Dinner in the Desert is an intimate, open-air dining experience in Ladismith, hosted at Karoocible, in collaboration with our Ladismith accommodation partners. As part of the event, for guests who would like to experience the Klein Karoo on two wheels, we will do an open gravel group ride on the 2nd of May. 

The Karoo gravel routes start right at Karoocible’s doorstep. We were bowled over by the quiet roads, vast landscapes and Swartberg views — and would love to share a few of our favourites with you.

Join us for dinner, book a weekend or sign up for the ride

Circle route via Buffelsdrift Conservancy (short)

56.4 kms | ↑ 490m | ↓ 490 m 

Circle route via Buffelsdrift Conservancy (long)

71.4 kms | ↑ 1240m | ↓ 1410 m 

This scenic gravel loop starts at Karoocible and heads west of Ladismith through quiet farmlands, orchards and Klein Karoo homesteads. Winding tracks and gentle river crossings lead into the wide-open landscapes of the Buffelsdrift Conservancy, offering classic Karoo solitude and easy, flowing riding. The route loops back toward town through fertile valleys and rocky riverbeds, with Towerkop’s iconic split peak rising on the horizon to welcome you home.

Ladismith to Carlitzdorp via Rooibergpass

72 kms | ↑ 1240m | ↓ 1410 m

This ride begins in Ladismith with a short tar warm-up before heading 42 km along a quiet district road to Van Wyksdorp — a remote corner of the Klein Karoo known for its small-town charm and rich succulent biodiversity. From here we climb the historic Rooiberg Pass, built in 1928 and winding through 69 bends and six hairpins. The reward is sweeping views across fynbos-covered ridges within the Rooiberg Conservancy, part of the globally significant Gouritz biodiversity hotspot.

After the descent, a shuttle to Ladismith is necessary.

Seweweekspoort loop via Hoeko valley

98 kms | ↑ 1530m ↓ | 1530 m 

We ride straight from Karoocible into the Hoeko Valley before passing through the historic mission towns of Amalienstein and Zoar.  From here we start climbing the dramatic Seweweekspoort. This historic pass, now part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape, winds through towering rock formations, river crossings and some of the most remarkable geology in the Klein Karoo. We return via the fruit-producing Hoeko Valley, known for its orchards, Ladismith-style architecture and as the birthplace of C.J. Langenhoven, same way as we came.