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Rain falling from a dark storm cloud over the mountains and plains around Graaff-Reinet, with a road winding across the plain below
redcharlie / Unsplash

Nedbank Gravel Burn stage maps and padstals

Seven days of gravel racing across the Great Karoo, from Graaff-Reinet to the Big Five country of Shamwari Private Game Reserve.

October 25 to 31, 2026 Great Karoo, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Nedbank Gravel Burn is a seven-day, full-service gravel stage race in South Africa's Eastern Cape. It was first run in 2025. The 2026 edition starts on October 25 in Graaff-Reinet, also called Robert Sobukwe Town, and crosses the Great Karoo to finish inside Shamwari Private Game Reserve on October 31. You sleep two nights each at the Blaauwater, Merino and Shamwari Burn Camps and one at Gwanishi.

The organizer bills it as 750 km. The timed racing adds up to 697 km, plus 46 km of liaison: untimed riding from a stage finish to camp, up to 33 km after Stage 6. Padstals, the race's name for its aid stations (a padstal is a farm stall), come two or three times a stage, except on Stage 4, which has one.

The route is marked, but the organizer still tells riders to load the GPX in case weather or wildlife interferes with the signs. The Burn Camps had no connectivity at all before the race brought some in, and riders get WiFi only in the finish area at each camp. Download the map before you leave home.

This is an unofficial guide: Goat Maps isn't affiliated with Nedbank Gravel Burn. Check the official site before you enter or race.

Gravel Burn course map

Every course's aid stations on the Goat Maps topo map. Each course has a map of its own further down.

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Gravel Burn courses

CourseDistanceClimbingStartTime limit
Stage 1: Graaff-Reinet to Blaauwater90 km (55.9 mi)1,450 m (4,757 ft)Sun, Oct 25, 8:00 AM6 h 30 min
Stage 2: Blaauwater loop111 km (69 mi)1,450 m (4,757 ft)Mon, Oct 26, 7:30 AM8 h
Stage 3: Blaauwater to Merino137 km (85.1 mi)1,550 m (5,085 ft)Tue, Oct 27, 7:00 AM9 h 30 min
Stage 4: Merino loop61 km (37.9 mi)550 m (1,804 ft)Wed, Oct 28, 8:00 AM4 h 30 min
Stage 5: Merino to Gwanishi128 km (79.5 mi)1,050 m (3,445 ft)Thu, Oct 29, 7:30 AM8 h 45 min
Stage 6: Gwanishi to Shamwari76 km (47.2 mi)700 m (2,297 ft)Fri, Oct 30, 7:30 AM5 h 30 min
Stage 7: Shamwari loop94 km (58.4 mi)1,350 m (4,429 ft)Sat, Oct 31, 8:30 AM7 h

Stage 1

Gravel Burn Stage 1: Graaff-Reinet to Blaauwater

Out of Graaff-Reinet and over Conical Peak to the first Burn Camp.

Distance
90 km (55.9 mi)
Climbing
1,450 m (4,757 ft)
Start
Sun, Oct 25, 8:00 AM
Time limit
6 h 30 min

The course line isn't drawn yet, so the map only pins where the aid stations are.

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You get 5 km of tar out of town, then wide gravel farm roads climbing to Conical Peak, 1,622 m, at 41 km. The last 3 km of that climb is the day's Toyota Power Climb. A 19 km descent follows, with a tricky section at the end before a river crossing, and then a gentle 40 km climb to Blaauwater with two railway crossings near the finish. The camp is a 1 km liaison past the line.

A church with a tall white spire at the end of a street in Graaff-Reinet
Richan Fourie / Unsplash

Stage 2

Gravel Burn Stage 2: Blaauwater loop

A loop through the Sneeuberg and Nieu-Bethesda, all on gravel.

Distance
111 km (69 mi)
Climbing
1,450 m (4,757 ft)
Start
Mon, Oct 26, 7:30 AM
Time limit
8 h

The course line isn't drawn yet, so the map only pins where the aid stations are.

Take this course offline

Download its map in Goat Maps and you can find the next aid station without a signal.

