Baviaanskloof Pass — Nuwekloof Gateway Narrows Viewpoint

Nuwekloof — literally ‘new ravine’ — marks the eastern entrance to the Baviaanskloof Wilderness Route where the road threads through a tight sandstone gorge dropping off the Kouga Mountains. The cliffs press in close, the river crosses the track multiple times, and the scale of the canyon walls makes it immediately clear you’re entering serious country. This is where the tar ends and the real road begins — a natural waypoint to check tyre pressures, recovery gear, and water supply before committing to the reserve’s 200-plus kilometre interior.

Access from the Patensie side is via the R332. The gorge road is single-lane and rocky in sections — high-clearance 4WD is essential when the river is running. After heavy rain the crossings can rise quickly; always check with Eastern Cape Parks before entry. Cell signal disappears almost immediately once you enter the kloof. Fuel up in Patensie — there’s nothing inside.

Where the tar ends and the kloof swallows you.