4 Mountain Pass Tour

Bain's Kloof Pass

Completed in 1853, this pass was designed and built by Andrew Geddes Bain.
The Scottish born engineer was the first man to build a road across the Limiet Mountains, the main barrier between the Cape Settlement and the interior.

Bain had no formal engineering training but went on to build several more passes in the Western Cape.

Bain's Kloof Pass is one of the most picturesque and magnificently constructed passes in South Africa. It is a National Monument which blends in perfectly with its natural surroundings.

This mountain catchment area is a popular site and is used for both recreational and educational purposes. The area is relatively unspoilt and has a rich fynbos compliment and the Witte River.

Tulbach

This village suffered a serious earthquake in 1969 which seriously damaged all the building along one street. The whole street was rebuilt to exactly the original design and all houses are now National Monuments.

We take lunch before visiting the The Oudue Kerk Museum to find out more of the earthquake and Tulbagh history.

Michell’s Pass

Over Mitchell's Pass to Ceres. The road was originally built in 1846 by Andrew Bain and improved in more recent times, which runs through the Rex River Mountains (2,249m/7,379ft) to Wolseley (pop. 6,700), 18km/11mi from Ceres.

Ceres.

Ceres is one of the most environmentally friendly fruit producing districts in South Africa. You will see fruit picking in March April with Cherries from end November into December.

We take a visit to Baba’s Jam to see just what wonderful jams are made there. If we are lucky we may catch a demonstration on making traditional foods. A Jam tasting experience along with ‘mosbeskuit’ ovenbread and an opportunity to buy some Samosas and have a ‘moerkoffie’.

Decision time.

Scenic route to Villersdorp and the Franschhoek Pass or Du Toits Kloof Pass.

Du Toits Kloof Pass

Du Toits Peak (1995m) ("Doo-Toy") is the highest seaward facing peak in the Cape Fold Belt ranges, i.e. the highest peak in the Western Cape within direct sight of the ocean. It is located between Paarl and Worcester in the south-west of South Africa, 70 km to the north-east of the provincial capital of Cape Town. The mountains form a formidable barrier between Cape Town and the rest of Africa on the N1 highway, also called the Cape to Cairo Road. This section is called the Du Toitskloof Pass. The old route culminates at 820m, however, the new Huguenot Tunnel, of 4,4 km in length, cuts out the old mountain pass.

The range is comprised mostly of Table Mountain sandstone, an erosion-resistant quatzitic sandstone. Vegetation is almost exclusively montane fynbos of the Cape floristic region. The rest of the mountains are barren rocks and steep cliffs. Precipitation occurs primarily in the winter months as rain on the lower slopes and as snow higher up, usually above 1000m. Climate varies dramatically, with the surrounding valleys being up to 10°C warmer than the mountains. The climate falls within the Mediterranean type. The mountains form part of the Cape Syntaxis, a complex portion of the Cape Fold Belt where the north-south trending ranges meet in the east-west trending ranges in a complex series of folds, thrusts and fault-lines.

We now take the road from the N2 back to Franschhoek past the Drakenstein Prison from Which Nelson Mandela was released. Take a photo stop and then on home.

Bring your camera, bird and flower books and binoculars.

Whilst this tour is predominantly a mountain pass experience your guide will accommodate any changes you wish during your drive.