Open in web map

Riders from the first edition voted this loop a highlight. It opens with a 7 km climb up Tafelkop, then Leeukop, whose last 2.8 km is the Toyota Power Climb, and drops into the Sneeuberg Nature Reserve. Kom Pass is the high point at 1,894 m, followed by a 20 km descent with rough patches and dry riverbeds. The second padstal is in Nieu-Bethesda, and you climb Tafelkop again before the last 7 km down to camp.

A paved road running straight to the horizon under storm clouds at sunset near Nieu-Bethesda
redcharlie / Unsplash

Stage 3

Gravel Burn Stage 3: Blaauwater to Merino

The longest day, over Wapadsberg Pass to a summit finish on Swaershoek Pass.

Distance
137 km (85.1 mi)
Climbing
1,550 m (5,085 ft)
Start
Tue, Oct 27, 7:00 AM
Time limit
9 h 30 min

The course line isn't drawn yet, so the map only pins where the aid stations are.

Take this course offline

Download its map in Goat Maps and you can find the next aid station without a signal.

Open in web map

At 137 km this is the week's longest stage, and more than half of it is paved. A narrow 10 km gravel descent leaves Blaauwater, then a long tar section takes you over Wapadsberg Pass, 1,730 m, and down a 12 km descent where you keep left and watch for traffic. Farm and tar roads lead past Spekboom Game Farm to Swaershoek Pass, where the last 5 km from 131 km is the Toyota Power Climb and the stage finishes on the summit, 1,616 m. From there you coast 5 km down to Merino.

Stage 4

Gravel Burn Stage 4: Merino loop

The shortest stage, a loop on dirt roads in the middle of the week.

Distance
61 km (37.9 mi)
Climbing
550 m (1,804 ft)
Start
Wed, Oct 28, 8:00 AM
Time limit
4 h 30 min

The course line isn't drawn yet, so the map only pins where the aid stations are.

Take this course offline

Download its map in Goat Maps and you can find the next aid station without a signal.

Open in web map

At 61 km and 550 m of climbing, this is the week's shortest stage. The organizer calls it a mid-week recovery day, and you're back in camp early, though the short distance invites sharper racing. It rolls downhill toward the Klein-Visrivier valley on roads that can be rutted and stony, depending on recent weather. The only padstal is at 43 km, and from there it's 18 km of gradual climbing back to Merino.

aid stations

kmWhereCutoff
0Merino Burn Camp
43Stage 4 Padstal
61Merino Burn Camp

Stage 5

Gravel Burn Stage 5: Merino to Gwanishi

Down off the Karoo plateau on rough farm roads, almost all of it unpaved.

Distance
128 km (79.5 mi)
Climbing
1,050 m (3,445 ft)
Start
Thu, Oct 29, 7:30 AM
Time limit
8 h 45 min

The course line isn't drawn yet, so the map only pins where the aid stations are.

Take this course offline

Download its map in Goat Maps and you can find the next aid station without a signal.

Open in web map

The stage drops off the plateau along the end of Stage 4 in reverse, crosses the R63 at 54 km and heads south on rough farm roads. A 5 km dead-straight drag starts at 66.5 km. Renosterkop, at 107 km, is one of the week's steeper climbs, up to 11%. The race finishes at 128 km, and after a biosecurity stop it's a 7 km liaison into Gwanishi.

Stage 6

Gravel Burn Stage 6: Gwanishi to Shamwari

76 km of racing to the Born Free Foundation, then 33 km with rangers into Shamwari.

Distance
76 km (47.2 mi)
Climbing
700 m (2,297 ft)
Start
Fri, Oct 30, 7:30 AM
Time limit
5 h 30 min

The course line isn't drawn yet, so the map only pins where the aid stations are.

Take this course offline

Download its map in Goat Maps and you can find the next aid station without a signal.

