Afternoon Drive withJoanne Joseph

Training for an upcoming cycle race or thinking of options for a fun, family-fit break-away?

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Journalist and producer David "Mr. Active" Katz says a "DIY" cycling holiday is the perfect combination of getting fit and enjoying time with family or friends at a relatively low cost.

Most of South Africa's beautiful national parks offer a choice between comfortable accommodation and camping and if you're doing serious training, there's plenty to see and do in nearby towns for the rest of the family.

He gives his top three picks for cycling holidays:

1. Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Free State

If you travel between Harrismith and Clarens in the Free State, you drive straight through the Golden Gate National Park.

— David "Mr Active" Katz, Journalist and producer

Those roads are incredible - there's a lot of climbing so it's a real challenge.

— David "Mr Active" Katz, Journalist and producer

2. Northern Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal

If you're coming from Gauteng it's not far - you can be in Northern Drakensberg in about 3.5 hours.

— David "Mr Active" Katz, Journalist and producer

They really have done a lot to fix up those roads, there's a shoulder for most of the time.

— David "Mr Active" Katz, Journalist and producer

3. Agulhas National Park, Western Cape

They're a little more geared up for cyclists in the Western Cape with infrastructure because of the big tourism network.

— David "Mr Active" Katz, Journalist and producer

The one thing you don't have is altitude but it's in a massive urban area so there's a diverse amount of things you can do.

— David "Mr Active" Katz, Journalist and producer

Katz emphasizes taking safety precautions on the road - take note of the weather forecast, have a phone with you and always carry tools and spares.

For more on local cycling holiday destinations, take a listen: