“Go now before they tar the road!” urged our die-hard camping buddies when we confessed we had never done Sani Pass – a tad embarrassing having lived in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa for all of our lives. We had driven to Kenya and back on an epic 13 000 kilometre three month journey in 2013 but had not driven the legendary pass in our own back yard.
So it was with huge excitement that we packed our faithful Landrover Defender for the inaugural Jolley trip up Sani Pass in the Southern Drakensberg. We had opted not to camp and booked into a dorm with our two children (8 and 12) at Sani Pass Backpackers and Lodge nestled snuggly in the foothills about 15 kms from the base of the pass.
My intrepid husband, always looking for the “road less travelled” reminded us that we had also not “done” the Mandela Capture Site in Nottingham Road, and suggested we do a little meander through the midlands to see this extraordinary tribute to the man, and take a back road to our destination. We had seen and stopped a few times at the sorry little brick “monument” that had originally been erected there to mark the site where Mandela was captured on 5 August, 1962, but we had not stopped to see the sculpture created in a collaboration between artist Marco Cianfanelli and Jeremy Rose. This site is turning into a real tourist attraction with some clever thinking and creative imagination. The sculpture itself is truly fascinating – a collection of 50 steel pillars each between 6.5 and 9.5 metres tall which when you stand a particular point reveal the profile of Mandela. The children loved the idea that they could step inside the artwork and were therefore “able to be inside Mandela’s head”.
A new conference and museum facility is being developed there, I believe under some controversy, but it will be interesting how this will further ignite tourism to the area. So far it seems like they are doing a great job.
From there, we continued to meander up to Nottingham road where we turned off and followed the Lotheni Road through some of the most picturesque farmlands on a warm autumn day with breathtaking vistas. We stopped for the obligatory refreshments served from the Landie’s bonnet – tea for me, hot chocolate for the kids and Don’s plunger coffee (a great camping find at Colombo Coffee in Durban- thank you!). The kids and I lazed on the bonnet soaking up the view and the sun.
The Lotheni road joins up with the Sani Pass Road and we arrived at the backpackers around 15h00. We were met by Jabu who was thoroughly charming showing us the workings of the backpackers – setting the boundaries so that communal living amongst the many different nations represented there would co-habit harmoniously. Free tea and coffee is available to all guests, and the resident cow provides the fresh milk daily, there’s an honesty beer fridge and if you don’t feel like cooking, the café run by the lodge offers delicious two course comfort food. The kitchen overlooks a living area with a hearty fire which is stoked in the morning and night. A deck which facing west offers great views of the berg with its heart-stopping sunsets.
Dinner time in the lodge was a festive affair as everyone juggled and (politely) jostled in the small kitchen.
Guests on this winter long weekend included a group from Holland, environmental lawyers from Tshwane, a dad and son and friend biker trio from East London, a vet from Australia, and group of hikers from George, a French family, two young German female travellers and an elderly couple, and us. With the communal layout of the kitchen and living area, the conversation was lively and interesting as folk swapped stories about their Sani experience, their international travels, and their future plans. Jess and Matt, enjoyed making “smors” – Marie biscuits, melted marshmallows and chocolate sandwiches – for the guests.
John, a friend of ours joined us at 7am the next morning, he was in the area and knew about some great “Geocaches” in Lesotho and wanted to find them. (Geocaching is a worldwide “game” which entails finding “caches” in interesting places – a little more complex than Pokemon Go!)
We set off up the mountain, waving at the lean American who was training on the road. At the base of the pass, there are derelict buildings, left over of what was once a trading post. Here minibus taxis were gathering to pick up loads to transport people up the mountain .
It was an overcast, grey day, with an icy chill in the air, which made for some dramatic photos and a much-appreciated stop for hot chocolate at one of the lay-bys on the pass.
The SA immigration control is about 11km from the old trading post, and we were swiftly and efficiently processed. And then the climb began. How some of the taxis manage to get over the rocky sections lord only knows. The road is not as hectic as I was led to believe and there was only one really tight hairpin bend that got Donald’s blood pumping. There seems to be a load of roadworks and reclamation being done and it was a comfortable and not at all a scary ride up. The views are completely and utterly unbelievably breathtaking.
