This official pass is so minor that unless you have inserted the waypoints in your GPS, chances are you would drive right over it and not be aware that you have just driven an official pass. It is one of 5 Withoogtes in South Africa, the other four all being in the Northern Cape. The pass has three easy bends and only gains 24m in altitude, producing a gentle average gradient of 1:58 with the steepest parts being at 1:14. It forms part of a long east-west gravel loop that connects the R318 near the summit of the Rooihoogte Pass with the summit of the Ouberg Pass north of Montagu and includes several very minor official passes including Moordenaarshoogte, Koppie se Nek and Tollie se Poort.
There are no serious dangers on this road, but as is the case with all gravel roads, the surface can change rapidly depending on weather conditions. In general terms this is a typical Karoo road in a low rainfall area, so the most common issues are loose gravel on the corners and the inevitable corrugations. Cattle grids occur frequently and it's best to lower your speed to 30 kph for these.
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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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See 5 open pass pages as examples:
