Montagu Pass (P1640)

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

THE PASS HAS BEEN COMPLETELY CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC, INCLUDING PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS, DUE TO SEVERE FLOOD DAMAGE WHICH OCCURED IN 2023 AND 2024. ON 20TH MARCH, 2025 AN ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE THAT AN AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED BETWEEN THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS (INCLUDING THE NATIONAL MONUMENTS COUNCIL), AS TO HOW AND WHEN REPAIRS WILL TAKE PLACE. AN AMOUNT OF R80m HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE RESURFACING OF THE ROAD SURFACE, REPAIRS TO THE PARAPET WALLS AS WELL AS IMPROVED DRAINAGE. WORK IS SET TO COMMENCE BY OCTOBER 2025 AND BE COMPLETED BY AUGUST 2026.

PLEASE DO NOT TRY AND ACCESS THE ROAD ILLEGALLY AS IT WILL BE DANGEROUS AND A WORKING CONSTRUCTION ZONE. ALLOW THE REPAIR WORK TO BE COMPLETED AS EXPEDIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. UPDATES WILL BE POSTED ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.

This was the first road between George and Oudtshoorn. The Montagu Pass was opened in 1848, having taken 3 years to build by some 250 convicts at a cost of 36,000 Pounds Sterling. It lays claim to being the oldest, unaltered pass still in use in South Africa and covers 17,1 kms of magnificently scenic narrow, gravel road driving, ascending from the tiny hamlet of Herold, on the northern side of the Outeniqua Mountains up and over the summit and then all the way down to the outskirts of George.

The road compresses 126 bends corners and curves into its length and gradients reach a maximum of 1:6. The road is suitable for all vehicles in fair weather, but please drive slowly and due to many sections being only single width (especially on the southern side) it might be necessary to reverse back to a wider point to allow passing oncoming traffic.

The pass was built to replace the highly dangerous and extremely difficult Cradock Pass, which still exists today, but as a tough hiking trail. The pass was named after John Montagu, who was the colonial secretary of the Cape at the time.