Gravel Passes

An easy drive through a poort that follows the course of the Aapsrivier (Monkey's River). This connecting farm road forms a semi-circular loop that joins the R407 near Klaarstroom with the northern end of Meiringspoort and is labelled as the P1721. With typical poort statistics, the road only ascends 89m over 4,66 km producing an easy average gradient of 1:54. The road is suitable for all vehicles and was receiving a major upgrade at the time of filming in May, 2015.

This is a short, gravel pass that dives over a neck adjacent to the Adolphuspoort which has been formed by the Kariega River. It's located 42 km north-west of Uitenhage just to the north of the Groot Winterhoek mountains. It's a short pass of only 2 km with a modest altitude gain of 67m, but the northern descent does have some steeper gradients at 1:7. The pass can be driven in any vehicle except in very wet weather.

Exercise caution over the unbridged drifts, which can be dangerous during heavy rain conditions and display fairly sharp entry and exit angles. This part of the Eastern Cape has a high prevalence of game farms. This poort has game fencing on either side of the road and for the casual traveler, there's a good chance of spotting game along this route.

Our research was unable to establish who the Adolphus was, after whom the poort was named.

This is the second of the more serious passes in the Richtersveld National Park. Only 4WD vehicles with good ground clearance will cope with conditions in the Richtersveld, with the biggest obstacle being soft sand.

The Akkedis Pass (Eng. Lizard Pass) together with the Swartpoort and Halfmens Pass, connects the main entry point at Sendelingsdrif with the central and northern sector of the park. The scenery is truly magnificent and along this entire pass you are fully immersed in a true mountain desert. It takes a good 40 minutes to drive this pass and there are some sections on the northern ascent where low range should be utilised. The pass is 6 km long and climbs through 169m to summit at 578m ASL, producing an average gradient of 1:36, but there are several short sections that get as steep as 1:5. The pass is also sometimes referred to as the Penkop Pass.

This very short and fairly minor 'pass' is nothing more than a slight bump in the flat Karoo topography and is located about midway between Fraserburg and Loxton in the Northern Cape, just off the R356 on a minor gravel road that connects the R356 with the R361.  About the most exciting feature of this pass, is the tricky navigation trying to find it. This tiny little pass is not really worth seeking out and you will be disappointed with what it has to offer. It is strictly for the commited pass hunter.

Somewhere along the line, a lazy cartographer spelt the name as Amandeihoogte, which has subsequently been repeated on many maps in a typical copy/paste syndrome. This incorrect spelling makes no sense at all and we have officially confirmed on the 1:50,000 government map, that the name is Amandelhoogte. This is also the name of the farm at the northern end of the pass.

To add to the confusion, there is an Amandelnek Pass in the Tankwa Karoo, which would be bound to cause confusion.

This short gravel pass comes as something of a surprise after the long, flat coastal plains between Riversdale and the coastal town resort of Jongensfontein. It's about 23 km due south of Riversdale on a minor gravel road, the P1523. It's of average length at 4,7 km and displays an altitude variance of 125m, with the steepest parts near the summit getting as steep as 1:7. There are some dangerous corners on this pass with negative banking. It was being rebuilt on the day of filming and many of the dangers have now been re-engineered to make for a safer traverse.

This steep, narrow and twisting gravel pass is located on the P1661 route between Van Wyksdorp and Calitzdorp. It is frequently mistakenly called the Rooiberg Pass - and with good reason, as it forms the western section of the much bigger Rooiberg Pass, the latter which is separated from the Assegaaibosch Pass by a substantial plateau. The pass is just 3 km in length and displays an altitude variance of 178m, which converts into an average gradient of 1:18, but there are one or two steep sections which get as steep as 1:5

The pass is single width along certain sections which means passing is impossible and one of the vehicles will need to reverse back to a wider point. The pass contains 22 bends, corners and curves which includes two full hairpin bends. The road gets quite rough in places and whilst we recommend a high clearance vehicle, it is possible to drive it in a normal car (cautiously) in good weather.

Bakenkop Pass is named after the prominent mountain near its western extremity, which is easily identifiable whilst driving the pass itself from the host of radio towers on its summit. The route forms part of one of the original trails which bisect the lower section of the Drakensberg escarpment, and is located just to the south-east of Sabie, running in a generally west-east configuration towards Kiepersol and Hazyview. The gravel track is extremely rough and rutted, and we strongly recommend the use of a high-clearance vehicle, or a 4x4 during or after wet weather. This is logging country, and the road traverses both pine and eucalyptus plantations for its entire length, also offering up some splendid views over the Lowveld.

