ROUTE

OVERVIEW

It all begins in the historic town of Graaff Reinet, the fourth-oldest town in South Africa. Nedbank Gravel Burn 2026 then blazes a trail across the vast Great Karoo. Riders tackle many challenging mountain passes along the seven-day route and their just reward came with the breathtakingly beautiful and contrasting scenery – from arid semi-desert to coastal topography to iconic African bushveld, as the race reaches its conclusion at Shamwari Private Game Reserve.

Stage 1
25 October

Graaff Reinet –

Blaauwater

90km

1,450m

Stage 2
26 October

Blaauwater –

Blaauwater

111km

1,450m

Stage 3
27 October

Blaauwater –

Merino

137km

1,580m

Stage 4
28 October

Merino –

Merino

61km

550m

Stage 5
29 October

Merino –

Gwanishi

135km

820m

Stage 6
3O October

Gwanishi –

Shamwari

112km

1,250m

Stage 7
31 October

Shamwari –

Shamwari

92km

1,160m

STAGE 1

STAGE 2

STAGE 3

STAGE 4

STAGE 5

STAGE 6

STAGE 7

Start town:

Graaff Reinet

Loop stages:

Stages 2, 4 and 7

Finish location:

Shamwari

Burn Camp locations:

Blaauwater (2 nights), Merino (2 nights), Gwanishi, Shamwari (2 nights).

Sunrise:

±5:30am

Sunset:

±6:40pm

Average temperature range:

Low: 10°C/50°F
High: 29°C/84°F

Shortest stage:

61km

Longest stage:

137km

What is Gravel?

Gravel is freedom. Gravel is discovery. Gravel is about long stretches of open road, with the horizon far in the distance and your thoughts coming into focus. We’ve captured this essence and crafted a pure South African gravel course with just enough variety to keep it interesting. There’s no technical riding at Nedbank Gravel Burn – it’s a gravel bike route, designed so that a gravel bike is the best possible tool for the task. Get on your bike. Gravel is waiting.

DAY BY DAY

THE STAGES

STAGE 1

GRAAFF REINET – BLAAUWATER

DISTANCE: 9Okm

CLIMBING: 1,45Om

The race heads out of Graaff Reinet and quickly onto Karoo gravel, tackling a steady gradient that kicks up toward the summit of Conical Peak, the highest point of the stage. A tricky yet thrilling descent through remote farmlands and over rough road surfaces takes riders back to Blaauwater Burn Camp where they’ll stay for two nights. It is a tough opening day that introduces the scale of the course and the landscape.

STAGE 2

BLAAUWATER LOOP

DISTANCE: 111km

CLIMBING: 1,45Om

Voted as a highlight by Edition #1 riders, Stage 2 is a challenging and equally majestic loop, on all types of gravel surfaces. Riders take on punchy climbs, steady drags and fast, loose and treacherous descents visiting Sneeuberg Nature Reserve, Compassberg and the quaint village of Nieu-Bethesda, rounding out a demanding and definitive day in the heart of the Karoo.

STAGE 3

BLAAUWATER – MERINO

DISTANCE: 137km

CLIMBING: 1,58Om

The longest stage of the week moves the race from Blaauwater to Merino, in a mix of tar and gravel starting with a 10 km gravel section. Early climbing on Wapadsberg Pass gives way to long rolling sections before the route hits the dirt again before rising to an iconic Swaers Hoek Pass summit finish above Merino. From the high point, riders freewheel down into the Burn Camp.

STAGE 4

MERINO LOOP

DISTANCE: 61km

CLIMBING: 55Om

The Merino loop reshapes the flow of the race for 2026. Shorter in distance but tactically significant, it invites sharper racing and demands focus yet riders will finish earlier in the day at the Burn Camp for spirited fireside chats and delicious Karoo fare. It is a shift in the race’s structure while maintaining the competitive intent.

STAGE 5

Merino to Gwanishi

DISTANCE: 125km

CLIMBING: 82Om

A fast, flat and familiar 26 km gravel section leaves Merino Burn Camp behind. A shift in direction from stage 6 in 2025 takes the route east briefly then south, across remote, semi-desert Karoo landscapes. Mixed surfaces include open gravel roads, rough farm tracks and a paved connector. The climbing stats hide the inevitable accumulated fatigue of the wind, terrain and five days in the saddle.

STAGE 6

Gwanishi to Shamwari

DISTANCE: 112km

CLIMBING: 1,25Om

The transition toward Shamwari marks a subtle but noticeable shift in landscape. The terrain moves from open plains toward bushveld, almost all on gravel (albeit varying surfaces). Alertness is key, with sharp rocks and hidden riverbeds punctuating the stage. Approaching Shamwari signals the beginning of the final chapter, as the riders prepare to enter Big 5 territory.

STAGE 7

SHAMWARI FINALE

LENGTH: 92km

CLIMBING: 1,16Om

The final 92km loop unfolds entirely within Big 5 territory, starting in Shamwari and visiting the neighbouring game reserves, reaching the Indian Ocean before returning inland to finish. It is a stage unlike any other in global gravel racing, where riders move through active wildlife territory, sharing space with elephant, rhino and lion, bringing this unique journey to a close on Pure South African Gravel.