Introduction

Today we are talking about the famous and infamous Sani pass, the only land border between Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa and the mountain kingdom of Lesotho.

Some general info about the Pass

The Sani Pass route starts at 1544m above sea level and ascends 1332m to 2876m over 33km of gravel and rocks. The challenging part of the Pass is 9km of mostly loose rocks between the South African and Lesotho border post.

By law in South Africa, you need a 4-wheel drive to ascend the Pass which is technically a public road connecting the two countries. Without getting into a debate about the tarring of the Pass, the lower part of the road before the South African border post has had some significant engineering work done on it. It is still gravel and can get very muddy after some rain but should not pose any issues even to All Wheel Drive or soft roader type vehicles.

Getting There

The country towns of Underberg and Himeville are a great staging point for a pass ascent and there are some fantastic options for accommodation in the area. From Durban, a Sani Pass trip is an easily achievable weekend or long weekend adventure.

Underberg is conservatively a 3-hour drive from Durban, the trip on the N3 is relatively uneventful if coming from either direction but after the Underberg turnoff just before Midmar Dam, the road to Underberg is spectacular, winding through valleys and alongside rivers. The trip to Underberg sets the tone for the adventure that awaits.

Requirements

So, what do you need to go up the Pass? Well we will talk about vehicle requirements a little later but practically you need to arrange a few things before leaving home.

Firstly, you need a valid passport, if you are a South African citizen you do not require a visa to enter Lesotho, if you hold a foreign passport make sure to check on the Lesotho border requirements before embarking on your trip.

Secondly, you need either the original logbook for your vehicle or, if your vehicle is financed or rented, you need a letter from the finance or rental company giving you permission to take the vehicle across the border. This is super easy and can mostly be done online. We have been up the Pass four times in the last three years and have never been asked for this letter, but rather have it with you to avoid disappointment.

Another requirement is to check with your insurance company if your vehicle is covered in Lesotho. We understand that you do need car insurance to enter Lesotho. Again, we’ve never been asked but it’s easy enough to get a letter from your insurance company and we wouldn’t do the trip without it.

Due to the altitude and the mountainous terrain, the weather and temperature at the top of the Pass can be very different from the weather in Underberg no matter what the time of year. Be sure to pack some warm clothing. We would also highly recommend sunscreen as due to the altitude you can get sunburnt very quickly which is deceptive in the cold.

It can take a few hours to get to the top of the Pass. It generally does take a bit longer going up than coming down but make sure you have some drinks and snacks for the journey. Also carry enough water, it can be hot on a sunny summer’s day.

Keep in mind that this is a rocky mountain pass, there are no shops between Himeville and the top of the Pass so you will need to make sure you have enough water with you at the start of your ascent.

A top tip regarding a comfortable trip up and down the Pass is to use the bathroom facilities at the South African border post, they are really clean and there won’t be another opportunity until reaching the top of the Pass.

Vehicle Requirements

Ok so we know this is a very controversial topic. You will find many 4WD forum posts about how people have managed to drive 2WD Hiluxes up the Pass and how soft roaders and All Wheel Drive vehicles get up the Pass. I’m not going to get into it today.

Here is my opinion; we think you need a vehicle with a low range gearbox to safely get up and down the Pass. Without low range the Pass is drivable when its dry and when it is in good condition, although we would not recommend it.

After the South African border post you can engage low range and drive up the rest of the Pass in low range 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears. To ascend and descend the pass safely you need to take it slow and drive at a comfortable speed that feels right for your vehicle. Keep in mind if you are in convoy with friends in different vehicles this speed may be slightly different. Don’t be tempted to try and keep up with the person in front of you if your pace is a little slower.

On a recent trip up the Pass, Amy and I were driving our Jimny and a friend was following in his Discovery 4. The Jimny was very light with just the two of us in the car and the Disco was much more loaded. The Jimny’s comfortable speed up and down the Pass was just a little faster than the Discovery. We would have thought this would have been the other way around.

Make sure if you are travelling in convoy to have some form of communication, two way radios are highly recommended and can be purchased relatively inexpensively. This also adds an element of fun and some friendly banter to the journey. Keep in mind that there are patches of no cell service up the Pass, also when quick communication may be required a cellphone is not ideal.

Normally on off-road expeditions solo vehicle travel is not recommended or you will require serious planning, vehicle preparation and training. Sani Pass is an exception to this rule, it is completely safe to ascend and descend the Pass on your own and we have done so twice in our Jimny. There are a lot of people up and down the Pass and help is close at hand should it be required.

Just before the top of the Pass are the switchbacks, ultimately more intimidating on the way down as you are looking over the edge as opposed to looking up the mountain on the way up. The trick here is to go slow, 1st and 2nd low range and if you are concerned stop in a safe place, get out the car and have a look. Watch someone drive up and see the line they take, do not feel pressured or push yourself past the point you feel comfortable. In saying all this, as long as you are not trying to ascend or descend in snowy or icy conditions you will have no issues in a 4-wheel drive with low range.

A word of caution if you are driving an automatic vehicle you may want to lock the vehicle in gear, most auto gearboxes have an option to hold a gear. The reason is that in low range many auto gearboxes can do a lot of hunting between gears, which builds up heat, and has the torque converter doing extra work unnecessarily. This is not a hard and fast rule, I’ve driven my father’s FJ cruiser up in D with no issues. I’ve also driven our Jimny up most of the day in D but we found the Jimny did better selecting the gear we wanted on the steeper parts towards the top of the Pass.

