Wildlife & Nature Reserves · South Africa

Due to our international audience all Islandhopping tours are conducted bilingually, in English and German.

Changes to the order of the itinerary may occur due to the availability of accommodation. A bicycle tour may be affected by changing weather conditions and therefore the itinerary of any tour may change. But don’t worry, we always have a plan B and will find the best solutions to offer you an equally exciting tour, should the scheduled one not be possible.

On our regular cycling tours, the riding pace is determined by the cyclists on regular bicycles. We ask guests who have reserved an e-bike to be mindful of this and to acknowledge that the regular cyclists need time to rest and longer to climb the hills. We thank you for your understanding.

The tour which you have booked requires a bike with a fully functional set of gears. Islandhopping can offer you high quality, fully serviced rental bikes perfect for the terrain of this tour.

Should you however wish to bring your own bicycle with you, please make sure to check the condition of your breaks, gears, and tires and don’t forget to bring along a puncture repair kit and the essential spare parts for your bike (e.g. brake pads and spare tubes). Your bike should be in prefect mechanical working order.

We do not recommend bringing along private road bikes, as the thin tires are not suitable for some of the road surfaces encountered on the tours.

Liability disclaimer: Radurlaub Zeitreisen GmbH. Will not be held liable for any damages caused to private bikes during loading, unloading or other logisitical handling thereof.

The following additional activities are included in the tour price: Visit to a citrus/avocado packhouse, bush walks, game drives, a visit to the Echo Caves, the Bourke’s Luck Potholes and Kaross.

This tour offers full board which consists of local dishes. If you are a vegetarian or vegan or if you have any special requests regarding your diet, for example a food intolerance, please let us know in advance so that we can best cater for you.

Our tours are accompanied by 2 guides - a cycling guide and a nature guide with a support vehicle.

No matter if exploring nature and wildlife on foot or by vehicle, the group is always accompanied by trained guides. This ensures that a safe distance for both people and animals is kept at all time to ensure that we can enjoy the breath-taking wildlife without disturbing them or endangering ourselves.

*Please note that we do NOT cycle in the Kruger National Park.

South Africa is a large and diverse country, whose climate varies from region to region. The Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces experience summer rainfall with heavy thundershowers from December to February and a dry winter period from May to October. South Africa is a large and diverse country with a climate that varies from region to region:South Africa is a large and diverse country with a climate that varies from region to region: Cape Town and the Western Cape experiences winter rainfall (June to August) and a largely bone-dry hot summer while much of the rest of the country, including the Kruger Park area, have heavy summer thundershowers (December to March) and a dry winter period from May to October. The Garden Route and Eastern Cape on the other hand can experience rain at any time of yearThe best time to visit these areas depends on what you would like to see and which climate you prefer. In summer, the African bush is at its greenest and birdlife is abundant. In winter, wildlife is easier to spot because there is less vegetation and animals gather around rivers and waterholes.

Additional Information - Seasons in South Africa:

Spring - September and October
Summer - November to March
Autumn - April to May
Winter - June to August

January - The first month of the year is characterized by lush vegetation which has flourished after the early summer rains. Temperatures can soar into the high thirties (approx. 95 – 102˚F), but thundershowers often bring a welcome relief from the heat in the late afternoon.

February - Though usually one of the warmest months, thunderstorms are still possible from time to time. The bush remains green in colour and vegetation remains thick.

March - The weather is warm, and although there may still be some rainfall in the north, it begins to ease off. As this is the end of the season, vegetation is lush and rivers and full in the Kruger National Park.

April - April brings with it the change of season and is often the time of the year when the very short bushveld autumn can be experienced. Water begins to dry up and the temperatures are pleasant however they can vary between hot during the day and chilly during the evenings.

May - May is one of the best times of year to visit the country as it is not too hot but not too cold either. The bushveld is still green but due to the lack of rain, it is a good time to visit Kruger.

June – The north and east of the country experience dryer temperatures and this is a great time for game viewing as animals congregate around water holes. When setting out in the morning, it is best to wear multiple layers as the temperature will increase during the day.

July - In many respects July is similar to June, the only difference is that it is drier. Towards the end of the month, it starts to warm up slightly during the day. However, the evenings are still cold.

August - August is the driest month, the temperature rises during the day and although the nights are cool the days are very pleasant. The grass is now gold to brown in colour and tends to begin to thin out.

September - September is a month of great contrasts, the bush is still dry, but many of the trees begin to blossom. The animals are out in full force, with many giving birth.

October - Temperatures start to rise throughout the country but the rains are yet to come in the north. If thunderstorms occur, they do not usually bring much rain, but certainly enough to start the early growth of the bush and to allow for a flush a fresh green.

November – Temperatures continue to rise across the country and the rains start in the Kruger National Park. Late afternoon thunderstorms clear the air and can be spectacular.

December - The festive season is extremely busy in South Africa. In the northern parts of South Africa, rain is prevalent, yet temperatures are very high.

Malaria is present in the area of the Kruger National Park. We urge you to ask your family doctor for malaria prophylaxis before your trip. What you can do yourself to avoid infection (Please note that insects are especially active in the evening, at night, and early in the morning).

Below you will find a list of precautions you should take between dawn and dusk:

• Apply insect repellent to uncovered skin.
• Close your windows and doors at night if they do not have an insect screen.
• Use insect repellent in your bedroom.
• Wear long clothes and socks during the evening and night and in the morning hours when you go outside.

Please note, space is limited since we transport bicycles, luggage and passengers. We ask that each guest brings no more than 1 x 23 kg bag and 1 x hand luggage.