Tour of Legends

In order to become a Legend you have to survive three days of mountain biking in the exclusive 5 star Legend Golf and Safari Resort

ABOUT THE TOUR
The MTN Tour of Legends takes place every year around the middle August at the end of the winter season in Southern Africa. The race is held over 3 days. The tour leads aspiring amateur MTN Prestige customers and corporates with a passion for mountain biking from around Southern Africa through approximately 33 000 Hectares of unspoilt nature. The MTN Tour of Legends takes place in and around the Entabeni Private Nature reserve in the Waterberg Mountains deep in the Limpopo province. The participants take on the wild side of Africa in Big 5 territory, traversing some of the most magnificent areas only Africa can offer.

Participate in Teams of Two
All riders must enter as a two-rider team. Teams register in one of threedifferent categories that include Men, Ladies, Mixed. The minimum age of participation is 18 on race day. The riders in a team must remain together at all times during the race and are expected to reach the finish line by 13h00 daily. At each stage, the winners of the day receive prizes and the leaders in the overall classification are awarded their leader jerseys. Special prizes will be awarded to the first CEO / MD, Best captured footage of the day, and best team spirit.

Rider hospitality out of this world!
The MTN Tour of Legends is organised and presented with all participants as the main focal point of the event. The participants' satisfaction, well-being and enjoyment of the race are the organisers' primary goals. We aim to deliver a legendary and unforgettable mountain bike and Raw-African experience. Therefore, we offer full service facilities during the race, including luxury 5 star accommodations at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort, top class breakfasts, lunches and dinners, race nutrition and different dazzling African entertainment every evening before dinner. Eat as much as you want!

Here at the MTN Tour of Legends event you eat as much as you like from the wide selection of food available in at the buffet. Keep some space for the delicious desserts! ... this is a tour afterall!

Brief Route Characteristics
The route of the MTN Tour of Legends is a secret every year! Riders can expect wide open African plains, majestic mountains, deep ravines, indigenous forests and spectacular views, not to mention a rare Big 5 or other wildlife encounter.
The route is characterized by dusty and riveting jeep tracks, challenging rocky outcrops, fast flowing downhill’s, meandering river crossings and stunning bush veld single tracks. Riders can expect to ride between 50 – 60km each day.

Full Service Tour
The MTN Tour of Legends is the most luxurious full-service mountain bike tour in the world. Rider’s nutrition, water, isotonic carbohydrate drinks and snacks are available at the feed points to spoil and motivate riders during the event. Full servicing is available halfway on each day, and we’ll replace any broken parts at their retail value. We’ll have your bike washed, lubed and serviced ready to go after lunch while you enjoy a relaxing rubdown from one of the qualified masseurs.

You are here: Home The Tour The Route

THE ROUTE
The Tour of Legends race takes place in the rugged bushveld terrain of the Waterberg. What makes the Entambeni Nature Conserve and Legend Gorge unique is the diversity that it offers the riders.
Riders will experience 5 different ecosystems within the Waterberg biosphere and the 3 unique routes will traverse the 22 000 hectares of bushveld, ravines, savannah, sandy wetlands and wooded hills as well as venturing as far as the Doorndraai Dam.

Day 1: Relatively easy 60km route to the South West. Around Doorndraai Dam and cross it on the Western side by barge/floating bridge.
Day 2: Up Yellowwood climb to the top escarpment and then back down (similar route to last year’s Legend Gorge marathon). I believe that Yellowwood climb is a key feature to Legend Gorge and climbing up the pass is a great talking point as we know.
Day 3: A short and easy loop within the reserve so that riders still have time to enjoy the afternoon and drive home afterwards.

Route Description:
Day 1
Day 1 sees riders turn their backs on the Waterberg escarpment and venture to the South West of Legend Gorge, passing through several privately owned game reserves and farms. The highlight of this stage will be revealed when you emerge from the rugged bushveld and suddenly find yourself on the banks of the mighty Doorndraai Dam. A picnic style water point will be spread out on the lush shores and the dam barges will be waiting to ferry you across before you head back towards the distant line of hills that marks the Waterberg range.

Day 2
Day 2 will prove to be the real challenge for most riders. The route will see riders climb the famous Yellowwood Pass, gaining 600 vertical meters over a mere 3.4km. Once on the upper escarpment, riders will pass through predominantly grassland terrain dominated by beautiful, rocky crags before making the exhilarating and somewhat terrifying descent back to the lower escarpment.

Day 3
Day 3 will offer riders a chance to regain their bearings and bid farewell to the beautiful reserve to which they have grown accustomed. You will complete a circular loop within the reserve boundaries, passing several popular and by now familiar waterholes and dams that are often frequented by Elephant, Wildebeest and Lion. Those riders who regard themselves as even slightly navigationally inclined should find keeping their bearings relatively simple by orientating themselves with the ever present Waterberg Escarpment. Riders can take their time on this slightly shorter stage to enjoy the wonders of Legend Gorge one last time.

Notice!
You can only ride the route of the MTN Tour of Legends as a participant in the tour. A significant part of the route is on private land that belongs to landowners that support the MTN Tour of Legends and open up their land for the race once a year. Their land is NOT open to general mountain biking activities and riders that trespass at other times of the year will receive a lifetime ban from riding the MTN Tour of Legends. Trespassers can expect the justified wrath of landowners and the law and their names will be forwarded to the race office to implement this lifetime ban …if not caught and eaten by Lions.