Keep in mind that the long drive in low range can cause your engine and gearbox to get a bit hotter than normal. This problem is easily solved by stopping at the many stunningly beautiful view sights on the way up the Pass.

Now this is the most important bit of assistance we can offer. Do not go down the Pass in drive high range with your foot on the brake. Applying the brakes on steep rocky descents will cause the vehicle to skid, which is no fun on the way down the switchbacks and will completely ruin your experience, you could also damage your breaks. I’ve witnessed many people doing this and it’s an easy problem to solve. Put your vehicle in low range and lock it in 1st or 2nd gear and use the engine braking to go down the Pass. If you need to slow down more then apply some gentle modulated braking. If you are driving an automatic keep in mind that many auto clutches will not completely engage if you do not completely release the brakes. Without getting into the mechanics of this, the trick is to engage low range, select 1st gear and take your foot completely off the brakes. The vehicle may seem to lurch forwards and you will then feel the engine braking kick in, you may even need to go into 2nd gear as 1st may be too slow. If you need to go slower feel free to apply modulated braking as necessary. If you are driving a manual the same principle applies, remember to completely release the clutch even on the descent.

The most important aspect to a safe Sani Pass adventure is to use some common sense. As we’ve mentioned in a vehicle with low range you can safely ascend the Pass in wet conditions. We’ve done it in our Jimmy and in an FJ cruiser with Hiluxes, Discoverys and Rangers in convoy. Personally, we would not attempt to ascend or descend the Pass in snowy or icy conditions. Amy and I were in Underberg one weekend as we were expecting some snow, there was indeed snow. We drove as far as the South African border post and it was clear that the Pass was covered in snow and ice. We took some photos and went to Lemon Tree Bistro in Underberg for lunch instead. While having lunch we saw emergency vehicles heading in the Himeville direction, and we later learnt that an AWD vehicle had gone over the edge coming down the Pass in the snow but thankfully no was hurt. In my latest podcast talking about overlanding, we discuss this topic, you need to know when it’s time to turn around or spend an extra night, there is no need to take excessive risks when overlanding or off-roading. For more on this, check out our podcast in the description below.

Now with all that technical stuff out of the way, we really want to encourage you to get up the Pass. It is spectacularly beautiful and an amazing drive. There is nothing to be nervous about ascending or descending the Pass if you use your common sense and we really want to encourage you to give it a try.

Now you may be asking what do you do once you have ascended the mountain pass? Well other than taking some photos from the top of the Drakensberg getting a fresh stamp in your passport and you get to the highest pub in Africa right at the summit of the Pass with spectacular views down the Pass. If you are not driving you can enjoy a Maluti beer and the lunch never disappoints. We have spent hot sunny days sitting on the deck and freezing cold days sitting inside around the fire, the highest pub in Africa is an experience not to be missed.

Now the pub is not the only reason to ascend the Pass, the mountain kingdom awaits. In 2018 we did a trip up Sani Pass and onto Katse dam for the night. Following the dam north and eventually arriving in Clarens, this is an epic trip but this will be a story for another day.

Suggested Weekend Plan

We would suggest that this trip is best enjoyed by making a long weekend of it, you really do need three whole days, although it can be done in one night but it’s not as enjoyable. Our recommendation would be to travel to Underberg or Himeville on a Friday morning, stop somewhere nice for lunch and enjoy the afternoon in this beautiful part of the world. Head to bed early for an early start on Saturday morning. Make sure you have enough fuel, you won’t find any after Himeville, and start your journey up the Pass early allowing lots of time to stop and enjoy the view. Aim to get to the summit in time for an early lunch. After enjoying the top of the Pass and feeling rested, head back down and you should be back in Underberg / Himeville by midafternoon, allowing an afternoon nap and plenty of time to plan your dinner and tell the story of your day’s adventures. After a good night’s sleep and a late checkout, a slow drive home will complete a fantastic weekend adventure. We’ve done this trip before leaving Durban at 4am on a Saturday morning and driving straight up the Pass and only spending 1 night in the area. It’s doable but we would not recommend it.

Don’t let us rush you, there is so much to do and see in the Underberg area even if you have no interest in going up the Pass. If you do plan to spend some more time in the area pack your golf clubs, fishing rods and load your mountain bikes. My weekend itinerary is just a practical example of an easily achievable weekend trip.

What to do in the Underberg area

There is loads of great accommodation in the Underberg and Himeville area and we can personally recommend the beautiful Karmichael Farm in Himeville, Sani Valley Lodge and the spectacular Moorcoft Manor Hotel. I’m sure there are loads more, we are just talking from personal experience. Even if you are staying somewhere else we highly recommend a trip to Moorcroft for lunch, dinner, afternoon tea or a massage.

A trip to the area wouldn’t be complete without a meal at Lemon Tree Bistro in Underberg, even if it’s just for a coffee, there is just something about this place and we love it. The Underberg cheesery is worth a visit and The Olde Duck Restaurant has the best carrot cake we’ve ever tasted. The Olde Duck is also the trailhead for the many mountain bike trails in the area.

Conclusion

To wrap it up we highly recommend a trip up Sani Pass, there is something for everyone. For the photographers the breathtaking Drakensberg mountains never disappoint, for the nature lovers be sure to stop and look at the wild Proteas that grow on the side of the Pass, for those interested in birding be sure to look out for the vultures, eagles and other birds of prey and lastly if you are just keen for an adventure, a selfie in front of the highest pub in Africa sign is worth the trip alone.