Tranquil scenery near the summit
Tranquil scenery near the summit - Photo: Photo: Gronum Smith

This is a fairly safe, high altitude gravel pass located about 15 km north-east of Indwe in the Eastern Cape. It is located on the R396 which connects with the R56 in the south and the tiny village of Rossouw in the north. The pass is of average length (4,9 km) but it does descend incessantly, producing a stiff average gradient of 1:14. Some of the steeper sections present at 1:6. With an altitude of 1786m the pass is subject to regular winter snowfalls. In snow conditions, it is best avoided entirely. In fair weather the pass can be driven in a normal car. There's a strong similarity between this pass and the nearby Greylings Pass, except this one is on a much grander scale. The pass is also known as the Nepgen Pass or the Waschbank Pass. (More history on this lower down this page).

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Note: Conditions can change over time. These guides are designed for planning and familiarisation, so there are fewer surprises on the day.

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