Latest Mountain Passes added

This minor poort is located on the N1 national route between Polokwane (previously Pietersburg) in the south and Makhado (Louis Trichardt) in the north.

Everything about the poort is conservative with only one gentle bend and just 18m of altitude gain over 4.1 km. An attractive arched  bridge can be seen halfway along the poort, close to the road on the right. This was the old bridge and has since been decommissioned. 

The area is all about the Bushveld experience and hunting. You will have no problem finding a decent lodge to stay at. There is a lodge directly accessible from the poort  known as the Zaandrivier Country Estate.

This short tarred pass connects the towns of Elim in the north with Mbhokota and Chavani in the south. It is located 27 km south east of Louis Trichardt (Makhado) in Limpopo Province. It's a fairly minor pass exhibiting an altitude variance of 211m over just 2.4 km. There are only six bends and all (but one) of those are less than 90 degrees. Although old, the road is well engineered with concrete stabilising walls and safety barriers. Overtaking lanes are provided for ascending vehicles.

There is a large township on the ridge of the mountain to the east known as Patwini, which is more than likely where the pass took its name from.

This scenic gravel pass traverses the valley formed by the Mncwasa River. It's located about 13 km due west of Hole in the Wall and serves a number of local villages, like Nyandeni, Lulaleni and Talemofu in the east with Kwa Ndiya, Kwa Tshezi and Khomkhulu in the west.

The pass is usually in a reasonable condition and can be driven by all vehicles in fair weather. It's one of the smaller passes along the Wild Coast at 4.9 km in length with an altitude variance of 209m. The steepest part is close to the western summit where the road gets as steep as 1:7

The usual cautionaries apply: Keep your speed down to about 40 kph, watch out for livestock and pedestrians on the road, as well as many 10 ton trucks that deliver building materials in the area. You will see several of them in the video footage. In general, most of the locals are very polite and will allow you to pass safely - even the taxi drivers!

This pass is for the more experienced off-road driver. It is a wonderful shortcut along the main Wild Coast route, cutting out a long section of fairly boring villages and it will save you about an hour on your ETA. The deep valley carved out by the Mnenu River stretches far inland, where the main road loops around to avoid the deep valley. The pass has wonderful scenery but mostly it's obscured by dense bush and lantana which grows about 4m high, hiding the views.

On the flip side of the coin, this pass has a few negatives as well, so before you add it to your bucket list read the full report, as the road has not seen any maintenance in the last two decades; the bridge has been washed away and the bush has encroached over the road substantially.

Your vehicle will get scratched and if it's been raining, there will be plenty of mud in the lower sections near the river. Only drive this pass if you are experienced at off-roading and have a high clearance 4x4 with low range. We would also advise a minimum of two vehicles in case of problems. If you get stuck on this pass, note that there is no mobile reception. Unless you have a sat phone, you'll in for a long walk to get assistance.

This interesting pass is the gateway to Mpande and Shark's Point - two popular destinations along this section of the Wild Coast. It's a fairly minor pass at 3.1km but it has lots on offer, including sections of indigenous forest, a few villages, a very steep climb and fabulous views towards the coast once you have crested the summit.

The pass climbs 121m from the river crossing to the summit over just 1.3 km producing very steep gradients of 1:5. In wet weather this section will be almost impossible to ascend for non 4WD vehicles. There are also ruts and axle twisters so momentum cannot be used either. But in fair weather it's quite doable in any vehicle.

Mpande is one of the finest beaches along the Wild Coast and a must visit destination. Most of the holiday cottages are located on the northern side of the river. The northern access road is well signposted about 5 km to the NE of the start of the Luzube Pass.