The SA side of the border post is 33 km from the scenic town of Himeville. The first 21 km is on a newly built tarred road in perfect condition, followed by 12 km gravel road that gives you just a feeling of the pass which is about to follow. Once you have stamped your passport at the SA border post, the last 9 km of the actual Sani pass starts towards the top where the Lesotho border post is situated. There were rumours that this part of the pass will also be tarred, but for now it is not. Up to 40 4x4 vehicles from tourist operators ascent and decent the pass daily. The gravel road is well maintained and most 4x4 vehicles will have no problems to reach the top. There are steep sections and sharp bends, but the unsurpassed scenery will remain in your mind for a long time.
Once you reach the top at an altitude of 2880 meters, you have to visit the Lesotho border post to get your passport stamped and pay a R30 toll fee. You are then free to visit the highest pub in Africa (200 meters away) and celebrate the experience before attempting the decent.
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| The new tar road leading to Sani Pass |
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| The gravel road before the SA border post |
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| The SA border post before the start of the real Sani Pass |
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| The Lesotho border post at the top of the Sani Pass |
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| View from the top on a cloudy day |
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| A scenic decent |