A scenic paved road to Katbakkies Pass

Katbakkies Pass is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.198m (3,930ft) above the sea level, located deep in the Swartruggens Mountains, in Western Cape, South Africa.

Katbakkies Pass

The road to the summit was recently tarred. Katbakkies means "Cat's Face" or "Car's boot". The road is very steep with an average gradient of 1/12 which will tax many an underpowered vehicle. The road is pretty narrow so drive slowly to enjoy the spectacular barren landscape. The views from the pass are unsurpassed and a photographer's dream, particularly the first lookout point. This area is also regarded as the southerly reaches of the Tanqua Karoo and bird life along here and further afield is a huge draw card.

The weather on this zone is harsh and highly unpredictable and it does not take much time for the bright sun shine to change over to moderate to heavy snow fall. A sudden drop in the temperature, even in summer, can trigger winter-like conditions. It experiences extreme temperatures with cold winters with snowfall and short hot summers. The snowfall during winter is the biggest tourist attraction of the area.
Pic: Jon Amira