Sani Pass

Food & Drinks

The Sani Pass is regarded by some as having the most spectacular views in South Africa. Originally a bridle path, it has become a ‘bucket list’ experience that is not to be missed. Walls of sandstone, cascading rivers, and hair-raising bends are just some of the highlights as your 4x4 vehicle takes you through the Barrier of Spears and into the Kingdom of Lesotho.  Visit a living Basotho village and meet its people for a true cultural experience. The highest pub in Africa welcomes you with a hearty lunch and refreshments before your journey back down the pass to Underberg. 

The day begins with an early morning collection in a 4×4 vehicle and travels towards the Sani Pass. Enjoy the luxury of having your own private vehicle, which allows for more space and comfort as you travel along the bumpy roads, and the freedom to decide where you’d like to go. As the altitude increases, the road becomes narrower and more treacherous, and all signs of human habitation disappear, leaving you alone in the glory of the majestic mountains. Stop and take photos at your leisure, and enjoy a selection of hot and cold beverages and freshly baked snacks as you absorb the breathtaking views. Nearing the top of the pass at 2876 m, head through border control and towards the desolate Lesotho Highlands. Visit a private homestead and immerse yourself in the local community. Learn about the culture and lifestyle of this small family. Then take a walk to learn the stories of the shepherds within their own stone dwellings. Finally, enjoy a refreshing beer at the highest pub in Southern Africa on the return journey before relaxing in the 4×4 as you marvel at more stunning scenic views.

Get your adrenaline rush driving a 4x4 vehicle up Sani Pass, the highest road pass in Africa. Scrape the clouds as you travel one of the highest mountain paths in Africa! Begin by driving through beautiful rolling hills of the Midlands to the town of Underberg, where you will board your 4x4 vehicle. These off-roaders are the only vehicles that can climb Sani Pass. On your drive, you'll enter the Kingdom of Lesotho, and nearby Sotho Village for a taste of the local culture. Enjoy a light lunch while admiring stunning views from the highest pub in Africa.

Day One:  Depart from Underberg, or be collected along the route, in a 4x4 vehicle and travel via the Sani Pass, with a stop for early tea at Sani Top Chalet. Travel up Black Mountain Pass for a short walk to a vantage point to view Thabana Ntlenyana, the highest peak in Southern Africa at 3482 meters. Continue on to Mokhotlong via the stunningly beautiful Sehonghong Valley and stop at 10 Riverside for an ethnic Basotho experience, including a visit to the Ngaka, a traditional healer, and the artifact house. Afterward, go to Mokhotlong for dinner and your overnight stay. Day Two:  After breakfast, drive through Mokhotlong, which was once billed as the most remote village in the British Empire. Stop for a short walk down the main road to view the rare Spiral Aloe, the National plant of Lesotho. Travel to St James Mission to see the fascinating ceiling of their church. Drive back up the Sehonghong Valley, looking for the rare Bearded Vulture on the route. Reach Sani Top and go for lunch at the Sani Top Chalet before descending the Sani Pass back to Underberg.

On this tour, you will experience all that a standard Sani Pass tour offers plus the trip to Makhapung, a small Basotho village deep in the highlands of Lesotho. From Sani Top, cross the Sani Plateau before climbing the Black Mountain Pass (3240 meters). From here you can see Thabana Ntlenyana (the highest point in Southern Africa). Then head down the Sehonghong Valley, past Highland Basotho villages and on to Makhapung. The Makhapung living village is untainted and retains all its cultures and traditions. This trip offers a real insight into the lives of the Basotho nation. Have a completely unique experience and support this sustainable tourism project. Visit the resident traditional healer, observe a unique song and dance routine, and a secret ceremonial dance. Interact and have lunch with the villagers. 

Throughout this tour, you will enjoy all that the Sani Pass has to offer, including a trip to Makhapung, which is a small Basotho village deep in the highlands of Lesotho. This is your chance to experience the Sani Pass, Lesotho highlands, Basotho cultures and a visit to the remote trading town of Mokhotlong. You will overnight at the Principal Chief of Motkhotlong’s house, which is home to the Queen Regent ‘Mants’ebo Amelia Seeiso, the first and only woman to ever rule Lesotho. The "kingdom in the sky" provides spectacular mountain scenery, and a chance to experience the simplicity of a civilization of mountain people. This is an opportunity to explore nature still little changed by man, and unspoiled by crowds of tourists.