Open in web map

The racing stops at the Born Free Foundation after 76 km, but the day is 109 km. After 5.5 km of gravel out of Gwanishi you ride 6.5 km on the N10, a national road, then go through Kommadagga and onto the R400. Take care at the Swartwaterspoort river crossing, and expect sharp rocks and hidden riverbeds all day. After the finish and a biosecurity stop comes a 33 km liaison into Shamwari, accompanied by rangers, with 500 m still to climb.

Stage 7

Gravel Burn Stage 7: Shamwari loop

A last loop from the Shamwari Burn Camp, among elephant, rhino and lion.

Distance
94 km (58.4 mi)
Climbing
1,350 m (4,429 ft)
Start
Sat, Oct 31, 8:30 AM
Time limit
7 h

The course line isn't drawn yet, so the map only pins where the aid stations are.

Take this course offline

Download its map in Goat Maps and you can find the next aid station without a signal.

Open in web map

The stage starts and finishes inside the reserve. It runs flat to the foot of Founder's Gate, the Toyota Power Climb at 7.5 km, then loops past the Born Free Foundation, where the first padstal is. A stretch of tar takes you through Alicedale. The hardest part is the climb to Assegaai, the stage's high point at 640 m, and most of the work is done by 56 km. You come back over Founder's Gate to finish at the Burn Camp.

An elephant with long tusks in thick green bush in Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape
William Veitch / Unsplash

Entry and registration

Entry is all-inclusive. In 2026 it was USD 3,990 for international riders and ZAR 54,990 for South African and Namibian riders. That covers seven nights in the Burn Camps in your own tent, three meals a day, drinks, nutrition at the padstals, medical services, neutral tech support and your bag moved from camp to camp. Entries opened on February 3, and the 2026 race has sold out. The waiting list costs a small fee, which goes to charity, and also gets you early access to the next year's entries.

You race solo, in the Pro category (for prize money, approved by the organizer) or in age groups from 19-34 up to 75+. South African and Namibian riders need a Cycling South Africa annual membership. International riders need a licence from their own federation or a CSA day licence for each of the seven stages.

The 2027 edition is set for October 24 to 30, and its entries open during the 2026 race week.

Getting to Graaff-Reinet and home from Shamwari

A church with a tall white spire at the end of a street in Graaff-Reinet
Richan Fourie / Unsplash

Fly into Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth, PLZ). Graaff-Reinet is a 3 to 3.5 hour drive from there, and the race runs shuttles from the airport before the start. Shamwari is about an hour from the airport, and the race runs buses back on Sunday, November 1. Registration is on Saturday, October 24. The organizer suggests arriving by Friday the 23rd, in time for the warm-up rides that test your bike once it's rebuilt.

Your bike box goes from Graaff-Reinet straight to Shamwari, and you won't see it during the week. If you drive up, a car carrier service can take your car to the finish. Rooms in Graaff-Reinet are limited, so the race also runs a tented village from the 23rd.

Support and spectators

It's a full-service race, and outside help isn't allowed: only other riders and race staff can hand you food or work on your bike, and the penalty is 30 minutes, then disqualification. The camps are on private farmland closed to the public, there are no spectator points, and only official vehicles follow the race.

Friends and family can meet you at the finish at Shamwari on Saturday, October 31, between 10:00 and 18:00. Pick-up is free, a lunch ticket is R490, and R990 adds the Burn Celebration dinner. Register the vehicle in advance and allow time for biosecurity sanitising at the gate, since foot-and-mouth disease has been reported in the Eastern Cape.

Weather and bike setup

Rain falling from a dark storm cloud over the mountains and plains around Graaff-Reinet, with a road winding across the plain below
redcharlie / Unsplash

The organizer gives late October lows around 10°C (50°F) and highs around 29°C (84°F), with sunrise about 5:30 and sunset about 18:40. It's usually dry and dusty, but the first edition saw rain too, so pack for both. The Karoo heats up during the day: carry two bottles and fill both at every padstal.

Bikes must have drop bars, and clip-on aero bars are banned. A mountain bike with drop bars is allowed. The organizer's minimum tyre is now 45 mm, and it recommends running tubeless. It also suggests mountain bike shoes and pedals for the river crossings and rough sections.

