🏁 Warm Up for the Cape Town Marathon: A Garden Route Campervan Road Trip

Experience Summary

Location: Garden Route (South Africa), including Tsitsikamma, Wilderness & Stellenbosch
Recommended Ages: 16+
Passion Categories: Running / Nature / Beach / Wining & Dining
Trip type: Self-guided road-trip (Sign-up for group tour dates)

A unique way to warm up for a marathon, this inspiring, energising journey will make the already remarkable Cape Town Marathon even more special. You’ll discover the spectacular coastline and trails of South Africa, enjoy some inspiring warm-up runs, and have the chance to run in places you’ve never set foot before. Along the way, you’ll balance final preparation with the joy of exploring somewhere new — making race day the pinnacle of a truly unforgettable adventure.

Trip Highlights

• Run through vineyards, lush forest, along the beach and even in a world famous safari park
• Self-drive your campervan through the Addo Elephant park and view wildlife eating lunch over a watering hole
• Camp under the African stars, besides crashing waves and between the vineyards of the Winelands
• Optional: Share your warm runs with other event participants, enjoy pasta meal together pre-race and celebratory drinks post race

Why Run South Africa 'With-a-Camper'?

🚐 Run More, Pack Less
Travel across the country and run in a wider variety of places — from coastlines to mountain gorges — without the hassle of packing and unpacking at every stop.

🏃 A Basecamp for Every Run
Start and finish each run right at your van. You’ll always have your shower, fridge, gear, and recovery space ready, making it effortless to combine training with exploring.

🌿 Freedom & Adventure
Enjoy the simple joy of campervan life: waking up outdoors, cooking your meals with a view, and experiencing Greece in a more immersive, adventurous way than a hotel stay.

🐘 Wildlife from your lunch table & much more
View Big Five animals at the waterhole as you drive your campervan through Addo Elephant Park. Sleep under the African stars, wake to the sound of waves & stay under the mountains of the Winelands

Featured Trip Highlight

A remarkable set of runs to prepare you for your marathon: start with an unforgettable trail run inside Addo Elephant Park where you might spot kudu and zebras along the path; run along the forested coastline at Tsitsikamma National Park, with dramatic cliffs and sea spray in your hair; enjoy a barefoot sunrise jog along the vast Wilderness Beach; and finish with gentle vineyard routes winding between oak trees and mountain views in Stellenbosch.

2026 Cape Town Marathon

Email hello@with-a-camper.com to hear when entries open

Additional Options

🏃 Guided Training Run
Start your trip with a guided training run led by a local running coach. ♂️They’ll join you on your Addo Elephant Park trail run, offer personalised technique coaching (including trail running tips), and share local insights about Addo and the rest of your South Africa adventure. 📞 After your session, your coach will be available by phone in case you have questions later in your trip.

👥 Join a Group
We're working on arranging special departures where multiple campervans travel together as a group. Travel in convoy with other campervans for a trip that’s as much about the people as the places. Share the runs, cook together, swap stories under the stars, and build new friendships along the way — all while exploring spectacular routes side by side.

🏆 Running Club Challenge
Multiple clubs take on the same itinerary, turning each run into a friendly competition. Times are tallied over the week for bragging rights and shared celebration at the finish.

✉️ Interested to know more? Email hello@with-a-camper.com