Motorcycle Tour With Friends: Ride South Africa Your Way
Some of the best rides of your life will be the ones you talk about for years with the people who were there. A self-guided motorcycle tour with friends through the Eastern Cape and the Karoo gives you exactly that. It's your own trip, on your own dates, at your own pace, with no strangers in the group and no guide setting the rhythm. We handle the routes, the accommodation and the backup, so the only thing your group has to agree on is where to stop for coffee.
Your Group, Not a Group Tour
A guided group tour puts you on a fixed departure with riders you've never met, following a guide's pace and a guide's schedule. That suits some people. But if you already have the mates you want to ride with, it means sharing the experience with a dozen others and fitting in around them.
Every Outbound Moto tour runs privately. There are no fixed departures, no minimum numbers and nobody else on your trip. You pick the dates around your group's leave and flights, and the whole week belongs to the people you chose to ride with.
Everyone Rides Their Own Ride
Riding with mates doesn't mean riding in formation. Each rider has their own bike and their own GPS loaded with the route, so the quicker riders can push on through the gravel while others take a section at their own speed. Spread out, regroup at a fuel stop or a viewpoint, and meet up at the lodge in the afternoon. Nobody is eating anyone else's dust, and nobody is waiting impatiently at the next corner.
The Stories Are Shared
The pass that tested everyone, the farm stall nobody planned to stop at, the evening at the lodge going over the day's riding. That's what you take home. A guided tour gives you a holiday. A self-guided trip with your mates gives you a story that's yours.
Choosing a Route for Your Group
Both routes are around 70% gravel and both make for a superb week. The choice comes down to the kind of riding your group enjoys. You can compare the two routes in detail.
Cape2Karoo: Variety From the Coast to the Karoo
Cape2Karoo covers about 1,306 km. It runs from St Francis Bay through the Baviaanskloof, across the Karoo to Prince Albert and over the Swartberg Pass, then back along the Garden Route. The surface and the scenery keep changing, which makes it a natural first choice for a group riding South Africa for the first time.
Frontier & Mist: The High-Country Route
Frontier & Mist covers about 1,811 km through the Eastern Cape Highlands, taking in Lady Grey, Rhodes and Hogsback. It's the route for groups who actively enjoy technical riding: high passes, cooler air, mist belts, and gravel that rewards skill.
Two Weeks Together
If your group can get the time off, the 14-day combined trip joins both routes back to back without returning to base in between. That's 13 nights, each in a different place, and it saves 10% against booking two separate 7-day tours.
How the Backup Works
Self-guided doesn't mean unsupported. Your group has direct 24/7 phone access to our team for the whole tour.
Phone First, Then We Come to You
If a bike develops a problem, the first call goes to someone who knows the bike and the route. We diagnose over the phone and often talk you through a fix with the tools already on the bike. If a roadside fix isn't possible, we drive out with a trailer, tools and a spare motorcycle, then either repair the bike on the spot or swap it outright. We respond as soon as the call comes in. How long it takes to reach you depends on where you are. In an emergency, we coordinate help directly.
Coverage on the Road
Mobile signal or Wi-Fi covers most of both routes, but some sections have none. Riding as a group helps here: if you need us in a dead zone, one rider can head to the nearest point of coverage and make the call while the others stay together. Satellite communication isn't part of the package, so bring your own messenger if you want that extra cover.
The Small Stuff Is Yours
Each bike runs tubeless tyres and carries a plug kit, pressure gauge, pump, small tool kit, duct tape, cable ties and thread-locker. Punctures and loose bolts are for the riders to handle, and in a group there's usually someone who has done it before. We take care of the bigger problems.
What's Included
Every rider gets a KTM 790 Adventure fitted with rack-less soft panniers, giving 60 litres across three 20-litre compartments. Each rider also gets a Garmin zūmo XT2 loaded with the route track. There are no waypoints for fuel or food, so your group chooses its own stops along the way.
All accommodation is booked in advance, breakfast is included at every stop, and every stay has secure off-street parking. Specific lodges may change with availability, so our listings show what to expect rather than guaranteeing a particular stay. Your airport arrival transfer from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) is included. Fuel, lunch, dinner and drinks are for your own account. Our cost breakdown for Eastern Cape tours will help you budget for those.
Bring More Mates, Pay Less Each
Pricing is per rider for a 7-day tour, and the rate drops as your group grows:
- 1 rider: €3,450
- 2 riders: €3,250 each
- 3 riders: €3,100 each
- 4 riders: €2,950 each
For larger groups, we quote on request. Thinking about whether to trust a newer operator? We cover that openly.
Planning Your Trip
Tours run all year round. October to April brings the drier conditions most riders prefer for gravel, but the other months have their own appeal and quieter roads. Riding days are typically four to six hours and planned to finish in daylight, which leaves the afternoons for the lodge and the stories. Curious how self-guided touring compares to guided? When your group is ready, view the tour options and send us your dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we all have to ride together all day?
No. Each rider has their own GPS with the route loaded, so your group can spread out, ride at different speeds and regroup wherever suits you. Most groups meet up at fuel stops and at the lodge each afternoon.
What happens if one of our bikes breaks down?
Call our 24/7 line. We'll diagnose by phone first. If the bike can't be fixed at the roadside, we drive out with a spare motorcycle and tools, and either repair it or swap it so your group can carry on.
Can riders of different experience levels ride together?
Yes, as long as everyone is comfortable riding gravel on their own bike. Because nobody has to hold formation, the more confident riders can go ahead while others take sections at their own pace.
Can a rider come on their own?
Yes. Every tour is private from a single rider upwards. Most riders, though, find the trip is even better shared.
Can we customise the route or add days?
Yes. Custom routes and extensions are quoted individually. Send us your group's dates and ideas, and we'll put together a plan.