Collywobbles Route 2 (Ku Lombete)

This is one of two access roads to the vulture viewsites at Collywobbles. It's moderate in length at 4.1 km and displays an undulating profile with some very steep gradients of 1:5, which are concreted. This is the more scenic of the two roads.

During 2024/2025 the road to Ku Msikiti and Ku Kolombete were completely upgraded and the steeper sections concreted, making access to the villages much safer to access with normal 4x2 vehicles.

Engage 1st gear at the bottom of the concrete sections, keep your revs up and don't change gears until you;re at the top of the ridge.

If you suffer from vertigo, acrophobia or 'hoogtevrees' you should not drive this route as there are very steep, unguarded drops offs which combined with the narrow width of the road, can unnerve drivers.

Some of the text below is repeated on the Collywobbles - Ku Msikiti page as both roads share common information.

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Note: Google Earth software reads the actual topography and ignores roads, cuttings, tunnels, bridges and excavations. The Google Earth vertical-profile animation generates a number of parallax errors, so the profile is only a general guide of what to expect in terms of gradients, distance and elevation. The graph may present some impossible and improbable sharp spikes, which should be ignored.

Digging into the details:

Getting there:
There are several ways to get to this road and all of them require precise navigation. On the way you will encounter fork after fork and very few of them are signposted. We will describe the route from Idutywa (the nearest sizeable town), but it can also be reached from Willowvale and Elliotdale.

From Idutywa head NNE out of town on the N2 towards Mthatha for 5 km and turn right ontro gravel at GPS S32.059054 E28.329391
Head ESE for 3 km to a fork at GPS S32.072764 E28.357228 - take the left hand fork
Head ENE for 10.5 km to a fork at GPS S32.046607 E28.457223 - take the right hand fork
Head East for 3.4 km to a fork at GPS S32.050354 E28.492274 - take the left hand fork
Head ENE for 1 km to a fork at GPS S32.047277 E28.502005 - take the left fork
Head NE for 0.25 km to a fork at GPS S32.045546 E28.503984 - take the left fork
Head NE for 9 km to a fork at GPS S32.020007 E28.564464 - take the left hand fork
Head NE for 1.5 km to a fork at GPS S32.004450 E28.581534 - take the right hand fork
Head East for 1 km to a fork at GPS S32.004450 S28.581534 - Take the right hand fork
Continue on this road for 5.6 km till you reach the school on the left at GPS S32.026832 E28.624802. This is the turnaround point and also marks the eastern start of the Collywobbles/Ku Kolombete route.

Cape Griffon Vulture in flight / Photo: MPSA Guest Photo

The roads in this area are generally sub-standard, but the locals drive them daily in normal vehicles. Drive slowly and patiently. Deflate your tyres to soften the bumps a bit - about 20% of normal should be about right if you are driving on 2 ply tyres. If you have 3 ply tyres, deflate to 1.4 bar.

Description: 

This is an out and back route.

We filmed it from the eastern end to maximise on the visual enjoyment. If you intend driving out via the track over the Mbashe Dam via Mveso, be warned that is only suitable for high clearance 4x4 vehicles with low range.

The road follows the spine of a long ridge that separates a big bend in the Mbashe River. The views are maginificent on both sides of the road and on occasion both views are simultaniously visible.

On the concrete sections downhills, select the same gear that you used to get up it. This will ensure adquate engine braking and reduce the need to use the footbrake excessively.

All of the signs to Collywobbles have been damaged or flattened. Some of them, with a little imagination, are still legible.

The road climbs quickly revealing deep views of the Mbashe River on the left and right. This is one of the knife-edges. A set of power lines come into view. These used to transfer power to the national grid from the Collywobbles Hydro Power plant.

The Collywobbles Hydro Power Scheme was one of South Africa’s most ingenious small hydroelectric developments. Situated on the spectacular Mbashe River in the Eastern Cape, about 35 km east of Idutywa, the scheme takes advantage of the extraordinary river meanders known as the Collywobbles, where the river twists through a series of dramatic loops and gorges.

