Oliviershoek Pass

Afrikaans name: Oliviershoekpas

Above - Looking down on Woodstock Dam from Oliviershoek Pass

Photo © Steven Herbert

KwaZulu-Natal

Oliviershoek Pass is a 17 km stretch of road that takes you over the Drakensberg Mountains from KwaZulu-Natal to the Free State.

The highest point of the pass is 1,742 metres.

In recent years the tar road had become badly pot-holed but extensive repairs have been done making it a viable option again.

The road takes you through the Drakensburg Mountains and offers many scenic views, especially those where you can stop and look down on the lower lying areas around the town of Bergville.

On a dirt road, which may or may not be signposted, you will find a bronze statue of a woman known as the “Kaalvoet Vrou” which means “bare-foot woman.” This statue pays tribute to the boer women who threatened to walk back over the Drakensberg after the British annexed Natalia in 1843.

Van Reenen's Pass is the commonly used pass between KwaZulu-Natal and Free State but that road is busy, particularly with trucks, and Oliviershoek Pass offers a more leisurely trip.

What do you think of Oliviershoek Pass?

Photo © Steven Herbert

Above - Drakensburg Mountains

References and further reading

Readers Digest Illustrated Guide to Southern Africa - 4th edition - Author: - Published: 1986 - Page: 384

Road Tripping South Africa - Author: MapStudio - Published: 2014 - Page: 112

Conollys Guide to Southern Africa - 2nd edition - Author: Denis Conolly - Published: 1982 - Page: 246

Mountain Passes South Africa

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