STAGE 4

Oct 29

Blaauwater to Blaauwater

A taste of the stage

Stage 4 is a challenging circuit, all on gravel roads. The day starts with a punchy 7 km climb up Tafelkop, followed by the Leeukop, an undulating 5 km climb with false tops, rewarding riders with stunning summit views. A fast descent then leads into the Sneeuberg Nature Reserve — watch for springbok racing alongside you and blue cranes overhead. The Kom Pass Climb reaches the stage highpoint with breathtaking mountain vistas, followed by a 20 km descent with rough sections and dry riverbed crossings. Riders pass through the quaint Nieu-Bethesda village before climbing back into the wilderness up Tafelkop a second time. A final 7 km descent brings riders home for their last night in Blaauwater, completing a scenic yet demanding day in the heart of the Karoo.

Highest Point

1,894m

Distance

111km

Climb

1,45Om+

Descent

1,45Om-

the peaks
and troughs

Towns &
landmarks

town

Nieu-Bethesda(NEW-be-thez-duh)

eastern-cape

Nieu-Bethesda is a remote Karoo village tucked beneath the Compassberg. Known for its artistic soul and timeless stillness, it’s home to the famed Owl House — a surreal sculpture garden created by outsider artist Helen Martins. Riders pass through Nieu-Bethesda on Stage 4 at 79km, where stone walls, dusty roads, and big skies make it feel like time stands still. Quietly magnetic, it’s a place that lingers in the mind long after the ride rolls on.

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landmark

Blaauwater Burn Camp

Blaauwater, Eastern Cape

Blaauwater Farms represents a series of firsts of the event. The Kingwill's eighth generation farm was the site of the first ever prototype camp, the scene of our stayover at the first Trial Burn test ride, the first venue to sink a borehole and build a reservoir and will be the only Burn Camp to host the race for two nights (with the Night Burn taking place on the first night).

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landmark

Sneeuberg Nature Reserve

Eastern Cape

A 14,000ha reserve in the Sneeuberg Mountains near Graaff-Reinet. High-altitude terrain with free-roaming wildlife, Nguni cattle and wide, classic Karoo landscapes.

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landmark

Owl House

Nieu-Bethesda, Eastern Cape

Helen Martins’ surreal sculpture garden is a national treasure. Riders pass nearby, where concrete camels and glass owls whisper their secrets to the passing wind.

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