THABA TRAILS

The infamous Thaba Trails is one of Gauteng’s most complete trail networks. We say ‘infamous’ because for years this place was known for its technical trails and tough terrain, which scared away many beginners. It’s only recently that trail founder Wendell Bole has diversified it by adding some easier and intermediate loops.

The views, naturally, are quite spectacular – and polarising, at times; the city sprawl dominates the distant horizon, juxtaposed with the indigenous vegetation and surrounding topography.

The bushveld vegetation looks like a scene out of The Lion King –a scene augmented by the wildlife that roams freely; if you’re lucky, there’s a chance you’ll spot impala, zebra, wildebeest and springbok.

The trails are colour-coded in accordance with IMBA trail guidelines: yellow, green, blue and black. We rode the 30km intermediate trail, comprising much of the blue and green routes. This trail cleverly incorporates the landscape’s natural formations, such as rocks and boulders, while link-up sections feature undulating grassland and jeep track. Of course, there’s also a fair bit of purposebuilt stuff, but nothing feels stilted or unnatural.

The singletrack is fast and exhilarating, and takes you through some of the endemic bushveld vegetation before reaching a maximum altitude of 1 636m.

The views from the top are spectacular – you’re guaranteed to bank some Instagram gold; while the last few kilometres of singletrack are some of the best of the entire network.

From the stunning African vistas and incredible wildlife sightings to the awesome singletrack and unique terrain, Thaba is a sensory overload, bar none. – By Aaron Borrill DISTANCE: VARIOUS ( DEPENDING ON HOW YOU MIX YOUR TRAILS) TERRAIN: TECHNICAL AND DIVERSE RATING: BEGINNER TO ADVANCED