Cyclists.com

Around Cape Town

26 km road cycling loop421 m climbing1–1½ hoursGPX

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa · Road

A mountainous 26 km road cycling loop from Cape Town, Western Cape through City Centre, Bo-Kaap (Schotschekloof) and Gardens, with 421 m of climbing over the City Centre climb.

Route contributed by Richard Chapman · Created from a ride on Thursday 12th March 2020

Download GPXMap

At a glance

Best for
Short, climbing-heavy rides
Distance
26.3 km
Loop
Elevation gain
421 m
16 m per km
Riding time
1–1½ hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Easy
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
97% paved · 1% unpaved · 3% no data
Traffic
Some main roads
11.3 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 6.9 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Regular
497 cafés and restaurants · 50 shops · 8 water points · 13 petrol stations · 20 public toilets · 11 bike shops
Best months
Sep to May
Cape Town climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start and finish
Cape Town

Map and elevation profile

Elevation profile

Total ascent
421 m
Distance
26 km
0100200300400m0 km102026 km336 m · highest, at 9.2 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. Cape Town
  2. City Centre climbkm 2
  3. City Centrekm 3
  4. Bo-Kaap (Schotschekloof)km 3
  5. Gardenskm 4
  6. Cliftonkm 18
  7. Bantry Baykm 19
  8. Sea Pointkm 21
  9. Green Pointkm 24
  10. Cape Townkm 26

This 26.3 km loop ride around Cape Town starts near the City Centre and passes through districts including Bo-Kaap, Tamboerskloof, Gardens, and Sea Point. Climbing is concentrated in the first half with two main climbs: a 5 km climb starting at 1.7 km with 285 m gain at an average gradient of 5.7%, and a shorter 1.6 km climb starting at 7.5 km with 63 m gain. The highest point of 335 m is reached around 9.1 km.

About 97% of the route is paved, with minor gravel or unpaved sections and some unmapped parts making up the rest. The road mix includes 11.3 km on main roads (all without cycle lanes), 8.3 km on quiet streets, 3.8 km on paths, and 2.8 km on minor roads. Around 6.9 km is on roads posted at 80 km/h or higher.

Facilities are available near the start and finish with cafés including Cooked and Enmasse, restaurants and bars, bike shops, petrol stations, toilets, and drinking water. There is a longest stretch of 9.4 km between 4.5 and 13.9 km with no café, shop or water. Bailout points exist at Cape Town station and The "Blue Train" station near 23-24 km.

Why ride this route?

  • Climbs the City Centre climb (5 km at 5.8 %).
  • Tops out at 335 m, 9.1 km in.

Highlights

  • Climb to 335 m at 9.1 km
  • Bo-Kaap neighbourhood at 2.6 km
  • Beach Road for 3.5 km
  • Longest descent of 4.1 km from 11.9 km

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. City Centre 2.5 km
  2. Bo-Kaap (Schotschekloof) 2.6 km
  3. Cape Town 3 km
  4. Tamboerskloof 3.7 km
  5. Gardens 3.8 km
  6. The Glen 13.8 km
  7. Clifton 18.2 km
  8. Bantry Bay 19.3 km
  9. Fresnaye 20.8 km
  10. Sea Point 21.2 km
  11. Three Anchor Bay 22.4 km
  12. Green Point 23.8 km
  13. Mouille Point 23.8 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideFull ascentTop on this ride
City Centre climb1.7 km5 km · 285 m · 5.7 % · max 9.8 %5 km · 285 m · 5.8 %298 m
Unnamed climb7.5 km1.6 km · 63 m · 3.9 % · max 4.8 %—335 m

High point 335 m at 9.1 km; low point 5 m.

On this ride: the part this route climbs, cut from its own elevation profile. Full ascent: the whole named climb, measured the same way on every ride that uses it (its climb page).

City Centre climb · full ascent, starts at 1.7 km

5 km at 5.8% · 285 m
50100150200250m9.2%9.4%4.6%0 km12344.9 km298 msteepest 9.4%
< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Expect stretches on main roads without a cycle lane (11.3 km in all) between quieter sections.

Roads
43% main road · 32% quiet street · 14% path · 11% minor road
Main roads
11.3 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
6.9 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
Beach Road (4 km)
Surface
Paved: 97% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved and 3% has no surface data.
Gradient
28% climbing · 28% descending · 44% flat
Steep sections
2.8 km over 5% · 2 km over 8% · steepest 500 m averages 9.7% at 4.8 km
Longest descent
4.1 km from 11.9 km, dropping 287 m

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 497 cafés and restaurants, 50 shops, 8 water points, 13 petrol stations, 20 public toilets and 11 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 1 kmNorth Bayou · supermarket · 50 m off route
  2. 1.3 kmDrinking water · 70 m off route
  3. 1.7 kmGiant · bike shop · 90 m off route
  4. 2 kmBarr’s Pharmacy · pharmacy · 260 m off route
  5. 2.4 kmToilets · on the route
  6. 2.8 kmCafé Frank · café · 60 m off route
  7. 3 kmAstron Energy · petrol station · on the route
  8. 9.2 kmToilets · on the route
  9. 16.2 kmVida e Caffè · café · on the route
  10. 17.4 kmToilets · 90 m off route
  11. 18.7 kmDrinking fountain · drinking water · on the route
  12. 22.1 kmToilets · on the route
  13. 22.7 kmDrinking water · 30 m off route
  14. 22.9 kmVida e Caffè · café · on the route
  15. 22.9 kmShell Select · convenience store · on the route
  16. 22.9 kmShell · petrol station · on the route
  17. 23.7 kmJohn O'Connor Premium Cycling Store · bike shop · 50 m off route
  18. 26 kmIvan Toms Centre for Men‘s Health · clinic · 130 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 1.9 km — Cape Town (station), 760 m off route
  • 23.3 km — The "Blue Train" (station), 30 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 2.5 km — Bo-Kaap view (viewpoint)
  • 8.1 km — Sunsetpoint (viewpoint)
  • 24.6 km — Tigresse Catamaran Cruises (attraction)

Start and access

Starts and finishes at Cape Town. Mapped within a short walk of the start, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start and finish

Food and coffee
Cooked (150 m), Enmasse (180 m), Cause and Effect (240 m)

Know before you go

  • 11.3 km on main roads without a cycle lane
  • 6.9 km on roads with posted speed limits 80 km/h or more
  • 9.4 km without café, shop or water between 4.5 km and 13.9 km
  • Steepest 500 m at 4.8 km with 9.7% gradient

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

2 photographs from the road

About this route

Ridden by
Richard Chapman
Date ridden
Route line
Built from a GPS recording of the ride.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months
Ten years of ERA5 weather for Cape Town (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

See something wrong with this ride?

More climbing