To Hell and Back MTB Stage Race

Home
South Africa
Oudtshoorn
To Hell and Back MTB Stage Race

Call Directions Website

The Original and first Mountain Bike stage race of South Africa. It started in 1995, the legend of its kind. Today it’s still a challenge, so come prepared!

The To Hell and Back did not only help shape MTB’ing in SA, but put Gamkaskloof (The Hell) on the map for all outdoor nature enthusiasts. You need to come and experience the Hell and Back for yourself.

2 Days, in and out of ‘The Hell’ (60kms per day) – but DON’T let the distance fool you! Back in 1995 this was the extreme MTB race on everyone’s calendar.

16/10/2026

Carbon frames. Tubeless tyres. GPS computers.

Over the years everything about this race has evolved. But 1 thing that will never change is the appetite of the cyclists at the water points!

09/10/2026

Bottle refilled. Mountain ahead.

Every stop counts when you are out in the Swartberg Mountains battling the road between you and The Hell.

02/10/2026

Throwback to 2014 ⏪
Rain, mud, grit and not a single regret.
This is what is all about.🌧️🚵‍♀️

#2014

24/09/2026

To Hell and Back holds heritage.🚲⛰️🇿🇦

Since 1995, To Hell and Back has been doing exactly that. South Africa's first MTB stage race, born out of a love for the land and the mountain that surrounds it. Thirty years of riders tackling the Swartberg, sleeping under the trees in Gamkaskloof, and coming home different to how they left.

Start your day with a cycle and finish it with a braai. The perfect South African combination!🚵🔥

18/09/2026

To The Hell. Terrain. Tents. & Back.

Rocky switchbacks. A dirt road that drops deeper than your legs planned for. A tent pitched under the trees and a sky full of stars that only The Hell can give you. And then the long ride home through the mountain.

Everything earned in just 2 days.🚲

11/09/2026

Small rider. Big mountain. Endless road.🌼

Out here, the fynbos frames the route and the Swartberg swallows you whole. One rider, one dirt road, and nothing but mountain in every direction.

The Hell has a way of putting things into perspective.⛰️

04/09/2026

What makes To Hell and Back special isn't just the route.🚲

Wikus van der Walt not only founded the race and mapped the route to Hell and Back. He also makes every single trophy by hand.

Hand made. One of a kind. Just like the race itself.🏆

No two are exactly the same. Just like every rider's journey through the Swartberg.

28/08/2026

Rewind to 1999 … ⏪

Different bikes. Different kit. Same mountain. Same magic.

To the has been writing its story since 1995, and every rider who has lined up has become part of it.🚲

#1999

21/08/2026

Fast on the dirt.
Free in the valley.
Smiling at the finish.

Two days in the Swartberg has a way of giving you everything all at once.
The burn in your legs on the climb. The silence of a valley. Rocky switchbacks and the list goes on.

Some races you finish. This one you feel.🚲

05/06/2026

From the Start Arch to the Valley Floor🌄

This is To Hell and Back in all its raw, beautiful, leg-destroying glory.⛰️🦵

The only question is: are you ready for the start line in November⁉️

Address

De Hoek/Gamkaskloof
Oudtshoorn
6625

Telephone

+27448714455

Website

http://www.tohellandback.co.za/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when To Hell and Back MTB Stage Race posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your business to be the top-listed gym/sports facility in Oudtshoorn?