Fedhealth Tour De Tuli 2012 - It's a cycle of life

Children in the Wilderness on one of the 2011 annual camps made possible by various fundraising initiatives which include the Fedhealth Tour de Tuli mountain biking event.

Participants study the Mapungubwe route for this year's Fedhealth Tour de Tuli mountain biking event.

The FEDHEALTH TOUR DE TULI is due to take place from 2 - 7 August 2012. Now in its 8th year the event is one of South Africa's premier, multi-stage mountain biking events. It's also about raising money for the Children in the Wilderness programme - a non-

This four-and-a-half day event includes serious single-track riding along game trails, through rural areas and over some of the finest slick-rock outside of Utah. Cyclists ride through Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa, starting in the Northern Tuli game reserve and ending in Mapungubwe National Park - a world heritage site. The route promises excellent game viewing opportunities and great scenery.

"We are delighted to once again be the main sponsors of this year's event and are excited to be a part of raising money for such a great cause," said Peter Jordaan, Principal Officer of Fedhealth. "The event encourages South Africans to take responsibility for their health by living healthy lifestyles and taking care of the environment. These attributes represent a perfect strategic fit with Fedhealth's objectives," he adds.

Over the four days approximately 290km of single track is covered with cyclists crossing between Botswana and Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwe and South Africa at specially arranged informal border crossings. "The co-operation and success of this event is a catalyst in demonstrating the ability of all three countries to handle government bureaucracy on matters relating to cross border access and laying the foundation of the cross border concept of the Transfrontier parks," says Rita Bachmann, Children in the Wilderness Regional Project Director.

The proceeds of the event will be used to host children in rural areas on a Children in the Wilderness programme free of charge. Wilderness Safaris closes its camps to paying guests and hosts children that live alongside these wilderness areas on a five-night programme to teach them the importance of conservation and ensuring the long-term protection of the wilderness areas.

In terms of the route, the cycle tour starts at the Pont Drift border post between South Africa and Botswana. The first few days are spent cycling in the beautiful Northern Tuli Game Reserve, on ancient elephant trails. From there cyclists head north towards the Tuli circle, and then track north east and cross into Zimbabwe along the Shashe River. Cyclists will be able to interact with the local community and enjoy a beer at a tavern in Maramani before ending at a wonderful site on the Limpopo River. The following day offers some spectacular sandstone cycling on Sentinel Ranch and the opportunity of viewing 240-million year old dinosaur fossils. Crossing into Nottingham Estate, cyclists will be awarded with incredible vistas of the surrounding lands from the designated brunch stop. The Kuduland camp, where they spend that evening, is located on the edges of the Limpopo River. On the last day, cyclists will cross the Limpopo River at an informal border crossing out of Zimbabwe and back into South Africa, into the Mapungubwe National Park.