Outeniqua Pass

About Outeniqua Pass

Think of famous passes in the Western Cape and the Outeniqua Pass easily vies for top position. It is modern, easy to drive, and promises sweeping views and scenery to compete with the best of them.

Did you know? Some of the viewpoints include picnic spots - worth planning a picnic ahead of time.

Outeniqua Pass lies north of George on the national road that cuts through the Outeniqua Mountains, connecting George and the Garden Route with Oudtshoorn and the Little Karoo.

Built in 1951 it has since had several facelifts to widen and modernise the road and allow for the stream of traffic between the two towns. The pass seldom closes, as a result, although the odd rockfall does occur and the higher reaches of the pass tend to attract mist and rainfall and can mean that the summit gets a little dangerous occasionally.

That said the drive is an indescribable experience to those grateful for regular view sites and breathtaking views. From one of these, on a clear day, one is able to identify four passes in the area and overlook George with the sea in the distance.

Tip: If possible drive the route from the Oudtshoorn end as most of the view sites tend to be on that side of the road, making stopping more difficult in the other direction.

The north end of the Outeniqua pass leaves the hop-growing edge of the Little Karoo, immediately climbing in a series of S-bends that easily reach the summit after a couple of kilometres.

From the top it begins to descend in a beautiful series of curves that provide views the whole way down. Look out for waterfalls on the mountainside and the rest stops for views, particularly the 4 Passes viewpoint - a bronze plaque gives you their names and a brief history of each of them.