Summit of Naude's Nek
After overcoming the obstacle of Lundin's Nek and ascending to the crest of Naude's Nek, we made our way to Tenahead Lodge for the night. The next day, after descending the pass and travelling to Mount Fletcher and Matatiele, we would run across the Southern Berg foothills to Midmar Dam and finish our adventure in Hilton.
Located in the mountains not far from the peak of Naude's Nek, the 5-star Tenahead Lodge is 2 500 metres above sea level and is known as Africa's highest mountain lodge. With stunning views and a warm, comfortable ambiance, a good night's sleep allowed us to wake up rested and ready for day two of our tour.
Sorento's Hill Adventure
After admiring the beautiful views from Naude's Nek, we began our descent, giving us the chance to effectively utilize the Sorento's hill descent control.
Choosing the best route through the stones and ruts by merely accelerating or stopping at a speed appropriate for the incline and road conditions reduced driver input to little more than that.A few kilometers from the base of the pass, we arrived at the farm Vrederus, which is still managed by the brothers Naude who built the first pass roughly 130 years ago.
Traditional hospitality included a variety of delicious home-baked refreshments and a quick historical lecture about this pioneering family's background. We quickly found ourselves back on the R396 in the direction of Maclear, which is now Nqanqarhu, before taking the shortest route to Mt. Fletcher.
Road to Matatiele
I turned onto the tarred R56 and proceeded on toward Matatiele; the speed altered; the route now carries a noticeably higher traffic flow as it passes various communities and rural homesteads. We left Matatiele and drove straight for Swartberg before joining the R617, which runs from Kokstad via Underberg and Bulwer before joining the N3 at Howick. It was time for one final lap on gravel.
As it travels through the southern Drakensberg foothills, it gives views of the Sani Pass and other peaks, making it without a doubt one of the most picturesque roads in SA. Although it is currently considerably busier than it previously was and necessitates quick reflexes to avoid the potholes, it also provides access to a variety of resorts and tranquil retreats in this lovely spot.
Part Two of the Kia Sorento Adventure
Over the course of two days, we covered almost 1000 miles on various types of roads, including national highways, regional roads with potholes, a variety of gravel roads, and some that hardly classified as roads at all. Then, all too soon, we reached Hilton, where we were headed. The Sorento proved to be a great travelling companion, smooth and comfy with enough agility to avoid potholes and comfortably exceeded 8,0 L/100 km during the trip. It earned its stripes on the rougher roads and showed that it was a fantastic all-around family SUV.
