Gruelling Munga Cycling Tour begins at Windmill Casino
Written by: Melissa Dos Reis Goncalves Save to Instapaper
From there, it’s more than 1 000km in five days, a test of strength and stamina
When the Munga Cycling Tour departs from Windmill Casino in Bloemfontein on Wednesday, 26 November 2025 at 12h00, participants will be embarking on non-stop, 1 1500km single-stage mountain bike race. The route stretches from Bloemfontein through Vanderkloof Dam, Britstown, Loxton, through the Tankwa Karoo, to Ceres, before the final stage ends at Doolhof Wine Farm in Wellington, where the cut-off date and time is Monday, 1 December 2025 at 12h00.
Held annually, Munga is, known for being a challenging ultra-endurance event in a semi-supported format with five race villages and 10 water points providing food, rest, and mechanical assistance. Riders must navigate the non-technical route using GPS, as it is not marked.
Dubbed “the toughest race on earth”, riders face brutal winds, gruelling roads, and scorching heat. For some, it’s a race; for others, a pilgrimage. The Munga is a test of survival, revealing the life and person you can become.
Because participants determine their own ride, it is common for some to sleep under a tree along the route, which is not marked; cyclists have to navigate themselves with GPS and the official route file that they receive just before the start.
No family members are allowed to support participants along the route, and they must carry everything they could possibly need on their bikes. Riders are allowed to help each other if necessary.
The biggest challenge is not the physical aspect, but the mental endurance required to face the extreme weather—hot by day, freezing at night—of the Karoo. In addition, participants must be constantly on the lookout for snakes, scorpions and even aardvarks.
“We are proud to be the starting point for this legendary race,” says Mr. Johan Oosthuizen, General Manager at Windmill Casino. “We know those taking part have been training for months, even years, and we wish them all the best.”
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