The Garden Route Giro is a brand-new South African Gravel stage race scheduled to take place over six days from 13-18 April 2026. The event is professionally organised by Dryland Event Management and will take in some of the most scenic and challenging roads and mountain passes of the Western Cape. Here’s more detailed information about the Garden Route Giro.
Paid partnership with Dryland Event Management
If you’ve fallen in love with Gravel racing, then the Garden Route Giro is probably already on your to-do list for 2026. If you’re not sure about Gravel racing yet, this event has been designed to give you the courage to commit.
Most one-day Gravel races are long – usually at least 100 Miles (165km). And not all South African gravel roads are smooth and fast-rolling. That makes for a tough day in the saddle. Imagine doing that for six days in a row on a Gravel bike, most of which have no suspension.
That’s why the route for the Garden Route Giro is appealing. It’s predominantly on gravel roads, which range in quality from smooth and fast to a bit of rough and loose. But the average distance is 114km per stage, which is challenging, but not torturous. There are also tar road sections at the start and finish of each stage, which will feel like a gift when you’re worn out.
THE BIKE
Entrants will be required to ride Gravel bike for Garden Route Giro. Gravel races are similar to road races, where consistent higher speeds and bunch formation is the norm. Having all riders on drop-bar Gravel bicycles ensures a higher level of safety. Don’t have a Gravel bike? Now is a good time to invest in one. They’re surprisingly well priced compared to a full-suspension mountain bike with most brands offering them. Be sure to do your research though. Comfort isn’t included and mostly comes from being able to fit wider tyres. Gravel eBikes will not be permitted.
THE ENTRY FEE
Garden Route Giro is a Solo race and an entry costs R29 000. This excludes accommodation and dinners except for the final night, where your accommodation and dinner are both at the Wilderness Hotel, but it includes post-stage lunches. A separate dinner package can be purchased, while breakfasts are included in all accommodation packages. There are race hubs with tented accommodation with varying levels. If you take the most basic option, a single tent, the entry will cost you R32 500, excluding dinners. If you take the most luxury option, 4/5-star hotels and guest houses, it will be R71 000 and includes pretty much everything – in luxury. There are several sharing accommodation options, which bring the per-person price down a bit.
THE LOGISTICS
The Garden Route Giro will start in the coastal town of Mossel Bay and finish in the coastal town of Wilderness after doing a large inland loop. Each stage finishes in a different town, so it’s essentially a point-to-point race. Your entry includes your bag transfers between the different towns and you obviously ride between them in the race. Your entry fee includes dinner and accommodation at the Wilderness Hotel after the final stage. Stage 1 is on Sunday 13 April, but registration will be on Saturday 12 April. The final stage is on Friday 18 April with the overnight accommodation covered by your entry fee, leaving you to check out of the event on Saturday 19 April. So plan for an eight-day event.
The ride registration package includes lunch daily, medical support, timing, live tracking, a race garment, Dryland’s famous water points, and luggage transfers, as well as an invitation to the Finishers’ Function. “We will be staging the final award ceremony and a festive finishers’ function on Saturday, 18 April, at the Wilderness Hotel. A final night’s accommodation, in the Wilderness Hotel, is included for all participants and we are planning a party to conclude the race after the trophies are handed over,” said Garden Route Giro Race Director, Henco Rademeyer.
THE RACING
Details will be announced in due course regarding the racing structure and incentives, which is what will attract local and international professional bicycle racers. But there will be significant professional media coverage of the Garden Route Giro, similar to that of Dryland’s Tankwa Trek UCI Stage Hors Classe (SHC) mountain bike stage race held in February each year.
Garden Route Giro will be timed and run under the UCI’s Gravel Racing regulations. In addition to the Elite Men and Women’s divisions, the race will feature different age categories that will be able to contest prestigious category podium places and leader jerseys.
THE ROUTE
The total distance is 684km with 11 300m of total climbing. It starts and finishes at the coast and moves over the mountains and into the Klein Karoo and then Great Karoo before returning to the coast. Starting in Mossel Bay and incorporating the towns of Riversdale, Calitzdorp, Prince Albert, De Rust, Knysna, and Wilderness, each stage finishes in a vibrant town centre brought to life with local food trucks, culture, and cuisine, and will feature iconic landmarks.
The longest stage is Stage 5 from De Rust to Knysna, covering 167km and the shortest is Stage 6, from Knysna to Wilderness, covering 75km. There are many climbs in the race, but the climbs up the iconic Rooiberg, Swartberg and Prince Alfred Passes will certainly be route highlights. Of course each of those passes has a fast, long descent once over the summit, which should prove interesting on gravel bikes…
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the route.
Gravel racing in South Africa is going through an exploratory growth phase. According to veteran cycling journalist, Sean Badenhorst, the addition of the Garden Route Giro to the calendar is adding a very significant piece to the foundation of what could become a flourishing bicycle racing discipline in this country. Those who commit to being part of the first edition of Garden Route Giro will be playing a part in helping lay a firm South African Gravel racing foundation, in addition to having a fantastic week of bicycle racing in a most beautiful part of the country.
Entries are limited and open on Tuesday 17 June 2025. Get your entry in here.
