Western Cape Archives - MTBRoutes.co.za

The Tygerberg MTB club maintains nearly 200km of trails in this mountain bike mecca, within 25 minutes of Cape Town CBD. The club is the largest MTB club in South Africa, and possibly the world, with an annual membership of over 6000. Just when you thought the Cape Winelands couldn’t get any better!

Don’t be fooled by the seemingly gentle, rolling hills of the Tygerberg (so named due to the spotted appearance of the natural renosterveld vegetation, which was named by the Dutch settlers after their name for leopard – no, not tiger!). Even from nearby, there is little indication of how tough, rough and rugged – and awesome – these trails can be. An indication is that the ABSA Cape Epic has hosted the Prologue on some of these trails multiple times – with the event hosted at Meerendal wine estate.

There are multiple trail hubs, each providing a range of trails to suit from beginners to the most experienced mountain bikers. However, the technical nature of the trails is more suited to intermediate riders than beginners. The trail hubs are mostly joined by members-only corridors and day permits are not accepted between farms. There are trail hubs at:

Contermanskloof farm – with The Dairy Shed and Stark Brews restaurants
Meerendal wine estate – with Bossa and La Romantica restaurants
Hoogekraal farm – with Black Sheep Bikes and a weekend-only restaurant
Bloemendal Trail Park – with Giant Bikes, a coffee/beer shop and various restaurants

For detailed information about the multitude of trails available, visit the Tygerberg MTB Club website here. And for our blogpost detailing the god-sent work that the TMTBC has done for mountain-bikers across the Weskaap, click here!

Tygerberg MTBC Trail Network on Trailforks.com

26/12/2023

Tygerberg Trails

19/12/2023

Garden Route Graveling Circus

Nope, Knysna does not lie at the heart of the Cape’s ‘Tourism Garden’, my friend. Here’s the deal: there’s an uncharted section of glorious Garden Route Goodness stretching all the way from the streets of Heidelberg to Mossel Bay, and the hide-away villages beyond. This makes for a stunning swathe […]

13/12/2023

Doringbaai to Papendorp

Have I mentioned that it is proper mooi here along the southern section of Namaqua’s West Coast? Scrubland plains and kelp-strewn beaches suddenly go ballistic in the vicinity of Strandfontein, rearing up into serrated lines of rugged sandstone sea cliffs. You have a number of riding options to play with […]

15/11/2022

22 Waterfalls MTB Route

This must be one of the coolest camp sites anywhere in the Western Cape, and you’ll find it just on 5km out of Porterville. Opt to camp overnight if you want to experience all the adventures on offer, and I rate the real gem as their extensive hiking trail. You will pass no less than 22 spectacular waterfalls on a truly breathtaking walk, but will need at least 4-5hrs to complete the route.

15/09/2022

Wines2Wilderness Route, Porterville, Western Cape

The Groot Winterhoek ranges above Porterville must surely rate as one of South Africa’s most under-utilised mountain biking destinations. This is about to change with the local Berg Rivier Tourism Region’s initiative, a ‘Wines to Wilderness’ Route.

09/09/2022

Yzerfontein & !Khwa ttu San Trails

Ah man, what a jol you can have on the West Coast! In this month's MTB ROUTES Trail Blog, we give you the low-down on both the Khwa ttu San Experience Trails (Yzerfontein) and the new Living Colour Trail Adventure Centre (just up the road en route to Darling). Go give it gas!

02/07/2022

Living Colour Trail Centre, Darling, Western Cape

if you want to add some vibrancy to your next West Coast MTB adventure, do yourself a favour and go saddle up for a singletrack crank at the band-new Living Colour Trail Centre.

30/03/2022

Ultimate Southern Pass Trail, Stanford Valley Guest Farm

This great trail network (and incredible outdoor playground) awaits just beyond the tranquil and tiny village of Stanford. Set alongside the winding water course of the Klein River and at the foot of the rugged Akkedisberg range, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more scenic riding destination.

17/03/2022

Piketberg Gravel Circuit, Western Cape

Get your Vitamin (G)ravel fix the next time you visit the Berg River Tourism Area, approximately 90min from Cape Town. The challenging Piketberg Circuit meanders via the scenic Sandveld plains and boasts a total riding distance of up to 300km, depending on your choice of route.