GET here by CAR from the Eastern & Western Cape
The Route From the Eastern and Western Cape

There are three options which can be used when traveling to Sani Lodge from the west. The choice of route will depend on exactly where you are coming from and what your interests are.

a) The Coastal Route:

Description of the Route: This route travels via the Main N2 road from Port Elizabeth via East London, Mthatha (used to be called Umtata) to Kokstad. The N2 is a busy road carrying lots of traffic. Watch out for animals wandering on the road as well as slow moving trucks and taxis. The road is windy and overtaking can be difficult. Turn left off the N2 at Kokstad. Follow the road right through the town and out the other side, this road then becomes the R617 via Swartberg to Underberg. This is a quiet and pleasant road to travel with great views. In the middle of Underberg, turn left at the Shell Garage on the road to Himeville. 5km will bring you to the village of Himeville, go straight through and carry on another 4km until you reach a four way junction where the tar road ends. Turn left here on to the Sani Pass road. (The signpost says “Sani Pass”.) This is a good quality dirt road. We are 10.5km along the Sani Pass road on the left hand side. If you reach Sani Pass Hotel, you have missed us – we are 1km before the hotel.



Places of Interest:

THE WILD COAST: There are a number of great backpacker hostels along the Wild Coast. This is a coast line which lives up to its name. Besides great beaches, Xhosa villages dot the hillsides, cliffs drop right down to the beach and there is even a waterfall falling directly into the sea. 

  • CHINTSA: Buccaneers Backpackers www.cintsa.com is just off the N2 north of East London
  • SOUTH OF COFFEE BAY : Bulungula www.bulungula.com is reached from the Coffee Bay road which branches off the N2 at Viedgesville, about 10km south of Mthatha
  • COFFEE BAY: is reached by the Coffee Bay road which branches off the N2 at Viedgesville, about 10km south of Mthatha. There are two well established backpacker hostels there:

TEAS AND LIGHT MEALS: Stop off at “The Farmhouse” for delicious teas and light meals, on the right side of the road at the Bushmans Nek turn off from the R617, about 30km before reaching Underberg.

UNDERBERG: This is our nearest town and a good place to stock up if you need to. Underberg Spar is on the main road about 100m before the Himeville turn off and is open daily from 7am to 7pm. Since we DO NOT have credit card facilities, Underberg is the last place to draw cash out from ATM’s which can be found at the First National and Standard Banks.

b) The Inland Route following the R56:

Description of the first part of the route: This route is a much quieter, easier and more pleasant road to drive than the N2. It makes sense to use this road if you are coming from the coast anywhere west of Grahamstown along the coast, or if you are using the inland route from the Karoo areas of Graaff-Reinet, Nieu Bethesda or Craddock. It is also the quickest and easiest route from Cape Town itself.

From Grahamstown: Take the R67 through Fort Beaufort to Queenstown.

From Cape Town: Take the N1 towards Johannesburg as far as Beaufort West. Then take the R61 to Aberdeen, turn north on to the N9 through Graaff-Reinet and on to the R61 turn off, then via Craddock to Queenstown on the R61.



Places of Interest:

HOGSBACK: A beautiful forested area in the Amatola Mountains with lots of hikes. Hogsback is just off the R67 route from Grahamstown to Queenstown.

NIEU BETHESDA: A small town located in a glade in a mountainous area of the Karoo, an arid region in the middle of southern Africa. Besides giving you a taste of a unique part of the country, Nieu Bethesda is also the home to an eclectic art culture based around the weird sculptures of Helen Maartens preserved in the museum of the Owl House.

MOUNTAIN ZEBRA NATIONAL PARK: This small park was originally set up in the 1950’s to preserve the last remaining survivors of the mountain zebra, a distinct species of zebra different from the usual plains zebra. It was successful in this and these more beautiful zebra can be seen plentifully in the park, as well as a range of other game including buffalo, black rhino, caracal and cheetah amid stunningly beautiful semi-desert mountain scenery. A small camp has rondavel accommodation and camping. www.sanparks.org

