The first MultiPark member park outside of Gauteng, is Giba Gorge. Ranked eighth by TREAD Media in the Top 15 SA Trails Parks of 2020, Giba Gorge attracts a wide range of mountain bikers from the Durban area and is a favourite for visitors from outside the province.

Trails: There isn’t a lot of distance at Giba Gorge, which is located pretty much in a gorge on the south-western side of Pinetown. But what it lacks in distance, it makes up for in gradient! There’s a relatively flat bit of trail in the base of the gorge which incorporates some beginner-level trail, but for the most part, the park has trail that’s either going up or going down.

It’s mostly singletrack and it’s really flowy. Any climbing you do is more than adequately rewarded with long, rhythmic descents that range from fun to exhilarating. It’s hard not to smile.

There are three mountain bike trails:

Purple: 5km with 118m of climbing

Green: 10km with 344m of climbing

Blue: 14km with 400m of climbing

You only have to ride there once to realise that distance isn’t what you should measure your ride by at Giba Gorge. Time is way more relevant! If you’re from Gauteng, you’ll soon find yourself wondering when the climbing will end. But be assured that the climbing is all worth it! The good news is that the very established trailhead is in the base of the gorge, so Green and Blue Routes end with a fast, fun descent!

If you do need to add more distance, you can do another full or partial loop. But be sure to know where to look for a turn because most of the singletrack is in quite dense forest and many junctions look similar if you’re not a regular.

Local tip: Try not to be the first rider on the trails in the morning. You’ll be clearing the spider webs for everyone else as you roll through the dense coastal forest. Also know that if you’re a keen gravity rider, there are some additional lines that would be more to your liking. Best to hook up with a local to show you though…

Safety: Although not fully fenced, there’s a reasonably high level of safety.

Operating hours: Open seven days a week from 07h00 to 17h00.

Directions:

MULTIPARK PARKS