tarred passes

  • The Goukamma Pass traverses the lovely green valley fed by the perennial Goukamma River with the Ganzvlei farm taking centre stage in this fertile valley. The railway line overpasses the road at the river and this is followed by a long, steep ascent up the eastern side of the valley with gradients up to 1:11. The scenery is fabulous as this is in the very heart of the Garden Route with forest and heather clad green hills topped off with tall pine forests and onyx coloured rivers.

  • This 6,8 km long pass descends from Riversdale Heights adjacent to the Werner Frehse Nature Reserve, at a fairly steep gradient to cross the Goukou River at the 3 km point, having descended 143 vertical metres. It rises back up the eastern side to end at an altitude of 157m ASL. This pass and the one following it immediately where this one ends - the Soetmelksrivier Passhave been the scene of several serious and fatal accidents over the years. The road has been widened and the corners improved to assist with the safety of the road. Speed monitoring regularly takes place, so it's best to comply strictly with the speed limits.

  • This is a long pass on the N2 at 13,3 km which connects Albertinia in the west with Mossel Bay in the east. The western side is fairly straight with few bends and more gentle gradients, but the eastern side is much steeper and includes a set of double S-bends. The road straddles the Gouritz River - one of the major rivers in the area via a high bridge which spans the gorge adjacent to two old steel latticed bridges, which until 2005 were used as a bungee jumping and bridge swing site for the adrenaline junkies.

  • This major pass is located on the N2 national route between Grahamstown and King William's Town. It's 21 km long and has an altitude variance of 528m. The road is beautifully engineered to the point that at times drivers don't even realize they are on a major pass. There are surprisingly few bends on this pass and none of them exceed a radius of 80 degrees. One can maintain a steady speed throughout.

    That said, there is time to enjoy the scenery and please note that the speed limit changes between 80 and 100 kph along several sections. As the case with all passes on national routes, increased traffic volumes create their own hazards and this pass carries plenty of heavy duty trucks, so be aware that if you end up behind one of these slow moving vehicles on the uphill sections, that you need to exercise patience and wait for a break in the barrier lines. 

    Cautionary: The road has no overtaking lanes on the ascents. Be aware of minibus taxis and courier delivery vehicles who regularly flaunt the regulations.

  • The Grobbelaarskloof Pass is named after a farm which is actually in the next kloof to the east. This pass is also commonly known as Colenso Heights. It descends into Colenso from the north-west and is part of the old tarred main road (R103) between Colenso and Ladysmith. The road drops just under 200m in altitude over 5.7 km producing an easy average gradient of 1:29, with the steepest parts being at 1:10. It's a fairly minor pass in the greater scheme of things, but like many of the smaller neks and passes in this area, it's jam packed with battlefields history.

  • Although dwarfed by the many huge passes in this area, Grondnek is in fact a fairly significant pass, with a height difference of 112 metres and a length of 4.3 kilometres. Despite its name, which when translated from Afrikaans means Ground or Gravel Neck, the pass is tarred and is suitable for all vehicles in most weather conditions, but a summit altitude of 1997 metres ASL means that it is sometimes subject to snowfalls in winter. Located on the very scenic R58 between Lady Grey and Barkly East in the Eastern Cape highlands, the pass offers up spectacular views of the towering sandstone mountains, rolling meadows, fast-flowing rivers and isolated farmsteads that abound along this route.

  • This is straight forward pass over a low point in the mountains known as Grootnek - about midway between Rosendal and Ficksburg in the Free State. There is only one minor bend in the road and a small altitude gain of 85m producing a very easy average gradient of only 1:73. The steeper sections are on the southern descent which present at 1:14. The only danger on this pass is when snow occurs, when it should be avoided altogether unless you are in a 4WD vehicle equipped with appropriate equipment. The pass offers grand scenery over the mountains of the southern Free State.

  • The Gwaing River Pass follows the Maalgate River River pass for east-bound motorists on the N2 bypass south of George. It's a short pass and exhibits a typical river valley vertical profile, dropping 108m in altitude and rising back up to the coastal plateau to virtually the same altitude as the western start. It lies is close proximity to George airport.

  • This pass lies on the tarred R68 between Melmoth in the east and Babanango in the west and traverses large commercial lumber plantations mostly above 1000m ASL. The road is quite narrow and motorists should always be wary of large logging trucks on this road, which might encroach over the barrier lines on corners, due to their size. The pass has an average gradient of 1:14 which puts it firmly into the 'steep' category. The steepest sections are at 1:7. The pass is also subject to mountain mists which can severely reduce visibility.

  • Located on the tarred R563 between Hekpoort in the north and Krugersdorp in the south, this is easily Gauteng's biggest pass in terms of distance, altitude gained as well as steepest gradient. It's well above the national average in terms of length at 9,2 km and offers some steep climbing near the summit at 1:10. It forms one of the most popular routes over the Witwatersberge into the Magaliesberg area for weekend adventure seekers.

  • The name of this pass translates from Afrikaans as “Help Each Other Pass”, and originates from the period of the Voortrekkers, when these hardy people had to labour their way up and down this formidable obstacle with their wagons using a double span of oxen. The pass is located on the tarred R33 between Dundee and Pomeroy. The road is in a terrible condition, with a multitude of potholes and even a couple of places where the tar has been removed altogether. There is some evidence that repairs are in progress, but as at the time of filming, it would appear that the completion of this project is still going to take a while. Avoid driving this pass at night if possible.

