Closest Town: Sabie
Grading: Difficult | Duration: 1-2 Hours
Location (Area/Province): Highlands & Lowveld and Mpumalanga
Configuration: 10km circuit
Start Point: Bananien Lodge
Access: Private property. Day visitors by appointment only. Purchase a permit for cycling from your hosts.
Beware of: No smoking or fires in the forests. Do not ride up into the mountains during inclement or misty weather conditions.
Facilities: Self-catering accommodation in thatched log cabins. Communal lapa with DSTV, boma and braai facilities. Swimming pool.
Cell Reception: Not good
OVERVIEW
Forest single-track, with some technical sections. Only suitable for older children with single track experience. Riding is good all year round, but be prepared – the weather can change rapidly [div2 class=”highlight1″]
On your bike
On leaving the Bananien property, this little ride is all uphill at the start. Known as the Malieveld trail, the forestry tracks pass two little-known waterfalls. The return route is all along the pretty little Malieveld Spruit. There are some technical sections with some steep ups and downs added to the trail mix. So, although this ride is short, it is not recommended for novice riders.
Note : Fit the correct off-road tyres to your bike. ‘Slicks’ and ‘semi-slicks’ are dangerous on the slippery terrain here. Do not leave late in the afternoon as it gets dark early in the forests.
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Off the bike
Bananien Lodge offers bush drives, hiking, trout fishing and birding.
CONTACT:
Route information: Maggie and Pieter Nortjé, Bananien Lodge
Address: PO Box 1356, Sabie, 1260
Telephone: (013) 764 3311 or 082 552 8356
Email: info@bananienlodge.co.za
Website: www.bananienlodge.co.za
Weather: {weather Lydenburg, South Africa}