Ride/Race then Relax in Bushveld Bliss at the Waterberg Traverse

The fourth edition of the Glacier Waterberg Traverse will blend spectacular mountain biking, competition for the competitive, social riding for the social riders, and superb off-the-bike hospitality in a bucket list weekend in Summerplace Game Reserve. Entries to the 2027 event, which takes place from the 7^th to the 9^th of May next year, opened on Tuesday, 28 July, at 12:00. That timing is perfect because the Glacier Waterberg Traverse’s sister event, the Glacier Storms River Traverse, takes place from Friday, 31 July 2026, and offers the perfect showcase of Dryland’s Traverse event concept.

photo: The shorter routes make the event suitable for young riders over the age of 16. Photo by Megan Jonker for ZCMC Media

Recognising that not everyone wants to race a mountain bike stage race, the Glacier Traverse events reward those who take a more laid-back approach while still celebrating the racers with podiums and prize-giving. Famed for their water points, Dryland Event Management, along with title sponsors Glacier by Sanlam, nutrition partners Biogen, and Summerplace Game Reserve, go all out for the Glacier Waterberg Traverse water points. Industry-leading sports nutrition supplements fuel the competitive, while riders with more social priorities can stop, enjoy the music, the hospitality, banana bread, fudge, date balls, ostrich steak strips hot off the Weber Braai, and even a beer.

At the Glacier Waterberg Traverse, the aim could, or even perhaps should be, to ride from water point to water point, not because the route is tough, but because of the parties at each aid station. The Summerplace trails are certainly rewarding, too!

“When we first launched the Glacier Waterberg Traverse, we realised that with all the singletrack in Summerplace the riding would present different challenges and rewards than the mountain biking in the Tsitsikamma forests, in the Glacier Storms River Traverse,” Henco Rademeyer of Dryland acknowledged. “There are fewer opportunities for riding alongside a friend to chat, but the trails themselves are more exciting. The views are spectacular too, and the opportunity to see wildlife in general and giraffes in particular from the bike is truly one of Summerplace’s special features.”

“Where riders who are less competitive can chat throughout most of the Glacier Storms River Traverse stages, at the Glacier Waterberg Traverse the singletracks mean even the most social riders get to the water points, where they then relax and chat,” Rademeyer revealed. “David Baber and his trail-building team have done a phenomenal job creating the Summerplace singletracks. One of their biggest achievements is sculpting even the rockiest koppies into ridable segments. You only have to get your weight back, trust your bike, and trust David’s eye for a line. We’ve seen that these little sections can also become hotspots along the route, where riders stop and cheer each other on for rolling a rocky drop.”

The camaraderie is not limited to the bike. Off-the-bike, the Glacier Waterberg Traverse is family-friendly and super social. Even the most competitive racers, who blitz the longer route each day, can be found relaxing post-stage in the race village. Some even brave the swimming pool, despite the early May chill in the air, while the younger Traversers can often be found on the Summerplace dirt jumps, fine-tuning their skills.

Entries to the 2027 edition provide a range of additional extras to tailor the experience to each rider’s needs. Along with the choice between the longer, Race, and shorter, Ride, routes – which participants can switch between at no additional charge – the entry includes all meals from dinner on Thursday, 6 May, to lunch on Sunday, 9 May, as well as a First Ascent race garment for those who enter before 7 March 2027. There is a range of accommodation options, from luxury chalets to standard canvas tents, to ensure a comfortable stay at Summerplace, which can be booked through the race website. Riders can also book supporter meal and accommodation packages when completing the entry process.

For online entries – which open on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, at 12:00 – and more information on the Glacier Waterberg Traverse, visit www.waterbergtraversemtb.co.za. Inspiration to enter can be found by following @waterbergtraverse on Instagram or by liking the Glacier Waterberg Traverse Facebook page. Insights into the famously social and fun Traverse vibe, during the Glacier Storms River Traverse, which takes place from 31 July to 2 August, follow @stormsrivertraverse on Instagram or like the Storms River Traverse Facebook page.