Revamped 2027 Garden Route Giro route unveiled
Cyclists will tackle a 593km test featuring historic mountain passes and vast Karoo landscapes during a six-stage gravel race.
The second Garden Route Giro will take riders on a dramatically different course in 2027, linking George, De Rust, Prince Albert, Volmoed near Oudtshoorn, Riversdale and Hartenbos before returning to George, reports George Herald,
Taking place from 19 to 24 April 2027, the six-stage race will cover 593km, with 78% of the route on gravel and a total elevation gain of 8,750 metres.
The new route builds on the inaugural Garden Route Giro, held in April 2026, while retaining some of the first edition’s standout features, including the Swartberg Pass and the remote Klein Rooiberg section of the Rooiberg Pass.
“We took what we learnt from the first edition of the Garden Route Giro in April 2026 and used the most successful elements to guide our creation of the 2027 route,” says Henco Rademeyer of event organiser Dryland Event Management.
Rademeyer says the newly repaired Montagu Pass will be one of the highlights of the 2027 route. Dating back to 1848, it is South Africa’s oldest unaltered mountain pass still in use.
“Repairs to the historic Montagu Pass have made it possible to include George next year, and I’m looking forward to sharing that beautiful pass with our participants,” he says.
Another highlight will be Meiringspoort, where riders will pass between towering sandstone cliffs as the route moves from the Klein Karoo into the Great Karoo.
Stage 1: The Crossing
Monday, 19 April 2027 | Blanco, George to De Rust
- 79km | 1,350m climbing | 85% gravel | 15% tarmac
The race begins in Blanco, beneath the Outeniqua Mountains, with an immediate climb towards Montagu Pass.
The historic pass, completed in 1848, remains an important link between the coast and the Klein Karoo. Its 15km ascent is likely to split the field before riders tackle the rolling Karoo roads towards De Rust.
Stage 2: The Open Road
Tuesday, 20 April 2027 | De Rust to Prince Albert
- 112km | 1,100m climbing | 67% gravel | 33% tarmac
Riders head north through Meiringspoort, crossing from the semi-arid Klein Karoo into the Great Karoo.
The landscape has long provided inspiration for South African writers, and the stage could produce a range of racing outcomes, from a bunch sprint to a successful long-range attack.
Stage 3: The Mountain
Wednesday, 21 April 2027 | Prince Albert to Volmoed near Oudtshoorn
- 92km | 1,650m climbing | 75% gravel | 25% tarmac
The day’s major challenge arrives early with the climb up the northern side of Swartberg Pass.
At almost 14km long, with sections steeper than 12%, the climb offers opportunities for early attacks as well as King and Queen of the Mountain points.
From the summit, riders face approximately 70km across the rolling Klein Karoo basin towards Volmoed, with views across the Swartberg and Lategansvlei adding to the route’s appeal.
Stage 4: The Queen Stage
Thursday, 22 April 2027 | Volmoed near Oudtshoorn to Riversdale
- 141km | 2,200m climbing | 84% gravel | 16% tarmac
The Queen Stage takes riders around the mighty Rooiberg rather than directly over it, but the route is expected to provide one of the biggest tests of the race.
Remote back roads, rougher surfaces and repeated climbs will favour riders able to produce sustained power rather than simply conserve energy in a group.
With 2,200 metres of climbing over 141km, the stage could prove decisive in the general classification.
Stage 5: To the Sea
Friday, 23 April 2027 | Riversdale to Hartenbos
- 119km | 1,600m climbing | 61% gravel | 39% tarmac
The penultimate stage is fast and undulating, combining the climbs of the Hessequa farmlands with long stretches where riders can benefit from travelling in a large group.
The scenery changes progressively as the route moves east, from dairy farmland to vineyards and pockets of fynbos, with the Langeberg and Outeniqua mountains coming together as the race approaches Hartenbos and the Indian Ocean.
Stage 6: Full Circle
Saturday, 24 April 2027 | Hartenbos to Blanco, George
- 50km | 850m climbing | 62% gravel | 38% tarmac
The final stage brings the race back to its starting point in Blanco.
At just 50km, it is designed as a shorter, more celebratory finish after the tougher mountain stages earlier in the week. Riders will climb from the coastal flats onto the plateau at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains before completing the final kilometres to George.
The 2027 Garden Route Giro will conclude with a finishers’ function at the Olympia Equestrian Estate.
Entries open for 2027
Entries for the second Garden Route Giro are now open. Riders can explore the full route and enter the event through the Garden Route Giro and Dryland Event Management websites.
More information about the route, entries and the event is available at gardenroutegiro.co.za and entries.dryland.co.za.
The Garden Route Giro can also be followed on social media via Instagram and Facebook.
*Tented accommodation packages include breakfast and dinner. Lunches are included with the Race Entry.
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