The Marakabei Pass takes its name from the village at the middle point of the pass. Whilst it's not the longest or steepest pass in Lesotho, it offers enjoyable rural scenery on a good quality road. The pass is 8.4 km long and climbs a very respectable 657m producing an average gradient of 1:13. The steepest parts are at 1:9. The gradients are well engineered and the pass is suitable for all vehicles, except when its snowing, when a 4x4 will be required and sometimes even a 4x4 will not cope if the snow levels are deep.
The Mohale dam lies just 9 km to the north. There are 26 bends of which several exceed 90 degrees and one particularly tight semi hairpin of 160 degrees is located roughly halfway along the pass. This is one of five passes along the attractive A3 route between Thaba Tseka and Maseru, the others being (from east to west) the Mokhoabong, Likhalaneng, Blue Mountain, God Help Me and the Bushmans Pass.
The pass is very close to the central geographical point of Lesotho. The two towns of Marakabei and Mantsonyane are fairly close to one another, with the Senqunyane (a main tributary of the Senqu River) flowing close by the village.
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