Mountain Passes of the Eastern Cape Highlands

NB! Driving conditions on gravel Mountain Passes can change considerably after a thunderstorm, hail or snow.  Please ask one of the locals about the current condition of the road and establish the suitability of your vehicle before attempting to drive the pass. 

Barkly Pass

Barkly Pass
Barkly Pass - Photo: Panorami

Bastervoetpad Pass
(Baster Voetslaan Pass / Dr Lapa Munnik Pass)

Bastervoetpad Pass
Bastervoetpad Pass - summit view looking south - Photo: Eugene Rossouw

Benjaminshoogte (Karringmelkspruit)

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Bridge over Karringmelkspruit with the Rail Reverses in view. The climb to Benjaminshoogte starts on the right. Photo: Dalene Oertel

Bottelnek Pass (Battlenek Pass)

Bottelnek Pass
Bottelnek Pass - Scenery north of the pass - Photo: Willem Schoeman

Carlisleshoek Pass (Carlisleshoekspruit Pass)

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Carlislehoekspruit Pass - Photo: Willie Solomon

Dulcie'snek Pass

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Hershell Wittebergen Wesleyan Church. Olive Schreiner, well known author, was born in the house next to this church. Photo: Dalene Oertel

Espachsberg (Espachsberg Pass)

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Very rough, between the R393 and R396.

Fetcani Pass

Fetcani Pass
A picturesque small church in a perfect setting near the pass - Photo: Klekesini

Greyling's Pass

Greylings Pass
Greyling's Pass - summit view - Photo: Trygve Roberts

Heuningneskloof Pass (Loch Bridge Pass?)

Heuningneskloof Pass
Loch Bridge - Photo: Autres Directions

Joubert's Pass

Joubert's Pass 100 years
Joubert's Pass - Hemel op Aarde - Photo: Otto Oertel

Killian's Pass

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Rossouw - Photo: Dalene Oertel

Kraai River Pass

Kraai River Pass
Kraai River Pass - The arched stone bridge further upstream - Photo: Hendrik van den Berg

Lundin's Nek Pass (Lundean's Nek Pass)

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Lundin's Nek Pass - Photo: Kath Isted

Majuba Nek

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Tele Bridge Border Post

Moordenaars Nek Pass

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Scenery near the R56 - Photo: Counter Balance

Naude's Nek Pass

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Naude's Neck Pass - Photo: Photo courtesy of Michael J. Stone

Otto du Plessis Pass

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Otto du Plessis Pass southern descent - Photo: Trygve Roberts

Pitseng Pass

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Eastern Cape perfection - Photo: Photo courtesy of Hougaard Malan

Potrivier Pass

Pot River Pass
Pot River Pass - Photo: Photo courtesy of Michael J. Stone

Vlooikraal (Balloch Pass)

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Vlooikraal - Balloch - Photo: Dalene Oertel

Volunteershoek Pass (Bidstone Pass)

Accommodation Lady Grey, Accommodation Barkly East, Accommodation Rhodes Village, Accommodation New England, Accommodation Wartrail, Accommodation Sterkspruit, Accommodation Herschel, Accommodation Tiffindell
Volunteershoek Pass - Photo: Kath Isted

Winters Nek Pass

Wintersnek Pass
Tall poplar trees mark the start of the pass - Photo: Trygve Roberts