THE ROUTE
WHERE WE'RE GOING
OVERVIEW
Starting in the jewel of the Garden Route, Gravel Burn blazes a trail from Knysna's languid lagoon into the heart of the Great Karoo, towards Graaff-Reinet, the fourth-oldest town in South Africa. Riders tackle many challenging mountain passes along the 7-day route and their just reward comes with the breathtakingly beautiful and contrasting scenery – from coastal forests to arid semi-desert to African bushveld, as Gravel Burn reaches its conclusion at Shamwari Private Game Reserve.
Stage 2
Avontuur –
Willowmore
→ 100km
↑ 1150m
Stage 5
Blaauwater –
Merino Farm
→ 162km
↑ 1700m
Stage 6
Merino Farm –
Middleton
→ 142km
↑ 1750m
PRINCE ALFRED PASS
KNYSNA LAGOON
KNYSNA FOREST
ON THE WAY TO WILLOWMORE
THE THINGS YOU SEE ALONG THE WAY
DEEP IN THE GREAT KAROO
THE COLOURS OF GRAVEL BURN
A GEOLOGIST'S DELIGHT
KAROO CONTRASTS
GREAT KAROO CROSSROAD
TRAFFIC AHEAD
APPROACHING THE BIG CLIMB
SCENES FROM THE FINAL STAGE
HEADING THROUGH GAME COUNTRY
ENTERING BIG GAME COUNTRY
DEEP INTO STAGE 7
WILD WELCOME
SPECTATORS AWAIT AT SHAMWARI
SHAMWARI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE
Start town:
Knysna
Loop stage:
Stage 4
Finish location:
Shamwari
Burn Camp locations:
Avontuur, Graaff-Reinet, Blaauwater (2 nights), Merino, Middleton
Sunrise:
±5:20am
Sunset:
±6:50pm
Average temperature range:
Low: 10°C/50°F
High: 29°C/84°F
Shortest stage:
±80km
Longest stage:
±160km
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 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.
HIGHLIGHTS
THE PASSES
Challenging climbs in bike races have the power to turn mortals into legends, yet they can humble even the world’s finest. With the breathtaking views they deliver, the passes are to be savoured as much as conquered.
STAGE 1
Prince Alfred’s Pass
LENGTH: 13.9km
CLIMBING: 820m
Completed in 1867 by Thomas Bain, Prince Alfred’s Pass is a popular destination for locals, tourists and Strava subscribers alike. Said to be South Africa’s longest publicly accessible mountain pass, boasting an abundance of local flora and fauna, it will provide a leg-scorching challenge as much as a sightseeing opportunity.
STAGE 2
THE ONION
LENGTH: 2km
CLIMBING: 160m
Kicking up sharply at around the 25km mark on stage 2, the aptly named Onion is a short, rocky ascent that marks the end of the opening act of the Gravel Burn story. Shortly after, the headline feature unfolds as we cross the Western Cape provincial line and enter the Eastern Cape.
STAGE 5
WAPADsberg pass
LENGTH: 10.2km
CLIMBING: 364m
The route on stage 5 prescribes an early ascent, starting from the base of the imposing Lootsberg. At this point in the race, the smooth tarred surface offers a pause from the rugged paths they’ll encounter during raceweek, letting riders focus on tackling the gradient.
STAGE 5
Swaershoek Pass
LENGTH: 18.5km
CLIMBING: 790m
With its highest point at 1,981m, Swaershoek (brother-in-law) Pass forms part of the district road between the Eastern Cape towns of Nxuba (formerly Cradock) and Pearston. The road surface remains in good condition, but an elevation gain of 470m in the closing kilometres will keep riders honest in the finale.
STAGE 6
Tarka-Botha Pass
LENGTH: 6.4km
CLIMBING: 247m
Early in stage 6, riders head into the more remote parts of the route, ascending on the tracks that lead to one of Gravel Burn’s more treacherous sections. They’ll need to stay sharp while navigating the rugged Tarka-Botha Pass towards Witmos. The scenery is superb, but this will demand much of the riders’ attention.
STAGE 6
Waainek PASS
LENGTH: 13,3km
CLIMBING: 582m
The penultimate stage presents the race’s final major obstacle as riders make their way towards Middleton. Although the average gradient may not appear unusually onerous, the climb features an extended series of steep ramps that make it especially challenging.
FEES & REGISTRATION
ENTRY PACKAGES
For more info on entry packages, pricing, what’s included and what’s also available, click below.