This very scenic pass is located on a minor gravel road - the P3222 - that connects farms in the Wartrail and New England areas with Rhodes and the R393 in the east and Barkly East and the R58 main road in the west. It has an unusual inverted vertical profile with a steep drop down into a valley bisected by a river, followed by a climb up the eastern side, which is a false summit. Despite it being a remote country road, the pass is well designed and has fairly easy gradients of 1:10 and higher. It will always be driven in tandem with the Wintersnek Pass a few kilometres further to the west. The pass is suitable for all vehicles in fair weather, but like all gravel roads, it can deteriorate rapidly in heavy rain or snow conditions.

Barrowfield Pass is a long gravel road pass located in north-western KwaZulu-Natal which derives its name from a farm located near the northern end. The road is in a good condition and can be driven in any vehicle, weather dependent. Together with its sister pass, Mollshoogte, which runs parallel to it on the western side, it forms a shorter and more scenic route from the N11 near Ingogo over the escarpment to Wakkerstroom, when approaching from the south. Beautiful views over the valley formed by the many rivers that cascade off the mountains in this area are presented, as well as an opportunity to visit the out-of-the-way and relatively unknown Zaaihoek Dam.

This poort runs along the north-south axis through the mountains approximately halfway between Willowmore and Steytlerville. It's gravel and it's rough and we dont recommend this road for non 4WD vehicles or vehicles with low ground clearance. The 4,38 km long poort gains only 95m in altiitude, producing an easy average gradient of 1:46. This part of the Eastern Cape offers some of the best gravel roads in South Africa for the adventure traveller.

This fairly off the beaten track pass is located on a farm link road - the P2394 - about 60 km WNW of Cradock. The pass is 9 km long and displays an altitude variance of 237m, producing an easy average gradient of 1:38, but most of the steeper action and sharper bends occur in the last 2 km where the gradient gets as steep as 1:10. You need to know your way around these farm roads and this pass is best tackled with a good GPS loaded with Tracks4Africa, otherwise you will probably get lost in the maze of farm roads to the south of the pass.

Belet is Afrikaans for forbid or prohibit, so the name of the pass no doubt at some point in it's history was a 'no-go zone' The road is suitable for all vehicles in fair weather and like all gravel roads is subject to rapid changes in condition after rain.

The Ben MacDhui Pass is the new record holder of the highest altitude summit in South Africa at 3001m. It replaces the previous record holder, the Sani Pass [2876m]. This is a new road which has recently been opened. The pass comprises three distinct sections:
1. The access toad to the Tiffindell Ski Resort.
2.The maintenance track for the ski-lift.
3. A two spoor jeep track from the highest ski-lift pylon to the summit point

This is an out and back route and a high clearance 4x4 with low range is needed to complete this drive. We have rated the pass as a Grade 3 in 4x4 parlance and would not recommend driving the route in severe weather and especially not when there is heavy snow. Allow approximately an hour and a half to complete it both ways and add for additional time at the summit. It is often windy and cold (even in summer) so take appropriate clothing with you. The pass traverses private property and it is necessary to sign in at the Tiffindell office before you proceed up the pass. 

14.09.2020 IMPORTANT NOTICE - DUE TO THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF THE COVID 19 ON THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, TIFFINDELL IS CURRENTLY CLOSED. ACCESS TO THE BEN MACDHUI PASS IS THEREFORE NOT POSSIBLE. AS SOON AS WE KNOW OF DEVELOPMENTS REGARDING THE REOPENING OF THE SKI RESORT, WE WILL POST HERE AND ON THE BEN 10 ECO CHALLENGE PAGE, WHICH IS ALSO AFFECTED BY THE CLOSURE

Nestled amongst the beautiful Wolkberg mountains, the 21,000 hectare Bewaarkloof Nature Reserve appears to have become completely neglected and abandoned. There is no fencing, water or electricity, and illegal squatters are using the reserve as a pasture for their cattle and to collect timber for firewood. This does not, however, detract from the natural beauty of the landscape, and the pass itself, which is an access road into the reserve, is worth seeking out if you are a dedicated and intrepid pass-chaser.

