Heuningneskloof Pass

About Heuningneskloof Pass

Heuningneskloof Pass makes its way onto dangerousroad.org, which means that those who venture along its twists and turns are of the more intrepid ilk. The pass lies in one of the most remote region of the Eastern Cape Highlands, roughly 30 km east of Barkly East, and will take you roughly two-and-a-half hours to complete in your bakkie or 4x4.

Did you know? Whilst Heuningneskloof is not one of the 8 Passes Challenge, you won’t want to attempt the drive in anything resembling an ordinary 2x4. Besides, it takes a fair amount of sleuthful navigation to find the pass, let alone drive it.

To reach the pass leave Barkly East on the tarred R58 west of town for just over 10 km. You need to look out for the right onto the R396 that makes a loop back over the R58 to head in a southerly direction (sometimes snow falls in this area during winter). 6 km or so later you reach an L-shaped dam on the right side of the road and a fork in the road.

Turn right, remaining on the R396 for another 5 km or so, where one again turns right at a fork. This road connects one with Heuningskloof provided you stick to the road, foregoing any forks. You will know you are almost at the start of the kloof when you tackle a seriously sharp left bend that takes you in the opposite direction, just under 15 km later.

Heuningneskloof is well marked on Google maps. If you do a search connecting the R396 to Heuningneskloof it will map the route for you.

Driving the pass: The pass is a there and back route through the isolated, remote highland valley along which a tributary of the Kraai River flows. The route passes the Heuningnes farm en route before meeting the confluence of the Kraai River in a horseshoe shape, in a cul de sac.

Because the pass is alongside the river, there are at least eight low-level river crossings. Most of the road is along jeep track and, as a result, one drives really slowly. But this pass is not about speed. Rather it is about the incredible scenery, along the banks of a curved, meandering river.