Sani Foothills.
9 Nov 2026 · Grade 3 · 90 km- Underberg
- lower Sani Pass
- SA border post viewpoint
The Southern Berg gravel day: up the lower pass as far as the SA border post and the viewpoint below the switchbacks. Straight talk — the SA border post sits at the foot of the pass, and the climb beyond it is legally 4x4-and-low-range only. Officials inspect there and turn unsuitable vehicles back before the ascent, which means every T1 and T2. We drive to where the vehicles belong and stop there, with the whole escarpment in front of us.
The route
Meet 07:00 in Underberg, gravel to the pass mouth and up the lower switchbacks. The road gets rockier as it climbs — the convoy holds the pace of the least experienced driver.
Lunch stop at the viewpoint below the SA border post — the upper switchbacks and the escarpment wall above you. Descend by 15:00; KZN chapter debrief at the Underberg Hotel.
Requirements
- XWD (2.0T) trim — this is not an FWD road after rain
- Tyre deflator + compressor
- Warm gear — weather turns fast above 1 500 m
- ID for the border-post checkpoint area
The climb
Altitudes · Mountain Passes South Africa
The road itself
Published figures for the passes on this route. Anything the club could not source is simply not listed.
- Pass length
- 26.9 km end to end
- Mountain Passes South Africa
- Altitude
- 2 876 m at the summit, 1 544 m at the foot
- Mountain Passes South Africa
- Height gained
- 1 332 m
- Mountain Passes South Africa
- Gradient
- Average 1:20, steepest 1:5
- Mountain Passes South Africa
- Border post hours
- 06:00 to 18:00
- Cross-Border Road Transport Agency
- Snow
- Can fall in any month of the year
- Mountain Passes South Africa
Where it runs
Underberg → lower Sani Pass → SA border post viewpoint