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Trails & passes

40 routes, from booked eco trails in national parks to public gravel passes. A grade appears only where the operator publishes one.

Read the trail-grading guide

Gravel road of the Swartberg Pass curving between mountain ridges in low evening light — Swartberg Pass (R328), Western Cape. Photo: LouisOelofse, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Credits

40 routes

2528DC4x4 KungwiniBronkhorstspruit Dam (eastern Magaliesberg), GautengA driver-training venue on a farm bordering Bronkhorstspruit Dam, about half an hour from Pretoria. Its academy track has a series of obstacle courses…4x4 training track and trails
2820CBAugrabies Falls 4x4 TrailAugrabies Falls National Park, Northern CapeAugrabies Falls National Park has a self-guided 4x4 trail of about 30 km. SANParks requires at least two 4x4 vehicles to travel together on it. No…4x4 route30 km
3324DABaviaanskloof (R332) Wilderness DriveBaviaanskloof, Eastern CapeThe R332 runs through the Baviaanskloof World Heritage Site, between Patensie in the east and Willowmore in the west, and ECPTA promotes the…Overland routePermit required
3325ADBedrogfontein 4x4 TrailAddo Elephant National Park (Kabouga to Darlington), Eastern CapeA one-way, self-driven route from the Kabouga section of Addo Elephant National Park north to the Darlington area. It crosses riverine thicket,…4x4 routeGrade: 2-345 km
2731CABivane 4x4 TrailIthala Game Reserve, KwaZulu-NatalThe main 4x4 challenge in Ithala Game Reserve, an out-and-back track that starts near the park offices in the north-west of the reserve, close to…4x4 trail
2929DABucklands PassLotheni Road, Southern Drakensberg foothills, KwaZulu-NatalAn 11.8 km gravel pass on the Lotheni Road between Nottingham Road and Himeville, dropping into the Mkomazi River valley and climbing out again.…Mountain pass11.8 km
2828CACamelroc 4x4 TrackEastern Free State (Caledonspoort), Free StateA 6 km off-road track across Camelroc Guest Farm outside Fouriesburg, on the Lesotho border. Visitors can drive it in their own vehicle for a small…4x4 route6 km
3017BBCaracal Eco RouteNamaqua National Park, Northern CapeA self-drive route from the Skilpad section of Namaqua National Park down the Soebatsfontein pass, across the Namaqua flatlands and onto the coast,…4x4 routeGrade: Easy to moderate176 km
2527DBDe Wildt 4x4 RoutesMagaliesberg (De Wildt), North WestThree self-drive routes through a game park at the foot of the Magaliesberg: a 10 km Green route for standard 4x4s, a 7.8 km Red Extreme route for…Self-drive 4x4 trail10 km
3320CAGecko Rock Seattle 4x4 TrailNougaspoort Valley, Karoo (near Touws River), Western CapeThe main 4x4 route on Gecko Rock Private Nature Reserve, about 25 km from Touws River, named after Chief Seattle. It runs over sand, gravel and rock…4x4 trail9 km
2528CCGroenkloof 4x4 TrailGroenkloof Nature Reserve (Pretoria), GautengA self-drive circular route through Groenkloof Nature Reserve on the southern edge of Pretoria, often described as Africa's first proclaimed game…4x4 trail14 km
2528CCHennops Offroad Trail (Zonkie Trail)Hennops River valley (R511), GautengA self-drive obstacle trail on a family farm in the Hennops valley, off the R511 about 30 km from Pretoria and Fourways. Mud holes, steep rocky…Self-drive 4x4 trailGrade: 2-49 km
3225BAJuriesdam 4x4 TrailMountain Zebra National Park, Eastern CapeA 10 km loop that starts and ends on the main entrance road into Mountain Zebra National Park and explores the park's eastern plateau. SANParks calls…4x4 routeGrade: Relatively easy10 km
2526DBKaree Krans 4x4 TrailsRustenburg / Koster, North WestThree marked natural trails, about 10.4 km in total, over the hills, kloofs and streams of a game farm outside Rustenburg. The 36 obstacles run from…Self-drive 4x4 trailGrade: 2-510.4 km
3224ABKoedoeskloof 4x4 TrailCamdeboo National Park, Eastern CapeA mountain trail in Camdeboo National Park that climbs to the top of the Winterhoek area, where a picnic table marks the turning point. SANParks…4x4 routeGrade: 3 to 4
2632DDKosi Bay Sand and Bush TracksMaputaland (iSimangaliso, Kosi Bay), KwaZulu-NatalSelf-drive day trips on sand and bush tracks from the Kosi Bay area to remote beaches such as Black Rock and Lala Nek. Kosi Bay Casitas advises taking…4x4 routePermit required
2531BDLebombo Eco TrailKruger National Park (eastern boundary), MpumalangaA guided, self-catering overland trail along the Kruger's eastern boundary on the Lebombo hills, from Crocodile Bridge in the south to Pafuri in the…4x4 eco trail500 km
2620BCLeeudril 4x4 LoopKgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Northern CapeA short, one-way dune trail north of Twee Rivieren that passes the Gemsbok windmill, starting north of the Leeuwdril waterhole and ending at the…4x4 route13 km
3319DBLeeuwenboschfontein 4x4 Mountain TrailNougaspoort, between Touws River, De Doorns and Montagu, Western CapeA circular 20 km mountain trail on a guest farm off the R318 Nougaspoort road, the last 12 km on gravel. It starts at the main house, crosses…4x4 trailGrade: Mostly 3, some obstacles around 4 (operator)20 km
2531ABMadlabantu 4x4 Adventure TrailKruger National Park (Pretoriuskop area), MpumalangaA day 4x4 route in the south-west of the Kruger National Park, booked at and starting from Pretoriuskop Rest Camp. It runs for about 42 km through…4x4 trail42 km