Gravel Burn aid stations and GPS coordinates

For crews and spectators: each place on the map in decimal degrees, latitude first. Paste them into any map app or add them as waypoints in Goat Maps.

  • Graaff-Reinet (Stage 1 start)

    757 m (2,484 ft)

    -32.25143, 24.52618

  • Stage 1 Padstal 1

    1,406 m (4,613 ft)

    -32.20136, 24.81148

  • Stage 1 Padstal 2

    1,313 m (4,308 ft)

    -32.00127, 24.80493

  • Blaauwater Burn Camp

    1,494 m (4,902 ft)

    -31.82853, 24.80171

  • Stage 2 Padstal 1

    1,572 m (5,157 ft)

    -31.64164, 24.65005

  • Nieu-Bethesda (Stage 2 Padstal 2)

    1,325 m (4,347 ft)

    -31.86714, 24.55279

  • Stage 3 Padstal 1

    1,266 m (4,154 ft)

    -31.98852, 25.10866

  • Stage 3 Padstal 2

    969 m (3,179 ft)

    -32.04895, 25.47043

  • Stage 3 Padstal 3

    891 m (2,923 ft)

    -32.19332, 25.61481

  • Swaershoek Pass summit (Stage 3 finish)

    1,616 m (5,302 ft)

    -32.29007, 25.51151

  • Merino Burn Camp

    1,308 m (4,291 ft)

    -32.31952, 25.48966

  • Stage 4 Padstal

    1,134 m (3,720 ft)

    -32.43846, 25.44748

  • Stage 5 Padstal 1

    775 m (2,543 ft)

    -32.75206, 25.48661

  • Stage 5 Padstal 2

    693 m (2,274 ft)

    -32.82786, 25.62977

  • Stage 5 finish

    534 m (1,752 ft)

    -32.96296, 25.81288

  • Gwanishi Burn Camp

    503 m (1,650 ft)

    -32.97087, 25.84564

  • Stage 6 Padstal 1

    474 m (1,555 ft)

    -33.19372, 26.00351

  • Born Free Foundation (Stage 6 finish)

    271 m (889 ft)

    -33.35248, 26.07103

  • Shamwari Burn Camp (finish)

    252 m (827 ft)

    -33.49320, 26.01075

  • Stage 7 Padstal 2

    578 m (1,896 ft)

    -33.38118, 26.29875

Gravel Burn FAQ

When is Nedbank Gravel Burn 2026?

October 25 to 31, 2026, starting in Graaff-Reinet and finishing at Shamwari Private Game Reserve. Registration is on Saturday, October 24. The 2027 edition is set for October 24 to 30.

How long is the Gravel Burn?

The organizer calls it 750 km with 8,500 m of climbing over seven days. The timed stages add up to 697 km, plus 46 km of liaison from finish lines to camp. Stages run from 61 km (Stage 4) to 137 km (Stage 3).

Can I still enter Gravel Burn 2026?

No, it's sold out. You can join the waiting list on the race site for a small fee, donated to charity, which also gives you early access to the next year's entries. Entries for 2027 open during race week in October 2026.

Can I race the Gravel Burn on a mountain bike?

Only with drop bars. Flat bars, aero bars, e-bikes and tandems are all banned. The organizer says fitting drop bars to a mountain bike is fine, though some riders who converted full-suspension bikes in 2025 decided the extra weight and lost efficiency weren't worth it.

Can family or a support crew follow the race?

No. Outside assistance is against the rules, the Burn Camps are closed to visitors, and there are no spectator points along the route. Family can watch the finish at Shamwari on Saturday, October 31.

When are the Gravel Burn GPX files released?

A few days before the start, and under the rules no later than 48 hours before it. The route is marked, but the organizer recommends loading the GPX in case weather or wildlife interferes with the signs. Connectivity at the camps is limited, so download the map at home.

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Or open the web map

Updated . An unofficial guide, from the organizer's published information. Coordinates from the organizer's course and OpenStreetMap contributors. Photos from Unsplash. Organize a race? We help with course files.