Mountain Bike Trails - Olifants

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Olifants Camp, located high up on a rugged outcrop and verging on the Olifants River, is home to an thrilling adventure endeavor in the Kruger National Park. Cyclists now have the chance to mix their cycling skills with a outdoor wildlife adventure. There are three mountain bike trails that are offered and are designed to make cyclists more of nature and to bring them closer to nature than the more usual Kruger game drive adventure.

Embarkation times for the Mountain Bike Trails must be validated with Olifants Camp.Departing times and days vary seasonally. Now on offer is a Morning and Afternoon adventure that differs between 3 and 4 hours in time depending on the route chosen. Full day trails, that takes up to 7 hours, are also available on request.

At this point in time, 3 different trails may be completed but they are determined by the guide in charge. A maximum of 6 people may be welcomed per route. Olifants Camp supplies you with the necessities been:

The routes are marked by levels of complexity and technicality and are classified by a series of coded colours. You will be taken to the beginning of each route with your tour guides. Indemnity forms must be completed before commencing the trail.

This trail is one for the beginners and in-experienced. The route begins at Hardekool-Draai and rides through Mopane veld, with the an occasional view of the Olifants River. On the trail you will cross many game paths, mainly used by hippo and other general game, walking to and from the river. Guides have protective firearms and exceptional knowledge of both wildlife and local vegetation

The trail proceeds to take one over rocky landscape, ideal for mountain biking, coming to an end after 5,7km, where a south winding hippo path takes you further towards the Olifants River. At that point the guide will allow for you to stop so as to replenish your energy with food and drink under a large Sycamore Fig tree, allowing you to look down at the grunting hippo bathing in the Olifants River below. Additional game at this location include elephant, crocodile and buffalo as well as a diverse range of bird life. Once having had the opportunity to rest and view the wildlife, a further 10,7km cycle back to the game drive vehicle marks the end of the trail.

The distance of this trail is 21,4 kilometres.

This is reached by travel from the base camp to the Vutamolelo road, north-east of Olifants Camp. You can find the Olifants / Letaba River Confluence Trail plus minus 10 km from Olifants camp, where you will leave vehicle is left and the bikes are used.

On this trail you will pass some of the most breath taking scenery in the Kruger National Park. You cycle through the Letaba River on your left and the Olifants River on your right. For 6.1km along the rugged outcrop of the area, you can expect to see different wildlife, and flora. Relax and enjoy your breakfast snacks on the banks of these two amazingly beautiful rivers after which your guides will take the you on short walks along the rivers before you start the 6-km cycle back to the your vehicle.

The trail is very hard with regards to the time frame. You need to be experienced, if you want to participate on this route. The distance of this trial is 12,2 km.

The third Mountain Bike Trail, the longest of the three, takes you from the Olifants camp right to the border of Mozambique, spanning close to a total distance of 22km.

The trail begins early in the morning in an easterly direction into the rising sun for a distance of 9,6km. This route takes one directly through the Kruger National Park, allowing for one to take in the breathtaking scenery. This trail will proceed to a fork in the road at which point the guides will lead you via the south east route for a further 2,8km, directly to the border between South Africa and Mozambique, where the guides will then give you the opportunity to rest and replenish with food and drink, providing a prime view of the Olifants River in the distance, with Mozambique visible in the east. Many of the more adventurous put their hand through the fence so as to touch foreign soil. The trail finally comes to an end by cycling down towards the Letaba River, providing you with an uninterrupted view of the pristine wilderness.

The total distance covered on this trail is 24,8km and an appropriate level of skill and fitness is needed. Should participants desire, the trail can be extended to the Gorge so as to make it an all-day adventure, however, if this option is chosen, then reservations must be made for all 6 of the participants. Also please note that the full day trail should only be considered by the very fit and experienced cyclist.