The tour can only accommodate a maximum of 45 riders with single riders, single & non-rider couples and teams of 2-4 persons in sharing accommodation. Enter now to make sure you are a part of this unique experience. All funds raised will go to Up with Downs - centre for learners with special needs.

Please contact us at [email protected] or on 072 563 1983 if you would like more information. 

What this event IS: 

• A fun and chilled group ride
• A non-technical yet challenging 80km route over 2 days
• An active weekend away with 4-star accommodation, meals and fun stops
• Suitable for MTB, E-bikes and gravel bikes
• A chance to meet individuals with special needs
• A fundraiser for Up with Downs Centre for learners with special needs in George

What this event is NOT:

• This is NOT an easy ride!
• Commercial
• Crowded
• A race or a timed event

The route

The route is suitable for cyclists with moderate to good fitness levels with no special technical riding skills required. There are no technical single track sections.

We welcome all bikes (mountain, e and gravel). The route covers hill-country and there are some steep uphill and downhill sections.

DAY 1:

Distance: 54km

Fitness required: Moderate to good. (8/10 if 1 is completely unfit and 10 is very fit). 

Road surface: Good district gravel roads.

Total Ascent for day 1: 1000m

Scenery: Distant mountain and sea views, rolling hills, farmland, fynbos and deep valleys.

Picnic Stops at working farms and viewpoints and the chance to ride a few kilometers with some of our special needs learners. 

DAY 2

Distance: 20km

Fitness required: Moderate to good. (8/10 if 1 is completely unfit and 10 is very fit). 

Road surface: Good district gravel roads and some well maintained jeep tracks up a steep hill just before the finish - just for good measure.

Total Ascent for day 2: 500m

Scenery: Distant mountain and sea views, hills, farmland, fynbos and valleys.

Picnic Stop at a gin distillery and a visit to a Perceron Horse farm.

All early entries qualify for a R100 discount on our limited edition, gorgeous Up with Downs cycle shirt! Add it under the "Merchandise" option.

Accommodation

Accommodation is at the quaint 4-star Eight Bells Mountain Inn, surrounded by rolling hills and green valleys with beautiful views over the Outeniqua mountains. Read more about the venue here.

What's included?

Price includes 1 night’s accommodation, tourist stops, all meals and a special goodie bag lovingly prepared by our learners and adults. A cash bar will be available at Eight Bells Mountain Inn. Eight Bells is offering cyclists Friday - and Sunday night accommodation at a reduced rate. If you would like to make use of this option, please add it under 'Merchandise'. 

Who will you be riding for?

Proceeds will go towards Up with Downs Centre for Learners with Special Needs in George, Western Cape. Read more about Up with Downs Centre for learners with special needs here. 

Supporting this event will help us to make a daily difference in the lives of more than 40 children and adults with special needs. 

This is what you can expect - photos from our Up & Down 2022 event