Underberg is a small farming town in the foothills of the Southern Drakensberg, in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, and it is the last place of any size before the mountains. The little main street has a handful of shops, a pub, a few guesthouses and the scent of woodsmoke in the cool air, and above it all the Drakensberg escarpment rises in a wall of dark basalt. The district grows potatoes, apples and cattle, and the town has long served as a base for walkers and trout fishers.
It is best known as the starting point for the Sani Pass. The road, which climbs from Himeville and Underberg over the escarpment into Lesotho, is a gravel track that rises almost a thousand meters in about eight kilometers, with steep, loose hairpins and sheer drops. At the top lies the border post and the highest pub in Africa, at about 2,874 meters, which advertises itself with some pride. The pass was a smugglers' route and a mule track before it became a road in the 1950s, and it remains a challenging ride, especially in wet weather or after snowfall, when it can be closed. A capable adventure motorcycle and a confident rider can manage it in dry conditions, but the surface of rocks and ruts demands full attention.
Weather in the mountains changes quickly. Mist can form within minutes, snow can fall in winter and even on summer afternoons thunderstorms build over the escarpment. Temperatures at the top can be near freezing in the morning. The border post operates limited hours, and a passport is needed, so check the times before you go. Many riders leave early and return before dark.
The valley below the pass is good riding in its own right. Back roads around Underberg and Himeville wind through farmland and wetlands, and the views of the mountains are impressive, particularly in the light of late afternoon. Birdwatchers come for the rare wattled crane and bearded vulture, and trout streams run clear.
Underberg has a fuel station and basic supplies, and the nearby village of Himeville has a small museum and a pub. Fill up here before the climb, because there is nothing at the top beyond the lodge, and make sure your bike and tyres are ready for the rocks.