AVID mountain bikers are invited to enter the annual Roof de Karoo Challenge – the only event in the country which starts and finishes in two different national parks and traverses pristine private property in between.
The three-day, 190km mountain bike adventure covers plateaux grazed by herds of antelope; crosses desolate stretches of dramatic Karoo landscape with a unique diversity of fauna and flora and navigates mountain ridges with picturesque panoramic views.
The fourth event of its kind kicks off, as is customary, camping under the Karoo skies in Mountain Zebra National Park, near Cradock, on the evening of Thursday, April 2, before an early start on the bike the following morning.
Another camp awaits fully set-up for participants after about 85km of cycling on the first day, where they get to experience true Karoo hospitality and cuisine prepared by the local farmers and share tales and sights from the back of their bikes that day.
On the second morning, the riders set off for another 80km until the next overnight stop.
The final day of the event is the shortest, with riders required to co-ver only 25km before they finish at Camdeboo National Park outside Graaff-Reinet and finally get to relax after finishing the course at the last mobile camp of the journey.
The entry fee of R4 450 per person or R7 950 per two-person team not only covers participants’ meals, accommodation, medical support, raconteur and goody bag, but ultimately helps protect this area and the species and people that rely on it.
The closing date for entries is Friday, March 20.
To enter or for more information, visit www.mzcpe.co.za/rdk.html or contact Annette Kingwill on 082 851 5580 or roofdekaroo@gmail.com
