Typical stone and thatch dwellings in Lesotho
Typical stone and thatch dwellings in Lesotho - Photo: Andrew Faeh

This is a mega pass by any standards. It's very long at 32 km and displays an altitude variance of 1066m. With a summit height of 3242m ASL, headaches and nose bleeds might be experienced by travellers from the coast who have not had time to acclimatise. It is the second highest pass in Lesotho and is also commonly referred to as the Black Mountain Pass.

Packed into that length is a total of 139 bends, corners and curves of which 8 have angles in excess of 90 degrees and of those, 6 are hairpin bends, all of which occur on the south-eastern side of the pass. The pass is subject to lots of snow in winter and ice on the roadway will make things highly dangerous, even for 4WD vehicles.

The pass is virtually and extension of the Sani Pass, separated only by a short 6 km plateau. It connects South Africa (KZN specifically) with the main southern town of Mokhotlong. It was recently tarred which makes this a relatively comfortable drive compared to the rough two spoor track prior to 2004.

Cautionaries: Snow, Ice, Livestock, Herdsmen, Altitude sickness.

 

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PART 1

 

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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 improbably sharp spikes, which should be ignored.


Digging into the details:

Getting there: To approach from the south (as we have produced it), first drive up the Sani Pass and after clearing the Lesotho border control point, drive north-west for 6.5 km to arrive at the southern start of the pass.

To approach from the north, head west from Mohkotlong on the A1 for 8 km and turn right at an intersection at GPS S29.307350 E29.026589 heading south on the A14. Continue along this tarred road for 8.5 km remaining on the north-eastern side of the river to arrive at the northern start of the pass.

Koisephola Pass summitAt 3242m it's the 2nd highest pass in Lesotho / Photo: Jiri Syrovy

Pass Description: The pass starts at the crossing of the Sani River at an altitude of 2178m ASL and meanders gently in a north-easterly direction for several kilometres before reaching the more gritty part of the ascent.

The first set of impressive switchbacks occur at the 3.3 km mark at an altitude of 2831m and climbs up a double set of hairpins, rising 290m in just 1 km producing a climb gradient of 1:3.4 which is seriously steep. You will need to gear down to 2nd or even 1st gear (depending on your vehicle type) 

It's important to know that large trucks will need the entire road to negotiate the hairpin bends. It is sensible to give them right of way - even if you are the ascending vehicle. Make a point of scouting the roadway ahead of you and anticipate accordingly.

PART 2

 

This road and the majority of the new roads in Lesotho were constructed by Chinese construction companies. Take note of the quality of construction, including water drainage, safety barriers, gabions and retaining walls.

The speed limit throughout the pass is 60 kph or lower (as indicated). 

The second set of switchbacks occur at the 4 km mark where the altitude passes through the 3075m mark. The road continues climbing steeply via a long curve to the right. At the 4.5 km mark, the road swings sharply to the left via a 120 degree bend. At the apex of this bend there is a truck arrestor bed for runaway trucks.

After the left hand bend, the gradients ease off considerably providing lovely distant views to the left. This section lasts till the 6.2 km mark. Here the road climbs again for the final pull up the 3242m high summit which is reached at the 7.3 km point. Just after the summit there is a large clearing, where you can pull off safely to enjoy one of the highest points in Lesotho.

Koti Se Phola is a community council located in the south-western quartile of Lesotho in the Mafeteng district and comprises 36 villages. It's a long way from this pass bearing its name. 

Lesotho general information:

Taking up an area of 30,355 sq.km, and with a border of only 909 kilometres long, all of which borders on South Africa, Lesotho has the twin distinctions of being the only country in the world that lies entirely above 1000 metres above sea level, and that its lowest geographical point is the highest in the world, at a lofty 1 400 metres above sea level.

PART 3

 

Consisting of three distinct geographical regions, the Lowlands that follow the banks of the Caledon and Senqu Rivers, the Highlands that consist mainly of the Drakensberg and Maluti mountain ranges in the eastern and central parts of the country, and the hills that divide the Lowlands from the Highlands.

PART 4  

  

The highest geographical point in Lesotho is the peak of the Thabana Ntlenyana mountain at 3 482 metres, while the lowest point is at the confluence of the Makhaleng and Orange (Senqu) Rivers at an elevation of 1 400 metres. More than 80% of Lesotho lies at elevations above 1 800 metres. [Source 4x4 Africa]

PART 5  

  

Although signage on this pass suggests that the summit point is the highest motorable pass in Southern Africa, it is fact, the Tlaeeng Pass further along on the same road, that holds that honour at 3266m ASL.


Fact File:

GPS START

S29.357145 E29.064174

GPS SUMMIT

S29.521584 E29.190604

GPS END

S29.554559 E29.234969

AVE GRADIENT

1:30

MAX GRADIENT

1:5

ELEVATION START

2178m

ELEVATION SUMMIT

3244m

ELEVATION END

2783m

HEIGHT GAIN/LOSS

1066m

DISTANCE

32 km

DIRECTION - TRAVEL

South-East

TIME REQUIRED

40 minutes

SPEED LIMIT

80 kph

SURFACE

Tar (A14)

DATE FILMED

14.04.2024

TEMPERATURE

8C

NEAREST TOWN

Mokhotlong (52 km)


Route Map:

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From Address:


Route files:

||Click to download: Kotisephola Pass (Black Mountain Pass)  (Note - This is a .kmz file which can be opened in Google earth and most GPS software systems)