2331CCMafunyane Eco TrailKruger National Park (north-west), LimpopoA guided, self-catering trail through the north-western Kruger between the Olifants and Luvuvhu rivers. It leaves Phalaborwa Gate on Thursday at noon…4x4 eco trail270 km
2331CCMalopeni Overnight Eco TrailKruger National Park (Phalaborwa area), LimpopoA guided overnight trail on management roads north-east of Phalaborwa Gate, up to the Letaba River. A SANParks guide leads up to five vehicles with…4x4 eco trail71 km
2431BDMananga 4x4 Adventure TrailKruger National Park (Satara area), MpumalangaA self-drive adventure trail that starts 11 km from Satara, heads north and then east into knob thorn and marula savanna, where SANParks says to…4x4 route48 km
2427BCMarakele 4x4 Eco TrailMarakele National Park (Waterberg), LimpopoA guided trail along the management tracks on the eastern boundary of Marakele National Park, on top of the Waterberg. SANParks calls it strictly a…4x4 eco trailGrade: Level 3 to 5
2620BCNossob 4x4 Eco TrailKgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Northern CapeA guided trail through the Kalahari dunes between Twee Rivieren and Nossob, departing on Mondays and finishing on Thursdays. It starts from Twee…4x4 eco trail214 km
3222ADNuweveld 4x4 TrailKaroo National Park, Western CapeA circular 4x4 route that branches west off the Potlekkertjie Loop in Karoo National Park and returns to the rest camp. The round trip via Embizweni…4x4 route91 km
2828CBOld Mill Drift Farm 4x4 TrailsEastern Free State (Caledon River, between Clarens and Fouriesburg), Free StateA set of shorter routes on and around Old Mill Drift. Pilgrims Rest (level 2) is an easy scenic run east across five farms to a picnic spot before a…4x4 trailGrade: Level 2 to 5 (varies by route)
2828CBOld Mill Drift Mountain Pass 4x4 RouteEastern Free State (Old Mill Drift to Rebellie, Bokpoort and Clarens), Free StateThe longest of the routes run from Old Mill Drift. It climbs over the mountain from the farm to Rebellie, continues past Bokpoort to the R712, and…4x4 routeGrade: Level 4 (operator also describes it as grade 3/4)45 km
2430AAOrrie Baragwanath PassLekgalameetse Nature Reserve (northern Drakensberg), LimpopoA rough mountain crossing between Ofcolaco and Lebowakgomo through Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve, paved on its steep eastern climb and unpaved on the…Mountain pass30 km
3222ADPienaars Pass TrailKaroo National Park, Western CapeA short 4x4 route in Karoo National Park that climbs to the park's middle plateau. SANParks describes it as the first route of its kind in its parks,…4x4 routeGrade: Challenging, not for beginners6 km
2527DAPiesangkloof 4x4 TrailsMagaliesberg / Hartbeespoort, North WestTwo rocky, technical trails in the Magaliesberg foothills on the old Rustenburg road (R104), about 15 km from Hartbeespoort, with views over the dam.…Technical 4x4 trailGrade: 3-5
2527DDProtea 4x4 Training Ground (Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve)Cradle of Humankind (Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve), GautengAn off-road driver-training facility run by Protea 4x4 on natural terrain inside the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve near Kromdraai, about 30 minutes from…4x4 training venue
2828CBRebellie Mountain 4x4 TrailEastern Free State (between Clarens and Golden Gate), Free StateA self-drive trail on a game farm between Clarens and Golden Gate Highlands National Park, at about 2,000 m. The Mountain Trail is graded 3 to 5, with…4x4 routeGrade: 3 to 532 km
2529DBRibbokkloof 4x4 TrailCultural Heartland (Middelburg district), MpumalangaA farm 4x4 trail on Ribbokkloof, a holiday and cattle farm off the R555 north of Middelburg. It combines a 3 km riverbed obstacle section with a 27 km…4x4 trailGrade: 2-427 km
2929CBSani PassSouthern Drakensberg (Lesotho border), KwaZulu-NatalThe only road over the Drakensberg escarpment into Lesotho, climbing through steep hairpins from the South African border post to the Lesotho border…Overland route8 km
3225ABSonnenrust 4x4 TrailMountain Zebra National Park, Eastern CapeA 14.2 km trail in the north-west of Mountain Zebra National Park, from the Ubejane Loop to the link road that joins the Ubejane and Rooiplaat loops.…4x4 routeGrade: Relatively easy14.2 km
3322ACSwartberg 4x4 RouteSwartberg Nature Reserve, Western CapeA 25.6 km out-and-back 4x4 route that starts at the top of the Swartberg Pass, just past Die Top, and runs south-east along the crest of the Swartberg…4x4 route25.6 km
2627BBSyringa Park 4x4 ParadiseMuldersdrift (West Rand), GautengPurpose-built off-road routes at Syringa Park on the Avianto Estate in Muldersdrift, ranging from beginner training areas and a scenic perimeter route…4x4 training park
3225ABUmngeni 4x4 TrailMountain Zebra National Park, Eastern CapeThe most demanding of three short 4x4 trails in Mountain Zebra National Park. It starts on the main entrance road just north-west of the rest camp and…4x4 routeGrade: More challenging (than the park's Juriesdam and Sonnenrust trails)8 km
3321DBZebra Crossing 4x4 RouteGamkaberg Nature Reserve (Klein Karoo), Western CapeAn out-and-back route from the Gamkaberg reserve office up onto the plateau, where most of the reserve's herd animals graze. CapeNature calls it…4x4 routeGrade: Moderate16 km