Explore/South Africa/ZA/KwaZulu-Natal Midlands Meander — Pietermaritzburg to Mooi River

ZAPietermaritzburg, South AfricaEasyPaved

KwaZulu-Natal Midlands Meander — Pietermaritzburg to MooiRiver.

Distance

130 km

Duration

1 day

Climb

900 m

Clone in App Share

Curated by Rider · Updated Jun 2026

Overview

KwaZulu-Natal Midlands Meander — Pietermaritzburg to Mooi River.

A 130km meander through the rolling green hills of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands on the R103 — one of South Africa's most scenic and unhurried roads. Farm stalls, craft breweries, fly-fishing villages, and Howick Falls punctuate the route, with the Drakensberg escarpment growing on the western horizon.

Quick facts

SurfacePaved

Distance130 km

Days1

Total climb900 m

DifficultyEasy

Loading map...

Day-by-day

The route.

ROUTE

7 stops

PietermaritzburgStart · Start in uMgungundlovu — KZN's capital. The 1894 City Hall is the largest red-brick building in the Southern Hemisphere. Mahatma Gandhi was famously thrown from a train here in 1893.

HiltonScenic Point · The road climbs onto the cool Midlands plateau. Rolling hills and pale-gold grassland under a wide sky. Speed limits are enforced on this section.

Howick FallsPhoto Spot · The Umgeni River plunges 95m. The spot near the falls is where Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1962 after 17 months underground — a poignant historic marker stands nearby.

Lions River & BalgowanRestaurant · Craft breweries, farm stalls, and pie shops line the R103. The Karkloof blue crane sanctuary is a short detour north. Try the local trout at any of the farm eateries.

Nottingham RoadScenic Point · The quintessential Midlands village. Antique dealers, fly-fishing on the Mooi, and Rawdons Hotel — a perfect lunch stop with English countryside atmosphere.

RosettaScenic Point · Rolling hills covered in proteas and heather. The Drakensberg escarpment appears clearly on the western horizon — its 3,000m-high wall of basalt dominating the skyline.

More routes in South Africa

Tankwa Karoo — Ceres to Calvinia via the R355ZA · 257 km Wild Coast — Mthatha to Coffee Bay & Hole in the WallZA · 95 km Tradouw Pass — Swellendam to BarrydaleZA · 60 km Seweweekspoort — Ladismith Karoo Gravel GorgeZA · 90 km Magoebaskloof Pass — Polokwane to Tzaneen via HaenertsburgZA · 100 km Golden Gate Highlands & Clarens LoopZA · 95 km

Save this ride. Open the app.

Clone it to your planner, customize dates and stops, then ride. All free.

Get the app More routes →

Open in MotoVault

Navigate this route with GPS

Open