Graskop, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Mpumalanga is widely regarded as South African roadie cycling heaven. You can base yourself in Sabie, Hazyview, Graskop or White River, and ride the fairly quiet roads between the four towns on consecutive days. The region offers a rare combination of good road surfaces, large shoulders, relatively low traffic volumes, and big, testing climbs – Robbers Pass into Pilgrim’s Rest, Kiepersol between Sabie and Hazyview, Kowyn’s Pass into Graskop, and Long Tom Pass between Sabie and Lydenburg. It’s beautiful and brutal climbing, which is why riders from professional teams are often seen slogging up (and sailing down) these hills – and they all agree that Graskop is one of SA’S choice road-riding destinations. Know Before You Go An additional bonus is that about 10km from Graskop, on the Panorama Route, you’ll find God’s Window – just one look down at the cascading waterfalls and impressive mountain gorges, and you’ll know exactly why it got the name. Difficulty: 8 – jonathan ancer