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One of the greatest privileges of living in South Africa is the beautiful scenery; one only needs to look around to see the workings of Mother Nature everywhere.
Our mountain ranges are so magnificent that you need to get as close as possible to truly appreciate their beauty.
Not much of a climber? There is a wide variety of scenic mountain passes around the country that should definitely be on your to-drive list.
We picked five of our favourite mountain passes in South Africa:
1. Sani Pass, KwaZulu-Natal
If you are an experienced 4x4-driver, this should be your Everest, the pass that you should aim to cross. Sani Pass was built in 1950 and is a gravel pass between the Underberg region and Lesotho. This pass is longer, steeper and tougher than any of its competitors, and is definitely not for beginners, so you should be properly prepared before you take it on.
2. Naudes’s Nek, Eastern Cape
Naude’s Nek is the fourth-highest gravel pass in South Africa that is publically accessible. The pass goes over the Southern Drakensberg Mountains and connects the towns of Maclear and Rhodes, and is a long and slow drive with an average gradient of 1:41.
3. Bainskloof Pass, Western Cape
The Bainskloof Pass was built in circa 1849 by Andrew Geddes Bain, and it runs on the R310 between Wellington and Ceres. The Pass is 26.8km and is now seen as a national monument, standing in place for over 100 years. The tough section of the Pass is the northern part, with many hairpin bends. It roughly follows the course of the Witte River, which is a raging torrent during the winter season.
4. Bouldersberg Pass, Mpumalanga
The Bouldersberg- as well the Mpageni Pass (its sister pass), forms a large part of the old Nelspruit-Kaapmuiden road. It is a narrow, tarred road that goes through the Crocodile Poort Nature Reserve. The Pass climbs 473 vertical meters over a distance of 6. 65km. It ends where Mpageni Pass starts. Be careful of wild animals, especially at night.
5. Magoebaskloof Pass, Limpopo Province
Other passes we recommend are: World-famous Chapman’s Peak and Clarens Drive, both in the Western Cape.
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