Neil's been trying to fit in a trip to Sani Pass before it's tarred all the way. The Chinese have tarred the road from Sani Top to Afriski already.
They are busy surveying on the South African side now.
As I write, even I am amazed at what we manage to fit into this traveling lifestyle of ours. One day after returning to Joburg from Kruger, I had knee surgery; just an arthroscopy and ten days later I'm enjoying my own creation - Khalua hot chocolate - in the highest pub in Africa at Sani Top Chalets! Safe to say it was our trusty old Hilux bakkie that has now done over 320 000 kms that got me to the top; no hiking or cycling was involved.
We met Tracy in Himeville. Sadly, the old Himeville Arms Hotel is a bit jaded these days but the chef did do a pretty good curry. The South African side of the border is below Sani Pass and the Lesotho border is cleared at the summit. It's a hair-raising 4x4 trip, especially the last zig- zag bends and especially in bad weather. The views of the Drakensberg mountains are spectacular. For early September it is freezing cold up there. We loved the cozy pub at the top, which has an extensive wine collection and pretty good set menu for dinner. Their soups are legendary but who wouldn't rate soup in that weather. The chalets are lovely and cosy with log fires. Best you shower in the evening because there's no water in the morning due to freezing pipes overnight. Nothing a full English breakfast can't cure though.
We drove from Sani to Khatse Dam along some pretty bad roads and through some of the most rural and isolated communities you will find anywhere in Southern Africa. The landscape was very dry and arid but the peach trees that have been planted at all the homesteads were flowering a beautiful pink.
The Khatse Dam itself is an engineering marvel but the hotel is like a varsity res circa 80s, old South Africa style; face brick and Marley tile.
The next day we drove all the way down to Ramabanta Trading Post Lodge, a beautiful little guesthouse near Baboon Pass and a staging point for the Roof of Africa Rally. We didn't do the legendary 25km pass which serious 4x4 enthusiasts take anything from 5 to 10 plus hours to complete.
On day 4 we circumnavigated Northern Lesotho via Maseru and Oxbow Lodge and back to Sani Top for another round of hot chocolate, wine and home- style cooking.
The next day it was back down Sani Pass to Himeville to drop Tracy off and head back to Joburg.
They are busy surveying on the South African side now.
As I write, even I am amazed at what we manage to fit into this traveling lifestyle of ours. One day after returning to Joburg from Kruger, I had knee surgery; just an arthroscopy and ten days later I'm enjoying my own creation - Khalua hot chocolate - in the highest pub in Africa at Sani Top Chalets! Safe to say it was our trusty old Hilux bakkie that has now done over 320 000 kms that got me to the top; no hiking or cycling was involved.
We met Tracy in Himeville. Sadly, the old Himeville Arms Hotel is a bit jaded these days but the chef did do a pretty good curry. The South African side of the border is below Sani Pass and the Lesotho border is cleared at the summit. It's a hair-raising 4x4 trip, especially the last zig- zag bends and especially in bad weather. The views of the Drakensberg mountains are spectacular. For early September it is freezing cold up there. We loved the cozy pub at the top, which has an extensive wine collection and pretty good set menu for dinner. Their soups are legendary but who wouldn't rate soup in that weather. The chalets are lovely and cosy with log fires. Best you shower in the evening because there's no water in the morning due to freezing pipes overnight. Nothing a full English breakfast can't cure though.
Sani Pass
Highest Pub in AfricaThe Khatse Dam itself is an engineering marvel but the hotel is like a varsity res circa 80s, old South Africa style; face brick and Marley tile.
Chasing to Khatse before sunset
Khatse
At Ramabanta Lodge, Baby it's cold outside...
The next day it was back down Sani Pass to Himeville to drop Tracy off and head back to Joburg.
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