At the top you head through a rickety gate to immigration. A tiny craft shop offers the obligatory Basotho hats, and other local crafts and the Sani Pass Hotel with its highest pub in Africa sits atop overlooking the pass. There seems to be a lot of renovation going on at the Lodge, but the drive to its backpackers just behind it, revealed a rather run down looking place.
We spent the day searching for Geocaches in Lesotho, travelling about 50km to Mokhotlong on the new tar road that literally begins at the border which apparently is being constructed with “Chinese money” whatever that may mean.
We found it fascinating with a mountain dividing two peoples that the cultures and landscape could be so different. The harsh expanse of a treeless terrain with picturesque huts made from hewn stone sparsely dotted in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, contrasted starkly with the greens and browns and lush hills and dales and more populated “land of milk and honey” of KwaZulu Natal.
With the wintery wind, grey skies and brown grassland, it felt eerie almost filmic.
On the way back, we made the obligatory stop at the Highest Pub in Africa at the Sani Pass Hotel, and managed to find a vacant table in the packed watering hole: it was the most delicious gluhwein for me, Maluti local beer for the boys and the most extravagant hot chocolate with marshmallows and a white Kit Kat chocolate on top for the kids.
Coming down the mountain was equally fun. There is a pass etiquette – people coming down must give way for those ascending. So we stopped to watch bikers climbing up with ease, determined walkers and hikers, and taxis billowing smoke and chugging up fully (over)loaded.
Back at the lodge we snuggled in for the night with comfort food, a glass of red wine and some intriguing conversation in the fire-warmed lounge about the tarring of the Sani Pass. Earlier on one of the manager’s at the hotel said the road was not being tarred, but our environmental lawyers debunked that story saying that that had been the case, but the Minister of Environmental affairs had overturn that decision. A quick Google search only shows stories from early 2014, which state that the road was being tarred. Perhaps some readers can shed some light on this.
So when we woke up on Sunday, with the ubiquitous Berg blue sky setting off the gorgeous browns and greens of the rugged landscape, we itched to go back up again – just because, and perhaps, we thought, we would not have the privilege of doing it “rough” again. The kids were not keen though, so we popped into see a waterfall at the Sani Pass Hotel close to the start of the pass for a brief walk. But not being able to resist, instead of turning left to come home, my husband turned the Landie right – and set off up the pass again. This time with clear skies and views for as far as the eye could see. And it was just as magnificent the second time!
Dare I confess to the purists that we were up and down and home in Durban by late afternoon tea in Durban, feeling completely invigorated by the great outdoors, and completely stimulated by the diverse conversations at the fire with the united nations at the hotel. A highly recommended little two night, hassle free jaunt in our backyard!
How to get there :
The Mandela Capture Site
Take the N3 highway to Durban / Johannesburg. Outside of Howick, take the Tweedie turnoff to Lions River. Turn right onto the R103 The sculpture is 5 minutes from the N3 turnoff and is well signposted.
The Exhibition and Sculpture are open Mondays to Sundays from 9am to 4pm, the restaurant is only open at this point in Sundays from 8am to 4pm
There is no entrance fee for the exhibition, but check the website as this is expected to change with the additions to the museum.
Contact details: http://www.thecapturesite.co.za
How to get to Sani Pass Backpackers and Lodge
Getting there Sani Lodge Backpackers and Honeyguide cottage are in the Southern Drakensberg. They are 19km from the town of Underberg, 141 km from Pietermaritzburg?218 km from Durban?607km from Johannesburg?130km from Kokstad?539 km from East London. The last 10km of the road to Sani Lodge is tarred
Rates: Rates vary and are reasonable – rates start from R180 per person for a four dorm to R1680 for a four bed cottage. Self-catering but the Giant’s Cup Café offer well priced meals and packed lunches.
Contact : 033 702 0330 www.sanilodge.co.za
Remember to take your passport for the border crossing into Lesotho.
-ends
