Sani Pass Lodge (South Africa) : towards the Drakensberg

S 29º 39.717’ E 029º 27.362’ (elevation: 1554m)
By the time we were packed and ready to leave, thick clouds had already built up and seemed ready for their usual afternoon discharge making us think twice about leaving. Heading inland through the “Thousand Hills” was impressive on the wide freeway (as last seen in Morocco) which connects South Africa’s busiest port with the country’s industrial and commercial heartland around Johannesburg: Many huge trucks, a deep green landscape and the low black clouds, now close enough to touch. Things brightened up once on the smaller country roads and the massif of the Drakensberg entered the panorama. We treated ourselves to homemade scones at a countryside teahouse in the pretty landscape. And then another treat: a few kilometres of good gravel road before arriving at the Sani Lodge beautifully set at the foot of the berg. The Lodge was quite busy, but during the day it was quiet when everyone was out doing some sort of activity. Our activity was to enjoy just being there. From here it’s a short but steep ride up the San Pass (four wheel-drives only) into Lesotho. At the top of the pass (2874 metres above sea level) we were at the edge of a plateau of sorts and the strong, cold wind blew us straight into Africa’s highest (and probably most expensive!) pub. As we sipped our hot drinks we knew that our decision not to cross Lesotho in favour of travelling around the eastern side of the Drakensberg had been a good one.