     

  • Hendriksdal Pass is located just to the south of Sabie, on the tarred R37 route which connects the little town with Nelspruit (Mbombela). The pass is fairly long at 9,5 km and presents an altitude variance of 218m  via 22 bends, corners and curves, most of which have an easy radius.

    The pass is named after the original farm in the area, which later also gave its name to a railway station dating back to the 1920s. The road is in a good condition (unlike many of the other roads in this area) and presents very few hazards, provided that the speed limit is adhered to. The pass offers up magnificent elevated views of Sabie itself, as well as the mountains and tree plantations which abound in this area.

  • This pass is named after the Ngogo River, which flows from west to east on the southern side. Derived from Zulu, the name has been explained as an onomatopoeic rendering of water gurgling over stones, but the phrase is also used as a term of respect for an older woman. This area was especially vulnerable during the Boer struggle for independence from Britain in the 1880’s, commonly known as the First Anglo-Boer War. Decisive battles were fought in the vicinity of Volksrust at Lang’s Nek and Ingogo, followed by the Boer victory at the Battle of Majuba, where the British commander, General Colley, was fatally wounded.

  • Mpumalanga is rich in natural beauty and what better way to experience this than driving some of the fabulous passes the province has to offer. Rich in forests with fast flowing rivers and multiple waterfalls and major attractions like the Blyde River Canyon, Bourkes Luck Potholes, Pilgrims Rest and the many game reserves, it's no wonder local and foreign tourists alike flock to this region. Often the real gems are the smaller passes tucked away in the backwaters where few people get to. Jaap se Hoogte is one of those passes.

     

  • This long tarred pass connects the town of Jozini with the N2 national highway and traverses the mountains on the south eastern side of the Pongolapoort Dam. Although the average gradients are a gentle 1:49 there are some fairly steep sections that reach 1:7 closer to the summit point.

    This is a fairly modern pass with good engineering standards, but there are a number of cautionaries to be aware of, which include, slow moving vehicles, barrier line transgressions, pedestrians, minibus taxis and livestock on the road. The road traverses a number of rural villages, so pay attention to a variety of changes in the speed limit. This is an all weather pass which is suitable for all traffic.

    The main attraction is the wonderful scenery which includes a range of vistas over the dam from the comfortable height of the ridge. If you're a fisherman, you can catch Tiger fish here.

  • This long and beautiful pass is one of the hidden gems of the Lowveld and provides an alternative route to Nelspruit to the N4. It joins Nelspruit with Ngodwana at Sappi's massive paper mill and in the process bisects the little mountain top village of Kaapsehoop (originally Kaapschehoop), from which the pass gets its name.

    The pass summits at 1653m ASL and ascends from just south-west of Nelspruit, gaining 736m of altitude over 20 kms, producing an average ascent gradient of 1:20 with the steep bits measuring in at 1:10. Stop at the village near the summit and explore the peaceful charm of the free range horses, Anglo-Boer war and mining history, quaint architecture and the walk in the nature reserve. The western descent of 12 km ends at Ngodwana and forms a T-junction with the N4.



  • The Kareedouw Pass is a modern, well engineered pass which provides a short cut between the N2 near the seaside hamlet of Skuitbaai and the small town of Kareedouw on the R62 in the Langkloof. There are only 7 bends along this pass and all of them are minor.

    The pass offers sweeping views of the Tsitsikamma mountains to the left (west) with the green valley on the right dotted with dams and a small triangular shaped forest near the summit area. There are no obvious dangers on this road, other than heavy rainfall and mist which occurs from time to time.

    The small town of Kareedouw after which the pass is named lies at the northern end of the pass. The name is of Khoi origin and means "Path of the Karee trees"

  • Kastrolnek translates into 'Saucepan Neck' and it will be a case of "out of the frying pan and into the fire" if you venture over this pass during a snowstorm, as the maximum altitude is an energy-sapping 2030m ASL, but mostly it's a safe and straightforward drive in dry weather conditions. The pass is 6.8 km long and ascends 233 vertical metres producing some very steep gradients of up to 1:6. The pass connects Piet Retief with Wakkerstroom on the tarred R543.

  • Katkop Pass is located on the tarred R56 in the Eastern Cape, almost equidistant between Mount Fletcher in the north and Maclear in the south. It is named after the Katkop mountain, which dominates the western side of the pass. The road has been refurbished, and is in an excellent condition. It is a relatively minor pass, dwarfed by the many huge passes scattered around this vicinity, but nevertheless holds its own in terms of scenic beauty. Besides one very tight hairpin corner, there are no real dangers on the pass other than animals and pedestrians. Many people (especially locals) confuse this pass with the Moordenaarsnek Pass, which is on the same road, but a few kilometres away.

  • Like the Great Fish River Pass, this pass can easily slip by unnoticed as one travels over the beautifully built N2 highway between Peddie and King William's Town. It's actually a fairly big pass and is long by national standards at 12.3 km displaying an altitude variance of 145m.

    It only has 16 bends, corners and curves and none of them are dangerous. The pass is suitable for all traffic, but do be cautious when the mountain mists roll in, which can reduce visibility down to just a few metres. The locals don't seem to worry about this and carry on driving at high speeds. This presents the only real danger on this pass and of course, the possibility of finding livestock on the road.