Development of the scheme began in 1982 under the former Transkei government as part of a programme to improve electricity generation within the homeland. The power station was commissioned in 1985 and was originally operated by the Transkei Electricity Supply Corporation (TESCOR). Following the reintegration of the former homelands into South Africa, ownership transferred to Eskom in 1995.

The engineering concept is remarkably simple yet highly effective. At a point where two bends of the Mbashe River almost touch, a concrete storage dam was constructed on the upper bend. Water is then diverted through a 1.4-kilometre-long tunnel and penstock that cuts directly through the intervening ridge. This shortcut bypasses approximately 34 kilometres of river meanders, creating a hydraulic head of about 135 metres.

The powerhouse contains three Francis turbines, each rated at 14 MW, giving the station a total installed capacity of 42 MW. Water discharged from the turbines re-enters the Mbashe River downstream. The station operates as a run-off-river scheme with limited storage capacity, supplemented by water transferred from the Ncora Dam in the neighbouring Tsomo River catchment.

Despite its innovative design, the project has faced challenges. Severe erosion in the Mbashe catchment has caused rapid siltation of the reservoir, significantly reducing its storage capacity over the years. The station also experienced flooding soon after commissioning, requiring extensive flood-proofing measures and modifications to the tunnel lining. Nevertheless, the scheme remained an important source of renewable energy for the Eastern Cape and stands as a remarkable example of how geography can be harnessed to generate electricity. The plant ceased operations about two years ago.

Aloes for Africa / Photo: MPSA

At the 2.2 km mark the Mbashe can be seen on either side of the road. There is a small clearing for about 5 vehicles. A sign points the way up a footpath which leads to a bird hide. The hide has fallen into disuse and is overgrown. It does none the less offer good vulture viewing when the wind is from the right direction.

These immense birds, with wingspans approaching 2.2 metres, rely on the sheer sandstone and shale cliffs for nesting and roosting. The rugged terrain, constant updrafts and relative isolation of the gorge create ideal conditions for a species that spends most of its life soaring rather than flapping.

The colony is dominated by the Cape griffon, a species endemic to southern Africa and now listed as vulnerable. Pairs build large stick nests on narrow ledges and usually raise a single chick each year. Breeding begins in the cooler months, and the young bird remains dependent on its parents for many months before taking its first flight. Colonies such as Collywobbles are therefore crucial to the survival of the species, because vultures breed slowly and populations recover only gradually from losses.

The Xhosa word for vultures is 'ixhalanga'. The Cape Vulture is referred to as 'idlanga' The locals are very proud and protective of the vultures and consider themselves guardians of this colony.

The birds play an essential ecological role as nature’s clean-up crew. By feeding on carcasses, they remove decaying animal matter from the landscape and help limit the spread of disease. Their highly acidic stomachs can neutralise many harmful pathogens that would affect other animals. In the grasslands and communal farming areas surrounding the gorge, the vultures are part of a natural recycling system that has operated for thousands of years.

The Mbashe River seen here in one of the dozens of bends in the Collywobbles / Photo: MPSA

Despite their importance, the vultures face serious threats. Poisoning from contaminated carcasses, collisions with power infrastructure, disturbance at nesting sites and habitat degradation have all reduced populations across southern Africa. Conservationists monitor the Collywobbles colony closely and work with local communities and authorities to protect nesting cliffs and reduce poisoning incidents. For visitors standing on the rim of the gorge, the sight of dozens of griffons circling in the thermals is a reminder that this dramatic landscape is not only beautiful, but also vital for the survival of one of Africa’s most iconic scavengers.

You can return to Idutywa the same way you arrived (Remember to trace your route on your GPS) or you can go back via the Mbashe Dam and a string of villages via Mveso and back to Idutywa on the N2. The latter is a longer (but more scenic) option and only suitable for high clearance 4x4 vehicles.

Fact File:

Route Map:

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Route files:

||Click to download: Collywobbles/Msikiti Road - (Note - This is a .kmz file which can be opened in Google earth and most GPS software systems)