Fetcani Pass, Eastern Cape

There are many Mountain Passes in the Highlands of the Eastern Cape and Fetcani Pass is no exception, functioning as a passage between other more strapping Mountain Passes. When you're on your way to Rhodes and heading for the major gravel Passes in this Mountainous Part, of the Eastern Cape. This is the first little Pass that gets you off the R 58 Main Route and into the remoter part of the Southern Drakensberg. (From here you won't see tar again for a long time!) The 5,7 km Long Pass, which is of moderate Length, has an equally moderate Altitude Variance, of 156 m. The steepest parts are at a 1:9 ratio and should present no problems for any type of Vehicle in fair Weather. However, with a Summit Altitude of 2088 m, this Pass is regularly smothered under a thick blanket of snow, and it's best avoided under those circumstances, (After heavy Rain, the Road is slippery, requiring 4 Wheel Drive)! Fetcani Pass, begins a little after the Summit of the remarkable Barkley Pass, on the tarred R 58 Route out of Elliot. You will need to turn Right onto the gravel R 393 just after the Road passes, the Mountain Shadows Hotel to find the start of the pass, roughly only about 1 km later! Also known as the Mfecane Pass, Fetcani doesn’t even measure on the Richter scale of Mountain Passes when compared to other Passes in the Vicinity, (the eight Passes of the Cape Highlands). Thereafter the Road, immediately descends steeply into the next Valley, continuing on its Westerly course. Before you know it, the Pass is over and the turn-off to Bastervoetslaan Pass on the Road just North of it just a reminder that the area is 4X4 Country! Bastervoetslaan is one of the most notorious Passes around Rhodes, and the only one of the eight that is, without exception this is a high clearance Pass, that needs expert navigation to complete! If you continue on the R 393 you come too, Lundin’s Nek Pass! Which is on the Right-hand Fork to Rhodes. Lundin’s Nek lies 70 km, after the Fetcani Pass.