Active Escapes

Specialists in active holidays: we offer guided cycle tours and mountain bike holidays, canoe and hiking trails, adventure tours & events, weekend-breaks and nature getaways in the Kwa-ZuluNatal Midlands, Maputaland, Drakensberg and Eastern Cape Wild Coast & Highlands. Cycling & Mountain Biking – At Active Escapes we are absolutely fanatical about mountain biking and have spent the past few years travelling South Africa in search of the best trails. We specialise in providing mountain biking and cycling holidays, to accommodate all levels of riders. Whether you’re looking for adrenalin-pumping downhill, flowing single-track, endurance or tranquil country road riding, we will customise a tour to meet your specific requirements. Our cycling holidays range from fully-supported and professionally guided tours (with all accommodation, meals, luggage transfers & vehicle support provided) to more ‘self-guided’ options whereby we provide detailed route information (maps & GPS co-ordinates) and take care of trip logistics such as accommodation bookings, airport and end-point vehicle transfers. Active Escape tour leaders are fit, professional and dedicated to delivering a rewarding experience. We take great pleasure in leading enthusiastic cyclists through some of the best mountain biking territory available. Hiking & Slackpacking Trails – For many people, walking is one of the greatest pleasures in life. Being surrounded by unspoilt beauty and hiking with a few close friends and family is a wonderful way to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. In South Africa we are lucky to have a vast range of mountains, valleys and coastlines that hold incredible hiking, trekking and backpacking opportunities. Active Escapes offer walking holidays in the Drakensberg Mountains, the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, the Eastern Cape Highlands, Kosi Bay and along the entire length of the Wild Coast. Whether you’re keen to summit lofty high altitude peaks in the famous Berg with Cape Vultures cruising the thermals, or have your sights set on days of warm weather walking in the Transkei with lunch time dips in the sea; Active Escapes will set your feet moving in the right direction. Canoe Safaris – Canoe safaris are an incredible way to explore new areas. Instead of driving through game parks, confined to the space of your car, why not join the flow of an ancient river to truly experience nature at a relaxed pace? No experience is necessary for the downstream drift involved in our canoe safaris, covering very doable distances on calm waters for all ages. With safari options on both the Rio Olifants River in southern Mozambique and well as the Pongola River in Maputaland, the bushveld is teeming with life and nights are spent quietly chilling under giant starry skies. Game spotting, bird viewing, swimming and photography are major highlights on all of our canoe safaris, with the focus falling on fun more than hard paddling. Using professional guides, you are ably assisted from one tented camp to the next. For families and groups of friends wanting a true break from the daily grind and an opportunity to reconnect, canoe safaris are a wonderful way to effortlessly reach that end. As you head downstream, the days blend into each other with the pace of the river. Trail Running – Running free on the berg and beach… Trail running is an outdoor pursuit growing at exponential rates in South Africa. With the vast and varied landscape in which we live, awesome trails exist that unfold through mountains, along coastlines and into out-of-the-way places that only the fit and adventurous get to experience. Active Escapes offer trail running getaways to suite all levels of athlete, specialising in the terrains of the Wild Coast, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and the Drakensberg. Using our point-to-point fully supported tours means you’re left to run wild and free, while we transport your bags to the foot of the next comfy bed and ensure the beers are frosty upon your arrival. The Lower Wild Coast hotel-hopping section and the Giants Cup Berg trail are our pioneer destinations for trail running with well positioned hotels and guest houses to chose from, and easy logistic support. However, Active Escapes specialises in tailor made tours – so many of our hiking products could potentially be trail run with some modifications to distances and logistics. You name the destination and we’ll make your trail run holiday a reality! Northern Drakensberg Horse Trail – 1 – 3 Day Horse Trails – Northern Drakensberg High mountains, sandstone cliffs and rolling plains provide a scenic and often dramatic backdrop to this Northern Drakensberg multi-day horse trail. Days in the saddle will see you traversing mountain ridges, forging crisp streams and galloping along wide open plains. Overnighting in the comfort of mountain lodges, you get to play cowboy by day… but get to sleep in a real bed by night. Guests wishing to include a cultural element in their ride can alter their route to visit a Sangoma and ride through the local Zulu village where one gets a feel for contemporary rural Zulu life. Every route includes a lunch stop at a cave where San rock is seen. The sure-footed horses have been bred in the area so whilst the terrain may seem technical, you are on experienced foot. This overnight trail in stunning mountain surrounds is a pioneer adventure suited to both novice and experienced riders. White Water Rafting – If you’re the kind of person who likes to crank things up a notch, then white water rafting is definitely for you. Tackling rapids under the expert eye of an experienced river guide, Active Escapes offers day and multi-day rafting tours on the mighty waters of the Tugela and Umkomaas Rivers. The Tugela River flows from the towering heights of the Drakensberg Mountains, and meanders 502 kilometres through the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands to the Indian Ocean. This river offers spectacular scenery, fascinating Boer War history, serious white water and enough adventure material to keep the adrenalin pumping for a good while! Famed for being the largest river on the South Coast, the Umkomaas has its source at Giant’s Castle in the Berg. Also well-known for the gruelling 67km Umkomaas River Marathon, you too can take advantage of the wild waters of this classic river from the vantage of an inflatable croc. Multi-Sport Adventures – Hiking, Biking, Paddling, Birding & Fly Fishing all-in-one Holiday In recent years the world of adventure sports has become less elitist. It’s not uncommon to find trail running shoes, bike cleats, backpacks, cameras and bird books jumbled up in the boot of many a car. Nowadays “Off the beaten path” is a far less intimidating place and we know that for people like us – this is where holidays should be spent! Active Escapes will tailor make your ideal energetic vacation, from any combination of outdoor pursuits. Maybe you’re keen to trail run on the Wild Coast for a few days, ending off with a day or two of rock ‘n surf fishing and sundowners? Want to MTB like a madman but also search for the elusive Green Twinspot in the wilds of the north coast? Torn between stretching your legs in the Drakensberg and the bliss of fly fishing too? With us, all these options become totally possible. We’ll ponder the logistics; we’ll make the calls – let us do the thinking and we’ll put together the adventure trip you’ve always wished for. From self-guided options to fully supported tours, leave the stressful part of organising a holiday to Active Escapes. You provide the dream, we create the reality. With alot more on offer on top of these wonderful activities such as; birding, fishing, photography, weekend breaks, day trips, family holiday, corporate events, workshops and events. There is something for your evry interest.