Posted on July 3 2019
Sani Pass is, in one word, SPECTACULAR. I felt like I was inside a Lord Of The Rings movie – the scenery is so vast and enchanting. But before you decide to drive up or down, there are a few Pros And Cons Of Driving Sani Pass to consider!
On our way back to Durban from Afriski in Lesotho, where we spent 2 nights a couple of weeks ago, we decided to take the Sani Pass route home.
This is the “down route”, and obviously if you are going from the South African side into Lesotho, you will be driving up Sani Pass.
Check out my posts on 16 Reasons To Visit Afriski Lesotho Part 1, 16 Reasons To Visit Afriski Lesotho Part 2 and 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Clarens which we did on the way to Lesotho!
We left Afriski at around 7am. We were keen to get to Sani Mountain Lodge for breakfast. Which I highly recommend by the way!
Here are my Pros And Cons Of Driving Sani Pass:
PROS Of Driving Sani Pass
- The beauty is on another level and you should definitely see this sight at least once in your life if possible
- The breakfast at Sani Mountain Lodge was delicious, very hearty and satisfying. Especially if you’re there when it’s cold, and it WAS COLD – then this home-style breakkie which consisted of eggs, bacon, tomato, mushrooms, beans, fritters and homemade toast is a real treat. You can also stop in here for lunch. Plus they have a cozy fireplace where you can warm up your frosty fingers and toes!!
- Great photo ops: If you’re into photography you will LOVE Sani Pass, Sani Mountain Lodge and all the little spots along the way that you can capture
- It’s not busy, I think we passed about 5 or 6 other vehicles the whole way down, making it easy to stop if you want to
- If you go in winter, there is a beautiful waterfall about 1km down that freezes solid and makes for a great photo (a big group had stopped here, so we gave it a miss this time)
- About 2km down, the hairpin bends ease up, allowing you to breathe a sigh of relief and truly enjoy the views!
CONS Of Driving Sani Pass
- For about 2km after you leave Sani Mountain Lodge (which is right opposite the Lesotho boarder post), the down route of Sani Pass consists of very loose, sandy, rocky, NARROW dirt roads with, and I can’t stress this enough, HAIR-PIN turns. The expression “turn on a ticky” took on new meaning for me!!
- I would not advise taking Sani Pass if you don’t have a very sturdy vehicle and a very competent driver who has experience driving quite slippery, sandy and rocky dirt roads
- You are literally driving on the very edge of a mountain and there’s not a lot of room for error
- If you’re planning to drive UP Sani Pass, definitely take a 4×4 vehicle, some say you don’t need one, but I’d err on the side of caution on this one! (Pictured below…the first 2 kms – you would never know there was a road winding down there!)
NB: To get to Sani Mountain Lodge you take a dirt road that goes off to the left BEFORE you exit the Lesotho boarder post. If you miss it, don’t worry, just turn around and go back through the gates, they might stop you but they seem quite used to it. We got our passports stamped first, and then went on to the lodge for breakfast. Which allowed us to just drive out the gates once we were done.
All that being said, I am glad we drove down Sani Pass, it certainly was an experience, and like I keep saying, the sheer beauty is breathtaking.
If you have any doubts about driving up or down Sani Pass, I would wait for an opportunity when you can go with the right vehicle and an experienced driver for those conditions. Never compromise your safety for a pretty view!
Don’t forget to PIN this post for future reference!
If all aligns and you decide to take Sani Pass, or you have in the past, I’d love to hear all about your experience!! Leave me a comment, I’d be delighted to hear from you.