Montagu Mountain Passes

We think that Montagu has more mountain passes than any other town. If you know one with more, keep quiet, we do not like to be upset before a tea break! If you would like to subscribe to the site which these are based upon, details are at the end of Montagu's 16 passes / 23 videos / 2 hours of watching. Put on the kettle and click on the links below-enjoy.

Most of the passes can be done in a normal car. If you haven't got a car, sit back and enjoy the videos of Montagu and save on petrol and appreciate the research which has gone into each video. If you have a mountain bike you can get maps of routes around Montagu and many go through these passes.

If you know of any more passes around Montagu-please tell us and we'll get Mountain Passes South Africa to come and film them. We are sure there are 4 or 5 we have missed. If you own accommodation in Montagu-consider adding the link to your site, offer or confirmation letter and it may encourage guests to stay longer and enjoy our area.

PATATSFONTEIN-PIETERSFONTEIN-DOORNKLOOF

These three sets of passes are in the Pietersfontein area. If you haven't got a 4x4 consider doing the Pietersfontein pass and up to the top of Doornkloof, turn around at the top and then do the start of the Patatsfontein pass but at the turn off to the right you have 2 options

Carry on the main road for 3 kms and buy some trout and return the same way or just park up and walk in to the right, over the dry river bed, do not take the right to Patatsfontein, carry on for 200m and see a beautiful water pool with stunning mountains to the north. The main thing here is the smell of the herbs and renosterbos.
Another nice side trip is to take a left just after you cross the river and drive to the dam wall. The easiest viewing is on the left hand side. The right hand side could result in wet legs and there are three times as many stairs (235 at the last count!), but from this side it is only 5 km to Pietersfontein by foot? On a mountain bike it is stunning into Pieterfontein and back via Patatsfontein

Patatsfontein Pass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSW9ECcwWO8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Sr09Hom2kg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ugb3XZa2lQ

Pietersfontein Pass (P1392)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bDTzmka-r8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AQP_iCVPhM

Doornkloof Pass (P1392)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRvnk3mPf04

Joubertspoort (Linking R318 with the Ouberg Pass road)

JOUBERTSPOORT

If you have ever wondered what would happen if you passed the golf course/old brick factory and went straight on? Joubertspoort is just after Ashbury. You will see where clay was mined for the brick yard, and some historic houses and you can drive to the top. To go over the top to the Ouberg Pass you need a 4x4 or after 600m you will be stuck. Walk back to the summit and you get mobile reception.
For mountain bikers using the Montagu map-the three videos are the second part of you ride. Stop at the summit and then enjoy 15 km of down hill riding.
The hill is great, but the best part is clapping the outstretched hands of the kids. It's a South African thing:

Joubertspoort

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VECZ63PjJ1M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr8-IiTlO1w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UJ64lAIc-o

Route 62 and a side-trip

R62-COGMANSKLOOF-The west entrance into Montagu on Route 62; Look out for the happy faces of the flag wavers

Cogmanskloof Pass (R62) V3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGL7tzrbUa0&t=22s

R62-Wildehondskloofhoogte -The east entrance from Barrydale down into Montagu on Route 62

Wildehondskloofhoogte Pass (R62)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVtDoiW05uE

Poortjieskloof Pass (Side-Trip)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isi79cEPMs4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBlZZmSztYo

R318 and a side-trip

I prefer to travel down passes as you have a wider view in front of you-being a front seat passenger gives you the scope to not look just at the road ahead, but, to enjoy the scenery also the wife is a better driver-please don't tell her!

Burgers Pass / Koo Pass (R318) V3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSbQ9dr6BVw

I like the sign giving the altitude at the top of 1234m high.it has 5 bullet holes in it?
Rooihoogte Pass (Thomsons Pass) R318
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU1AdmHz_Q4

If a gentleman waves in a friendly manner-it is Jürgen... just shout "Hi Jürgen" and watch out for his bemused look!
Jürgen and I were discussing making the R318 a UFO route with a few staged instances like Jürgen dressed in a silver or white suit with flashing lights behind him, hoping a motorist would notice and report the strange creature (That's Jürgen ) and this would start off the UFO Route, but we suddenly realised that the farmer had one bullet left from the sign at 1234m and would possibly shoot him with the 6 th. We never took it further.

Ouberg Pass Road (3 Passes) (At 17kms right side pass Driekuilshoogte see below and 18kms left to Joubertspoort, see above)

Langkloof Poort (P0294) V3 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYlZRJJ_bpQ

Ouberg Pass (P0294)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAInOVaxMPU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK2m9-MDXjQ

Nougaspoort (P1411)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUmSbuQ4gEE

Driekuilshoogte (OP 06104)
At the end of the Langkloof just before the start of the Ouberg is a pass on the right to African Game farm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RukFZYgY04

Montagu's Sanbona Wildlife Reserve

Tilney Pass (Sanbona)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8Z9hNdgxEM

Sandfonteinspoort (Sanbona)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH_qqf1TIRk

If you appreciated the above, it is based on the work of Trygve Roberts
https://www.mountainpassessouthafrica.co.za

Mountain Passes South Africa
The website is dedicated to the research, documentation, photographing and filming of the mountain passes of South Africa. Passes are classified according to provinces and feature a text description, Fact File including GPS data, a fully interactive dual-view map and a narrated YouTube video.

Subscribe to the Site. Subscribe for only R300 a year (or R210 for 6 months), and get full access to the website including the videos, the full text of all mountain passes articles, fact-file, interactive map, directions and route files.