A scenic paved road to Tradouw Pass in South Africa
South Africa, africa
17.2 km
352 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, road trip lovers, listen up! You HAVE to add Tradouw Pass to your South African bucket list. Nestled in the Western Cape Province, about halfway between Swellendam and Heidelberg within the Gatplaats Nature Reserve, this baby clocks in at 17.2 km (10.68 miles) of pure driving bliss.
"Tradouw" apparently means "the way of the women" in the old Khoi language – cool, right? This incredible pass, also known as Tradouws Pass, climbs up to 352m (1,154ft), and you'll feel every meter with some seriously steep sections hitting a 10% gradient!
Think winding, paved roads (thanks to a revamp in 1979) carved right into the stunning mountain scenery. We're talking about Sir Thomas Bain masterpiece levels of road building here. Built with the help of prisoners between 1869 and 1873, this is one of thirteen passes he built! There are viewpoints galore with dedicated parking areas. Trust me, you'll want to pull over and soak it all in! Aim for a clear day to really maximize those breathtaking views. Seriously, this north-south route from Barrydale to the R322 is a must-do!
Where is it?
A scenic paved road to Tradouw Pass in South Africa is located in South Africa (africa). Coordinates: -30.5616, 22.2947
Road Details
- Country
- South Africa
- Continent
- africa
- Length
- 17.2 km
- Max Elevation
- 352 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- -30.5616, 22.2947
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