A dangerous paved road to Van Reenen's Pass in South Africa
South Africa, africa
52.3 km
1,777 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, buckle up, road trip lovers! Let's talk about Van Reenen's Pass in South Africa. This beauty clocks in at 1,777m (5,830ft) high up in the Drakensberg mountains, right near the KwaZulu-Natal and Free State border.
It's a 52.3 km (32.49 miles) stretch of paved road – that's the N3, the main drag between Durban and Johannesburg – running from Harrismith in the Free State to the Sand River Valley in KwaZulu-Natal. Give yourself about 40-50 minutes to cruise it without stops.
Now, Van Reenen's Pass is gorgeous as you wind your way down towards Ladysmith, but heads up: it's known as one of the trickier roads around. It can get pretty hairy with tons of trucks and some seriously steep sections around 1:20. Accidents? Unfortunately, they happen.
Most of the time you're good to go year-round, but winter can throw a wrench in things. We're talking heavy snow and temporary closures. Plus, the weather can be super wet and misty, making the road slick with seriously reduced visibility. Watch out for strong winds too – they've been known to flip lighter vehicles! So, drive safe and enjoy the views – if you can see them!
Where is it?
A dangerous paved road to Van Reenen's Pass in South Africa is located in South Africa (africa). Coordinates: -32.8919, 22.5942
Road Details
- Country
- South Africa
- Continent
- africa
- Length
- 52.3 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,777 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- -32.8919, 22.5942
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