Cape Town is a spectacular city, no doubt about it, but the tourist trail is somewhat, well, touristy. One of the top travel destinations worldwide and with millions of visitors frolicking here each year, experiencing the Mother City in a unique and off the beaten track way is getting harder and harder.
In steps Bike and Saddle, an established outdoor and eco-friendly company that provides cycle trips in and around Cape Town. From a leisurely 2-hour trip around the city to a 10-day multi-sport tour around the peninsula or a Cycle Safari in some of South Africa’s best game reserves, Bike and Saddle caters for experienced cyclists to complete novices. All tours are led by a qualified and knowledgeable guide, so even if you don’t know which way the helmet goes on, you will be in safe hands every pedal step of the way!
The Cape Town Evening by Bike trip is quite spectacular and I was privileged enough to join it last week! Beginning from the historic Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, we cycled over the Clock Tower Bridge, often past some rather bemused tourists. Leaving the Waterfront, we made our way across to Beach Road which, as the name suggests, hugs the Atlantic Ocean as the delightful scent of the sea fills the air.
The newly completed and quite magnificent Green Point Stadium, the stage for Cape Town’s World Cup matches, towered over us in all its glory, as we wound our way through Green Point and the bustling bars, bistros and brasseries of Somerset Road with its cobbled streets and sassy sidewalks.
We made our way down Adderley Street and into the Company Gardens – initially established as a trading stop for the Dutch East India Company, it was here that the seeds of colonialism were planted, setting the stage for modern-day Cape Town. These historic gardens now straddle the Parliament and house Tuynhuys, the official town residence for the president, as well as the National Gallery and History Museum. Next up was Long Street, the party heart of the city which was just starting to come to life in the early evening, with its chic nightclubs and down to earth pubs competing for your dollars.
We neglected the urge for an ice-cold beer in Long Street and wound our way up to the Bo-Kaap, the historic Malay quarter of Cape Town, home to the city’s oldest mosque and a thriving Moslem community. The colourfully painted houses and cobbled streets took our breath away, as did the steep inclines, but it was the aroma of home-made curry wafting through the air that had our stomachs rumbling. Kids played in the streets as their mothers beckoned them inside – and we were privy to all of this from the back of a bike, much closer and less intrusive than the back of a car.
It really was about time for a drink, so we sped down back towards the Waterfront, over the bridge again, past the shipping lanes and alongside the marina until we hit the breakwater on Table Bay Boulevard. And what a feast awaited us! A spread of salmon rolls, smoked snoek (a local fish delicacy), chicken satay skewers, fresh olive bread and Cape Malay delicacies, including samoosas and mince pies, were laid out before us and lit with lanterns. We tucked in with gusto and as Gustav popped the champagne, the sun slowly slipped below the horizon. It was just picture perfect.
So if you are coming to Cape Town and are looking to get off the beaten track while enjoying a healthy and eco-friendly adventure that will help reverse your carbon footprint, then Bike and Saddle is just for you. Savour the soft sea breeze, breathe in the misty mountain air and soak up the sights and sounds of the Mother City from your trusty steed of a bike. There really is no better way to experience the fairest Cape – so what are you waiting for? On your bicycle…
Cape Town by Bike Tour on Rhino Africa
Discover the Cape Cycle