Description of the second part of the route: Once you have reached Queenstown from whichever starting point, take the R359 which is now a fully tarred road via Lady Frere and Cala to join the R56 a few kilometers west of the town of Elliot. Note that if coming from Elliot towards Queenstown, there is no sign at the turn off of the R359 towards Cala. The turn off is the first tar road turning off to the left, about 8km from Elliot. Continue along the R56 from Elliot via Ugie, Maclear, Mount Fletcher to Matatiele. The section between Maclear and Mount Fletcher is still shown as a dirt road on many maps, but was tarred a few years ago and is in good condition. Continue thorugh Matatiele towards Kokstad, and about 5km out of Matatiele, a dirt road turns off to the left to Swartberg. This is about 50km of good quality dirt road which joins the R617 to Underberg in the village of Swartberg. From there, continue on to Underberg. In the middle of Underberg, turn left at the Shell Garage on the road to Himeville. 5km will bring you to the village of Himeville, go straight through and carry on another 4km until you reach a four way junction where the tar road ends. Turn left here on to the Sani Pass road. (The signpost here is broken, but there is a sign to the left for the Underberg Polo Club.) This is a good quality dirt road. We are 10.5km along the Sani Pass road on the left hand side. If you reach Sani Pass Hotel, you have missed us – we are 1km before the hotel.

Places of interest:

TSITSA FALLS NEAR MACLEAR:
Visit “The Falls Backpackers”  www.tsitsafalls.com  Set near a beautiful waterfall, this backpackers also offer a variety of adventure activities.

MASAKALA VILLAGE NEAR MATATIELE:
Visit Masakala Community Guesthouse about 10km from Matatiele in a rural villages. A stay here will give you an idea of rural life in a mixed community of Xhosa, Sotho and Phuti people. Website: www.mehloding.co.za

TEAS AND LIGHT MEALS: Stop off at “The Farmhouse” for delicious teas and light meals, on the right side of the road at the Bushmans Nek turn off from the R617, about 30km before reaching Underberg.

UNDERBERG: This is our nearest town and a good place to stock up if you need to. Underberg Spar is on the main road about 100m before the Himeville turn off and is open daily from 7am to 7pm. Since we DO NOT have credit card facilities, Underberg is the last place to draw cash out from ATM’s which can be found at the First National and Standard Banks.

c) The Route via Southern Lesotho:

Description of the Route: This road through Lesotho is fully tarred and offers a much more adventurous way to travel to Sani Lodge. The road to enter Lesotho if you are traveling from the Karoo or the Free State in via Sterkspruit and the Tele Bridge border crossing. 10km of good dirt road will bring you from the border crossing to the main tar road north of Quthing (also called Moyeni). Follow the road past Quthing and on to Mt. Moorosi. This section of the road follows the spectacular valley of the Senqu River. After Mt. Moorosi, the road climbs high into the mountains before dropping down into the Senqu valley for the last section of the trip. Finally, the road climbs up to the border town of Qachas Nek. After crossing back into South Africa, a good quality dirt road takes you 34km to the town of Matatiele. Turn left when you reach the R56, and follow the road 5km out of Matatiele towards Kokstad where a dirt road turns off to the left to Swartberg. This is about 50km of good quality dirt road which joins the R617 to Underberg in the village of Swartberg. From there, continue on to Underberg. In the middle of Underberg, turn left at the Shell Garage on the road to Himeville. 5km will bring you to the village of Himeville, go straight through and carry on another 4km until you reach a four way junction where the tar road ends. Turn left here on to the Sani Pass road. (The signpost says “Sani Pass”.) This is a good quality dirt road. We are 10.5km along the Sani Pass road on the left hand side. If you reach Sani Pass Hotel, you have missed us – we are 1km before the hotel.



Places of Interest:

MASITISE CAVE HOUSE: between The Tele Bridge turn off and Quthing. This is an interesting house built in a large sandstone overhang by the missionary Ellenberger in the late 1800’s. It is now an interesting site museum.

DINOSAUR FOOTPRINTS: Just out of Quthing on the road to Mt. Moorosi. See dinosaur footprints in the rock.

MT. MOOROSI: A historic battle site where the Phuti Chief Moorosi held off the British forces for 8 months. Stay at Moorosi Chalets www.malealeatours.com to explore the area or just as a useful overnight half-way stop off.

QACHAS NEK: If you need accommodation here, stay at Letloepe Lodge www.letloepelodge.co.ls

MASAKALA VILLAGE NEAR MATATIELE: Visit Masakala Community Guesthouse about 10km from Matatiele in a rural villages. A stay here will give you an idea of rural life in a mixed community of Xhosa, Sotho and Phuti people. www.mehloding.co.za

TEAS AND LIGHT MEALS: Stop off at “The Farmhouse” for delicious teas and light meals, on the right side of the road at the Bushmans Nek turn off from the R617, about 30km before reaching Underberg.

UNDERBERG: This is our nearest town and a good place to stock up if you need to. Underberg Spar is on the main road about 100m before the Himeville turn off and is open daily from 7am to 7pm. Since we DO NOT have credit card facilities, Underberg is the last place to draw cash out from ATM’s which can be found at the First National and Standard Banks.