Riders: Philip Elliott
Distance: 869km
Travel Time: 13.17hrs
Vehicles: Motorbike
Departure: 2018-01-03 04h41
Arrival: 2018-01-03 17h57
Passes: Sani Pass, Kotisephola Pass, Moteng pass, Tlaeng Pass
Earlier in December my brother-in-law and I did a bike ride that covered the southern part of Mpumalanga (South Africa) and Swaziland. We did 12 passes in 2 days. I rode from Mbabane in Swaziland to Ramsgate to join the family in Ramsgate for Christmas and New Year.
I decided to ride home to Centurion via the Sani Pass (Lesotho). While I had driven up and down Sani Pass in my Land Rover, I had not experienced this on a motorbike.
OnHerBike provides an excellent YouTube video of the drive up Sani Pass. (Eastern Lesotho. On Her Bike Around the World. Episode 88)
An early morning departure from Ramsgate allowed me to get a great sunrise while travelling along gravel roads through the rural hillside.
Whenever I drive through Underberg, I like to stop at the Lemon tree for a snack. This time was breakfast.
The ride to the foothills of the Drakensberg was easy going as it was tar road. Once you near the mountain pass, the road changes to gravel and deteriorates the further you go. I would not recommend this during the rainy season or winter when there is snow or ice on the pass.
The South African and Lesotho border posts were quick and easy to get through. My first stop at the top was the Sani Pass Pub.
I consider this more challenging than the Gamkaskloof Pass due to the poor road quality and more tight turns. I would love to ride this again but it must be during the dry season.