Adventure Shop Logo
November 2021

Where did the tourists go?  - Raino Bolz (Owner)

It was amazing to see how fast travel bounced back once the borders started opening up for international travel. There was excitement in the air and the chronically positive tourism industry took the bull by the horns and showed the early adopters brave enough to travel the best time ever in South Africa, with no cues on Table Mountain or the V&A Waterfront, top restaurants happy and willing to seat you on short notice and wineries pouring that extra special bottle that magically opened itself just in time for your tasting. We at Adventureshop had a great time showing off our area to these brave international travellers and had a fantastic October and November and got really excited about the season ahead. 

Unfortunately 26 November changed all that with the UK and EU closing their borders to South African travel. Cancellations, refunds and heaps of admin took the place of smiling tourists on our tours. Uncle Cyril made a speech Sunday night that I am proud of, calling out and reminding the G20 international governments of their broken promises while making political decisions not rooted in any science that decimate our industry!  
 
But as I said, the tourism industry in South Africa is a chronically positive bunch, and we will once again await the return of the international travellers and show them the best time they have ever had!
Cycle Tours
Relieve stress with our fun bike trails
Relieve stress with our fantastic bike trails.  There is something for everyone.
Struggling with work and stress overload? Sometimes, the best thing you can do is get away from your desk (instead of pushing more late nights than you’re doing already) and get outside. Get a change of scenery, fresh air, and move your body!
Our 20km half-day Boschendal e-bike tour is the perfect excuse! Starting at Stellenbosch, our guide will take you on a stunning scenic ride through town, into Idas Valley, over the historic Helshoogte Pass and along the Banhoek Conservancy trails. In the afternoon, our bus will transport you back to Stellenbosch again.

This 3-hour tour is perfect for families with kids, as kids 140cm or taller can ride e-bikes as well. If you’re lucky, you might see some Eland and Oryx along the way. The tours start at 9.00, so there would be plenty of time to grab a delicious lunch and some wine at Boschendal before returning. 
More info on our Boschendal e-bike tour
Boschendal e-bike tour
Want some more? Try the 3-day Stellenbosch to Hermanus bike tour.
If you’re game for 3 days of scenic riding, the 3-day Stellenbosch to Hermanus cycle tour is absolutely stunning.

Here’s a quick overview:

Day 1: Cycle the 45km from Stellenbosch to Franschhoek on mostly off-road gravel and MTB tracks, enjoy a fantastic lunch and wine tasting on a wine estate before settling in at the guest house with amazing views over Franschhoek. Spend the afternoon relaxing, wine tasting or around the pool. Dinner can be arranged at any of the great eateries in Franschhoek.

Day 2: We cycle 60km from Franschhoek to Wildekrans Wine Estate in the Botrivier area on mostly gravel backroads through wine farms and fynbos areas. Lunch on a wine estate. A South African braai dinner will be served by your guides. 
 
On the final day we cycle approximately 35km through the last leg of farmlands and winelands and take the magnificent Hemel and Aarde trails down into Hermanus. Enjoy a well-deserved lunch in Hermanus before taking the bus back to Stellenbosch via the sea-side Clarence drive. 

Click here to book your 3-day tour - it gets busy during the Holiday Season!
Book the 3-day Stellenbosch to Hermanus Tour
Stellenbosch to Hermanus
Have you seen our new offices?
We recently moved our offices to the Agriculture Hall (Ou Landbousaal), 1 Noordwal-Wes Street, joining the Stellenbosch Trail Fund team in Stellenbosch. Do come by and pop in for coffee with us!
Stellenbosch Trail Fund 
The Stellenbosch Trail Fund maintains the natural resources in our town, such as all the hiking, biking and running trails in the area and surrounds. The work is funded by various private and corporate donors and also extends to creating employment via helping the local community with skills development, outdoor recreation and tourism. If you’d like to help out, feel free to donate using the details here. Thanks for your help!
Meet our guide, Sevo
When you book a cycle tour, you will be guided by Sevo, one of our favourite tour guides originating from the Tsitsikamma area. He worked in tourism for 12 years since graduating from high school and loves every minute of it, acquiring a string of guiding qualifications (Kayaking, Rope Access Technician, Abseil Supervisor, River Guiding, Canyoning Guiding and Mountain Biking) along the way.

We asked Sevo a few questions:
What does a tour guide always have on hand?
A first-aid kit.
 
Share one of your funniest moments on tour?
On the Stellenbosch-to-Boschendal Ride, there is a small river to cross. I had a father and son on tour and the father was quite confident that he was able to ride through the river, but he fell over as soon as his front wheel touched the water - that made for a great laugh!
 
Which is the most beautiful route?
The Stellenbosch-to-Franschhoek tour - we cycle through Idas Valley and the Banhoek Conservancy. It is truly breathtaking to cycle so close to the mountain.
 
What’s the biggest blunder you’ve ever made on tour?
My biggest blunder was when I put one of the e-bikes too close to the edge of the river behind our office. It was quite a windy day so when I came out of the storeroom the bike was missing. The first thing that came to mind was that the bike had been stolen. But when I looked down, I saw the bike going down the river. I had to wade into the river for about 200 meters to get the bike, but luckily enough the bike still worked!
 
What is your best tour guide skill?
I currently work as an Adventure Site Guide, specialising in mountain biking. Being able to work outdoors has been a dream come true, and I love being an ambassador for what our beautiful country has to offer.

  First post-Covid tours! 

Cycle Tourd
Our happy German guest was the first international guest to book a tour after the first Covid wave hit. She enjoyed the historical bike tour with us.
Boschendal e-bike
One of the first Boschendal e-bike rides we did when we reopened after the December lockdown in 2020. 

  STELLENBOSCH TOURS     CYCLE TOURS     ADVENTURES     GROUP TOURS  
  PRIVATE & SELFDRIVE TOURS     ACCOMMODATION     TEAM BUILDING     CAR HIRE  
tel: 021 8828112   |   email: info@adventureshop.co.za
www.adventureshop.co.za
Facebook Instagram Tripadvisor YouTube
Share this email:
Email Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove®
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
Ou Landbousaal 1 Noordwal-Wes Street
Stellenbosch, | 7600 ZA
This email was sent to info@aloudidea.co.za.
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.