This is an easy gravel road drive with small gains/losses in altitude. Technically it does not resemble a mountain pass at all and is merely a pretty drive along the northern bank of the Biedouw River and involves some sharp turns and a minor change in altitude. What it lacks in statistics, it certainly makes up for in scenic beauty as the Biedouw River Valley is one of those tranquil, off the beaten track places that ends in a dead end at the head of the valley for most of the year, as the river crossing towards the end is too deep to cross. It's a place of steep mountains, crystal clear streams, stunning displays of spring flowers and old farm dwellings.

Biesiepoort is located just to the south of the N10, the national road which connects Upington with the Namibian border post at Nakop. The word “biesie” translates from Afrikaans to English as “bulrush”, but it could also refer to any of the family of reeds which are used to weave indigenous household items such as sleeping mats or wicker furniture. The poort itself, although very pretty, is quite insignificant, but the area in which it is located typifies the Kalahari landscape and is an unforgettable drive.

The road is in a good condition and can be traversed in any vehicle, although there are large patches of soft sand. Watch out for small animals such as mongooses, and be particularly careful not to run over the large monitor lizards (leguaans) which are commonly found moving slowly across the road.

This minor little pass of only 2,5 km has an altitude variance of 63m producing a mild average gradient of 1:40 and no point ever exceeds 1:12, making this an easy enough traverse. The Northern Cape government cartographers were keen to name every poort and pass that they could possibly find and this is one of many official passes, which barely comply with the basic definition of a pass, but it's official, so we have produced and indexed it for the sake of thoroughness.

There is a certain kind of pleasure in actually navigating your way successfully to locate these out of the way passes and poorts, so if you hunt this one down, remember to enjoy the 'getting there' part to the full. This part of the Northern Cape is achingly dry, barren and underpopulated. Drive well prepared for punctures and make sure you have enough fuel.

We have not physically driven this pass ourselves as yet, so our description and research is based on available resources and government maps. The possibility exists that you might encounter locked farm gates. Make sure you have sufficient fuel to backtrack.

This 19km long, gravel pass winds northwards up the Amathola escarpment through the beautiful Mpofu Nature Reserve, offering not only stunnng scenery and wildlife, but also some rich history and folklore. Entrance is free (at the time of writing in June, 2016) but there are gated control points at the foot and summit of the pass, where one has to sign in and out. This is the longest of the three local passes that traverse the Mpofu and Fort Fordyce Nature Reserves - the other two passes being the Fullers Hoek Pass and the Bosnek Pass. All three can be driven in a single day making for a feast of gravel road driving through some of the finest Eastern Cape scenery you will find. This pass is suitable for most vehicles in fair weather, but drive slowly as there are a few sections which get a bit rough. In very wet weather, a 4x4 would be best.

This gravel pass is fairly straightforward with a few sharp corners and mostly easy gradients. It descends 101 vertical metres over 3,2 km producing a gentle average gradient of 1:32, with the steepest section near the summit measuring a stiff 1:11. More significantly, the pass gives access to the memorial of the Battle of Bloedrivierpoort (1901). The road is suitable for all vehicles.

There are three Blounek passes in South Africa and all of them are of a minor nature. This one is located on the gravel road between Merweville in the north and the Koup railway siding off the N1 in the south. It's not much of a pass at 2 km in length with a small altitude variance of 42m producing an easy average gradient of 1:48 with the steepest sections reaching 1:11.

The pass only has 2 bends and if you have not plotted the start and end points into your GPS, you might drive over it without realising it's an official pass.

The best reason for driving this pass is that it will take you to the little village of Merweville, which is packed with interesting buildings, fascinating history and earthy, friendly people.

We have not physically driven this pass ourselves as yet, so our description and research is based on available resources and government maps. The possibility exists that you might encounter locked farm gates. Make sure you have sufficient fuel to backtrack.

This is the final of a trio of passes and poorts on the P1721 route when travelling from west to east. It follows the course of the Bloupunt river and its tributary as it heads into an ever steepening poort of twisted and contorted rock formations to terminate at the northern end of Meiringspoort. It's downhill all the way for the 3,29 km length of the poort with an easy average gradient of 1:29. There are a few cattle grids on the route and one farm gate which must be closed after passing through.