Adventure along the R332 Road

Located in the heart of the Eastern Cape, in South Africa, the R332 Road is a real adventure. Mostly a single lane gravel road this is a beautiful area but drive slowly and carefully. It should be driven only by a 4x4.

The road is totally unpaved. It’s 171 km (106 miles) long, running east-west from Willowmore to Andrieskraal via Studtis. The track crosses the Baviaans River ten times. River crossings should never be taken lightly. Possibly passable with a 2WD vehicle if the water is not deep. Note that the water levels change drastically when it rains. Plan 5 hours to complete the drive without any stop.

It’s a mountain road topping out at 1.157m (3,795ft) above the sea level. The area is pretty remote. Keep in mind there is no cellphone reception in the Baviaanskloof. A 4x4 vehicle is required to complete the drive, but parts of the road can be done with a normal car. It’s very steep and narrow. The seasonal rain can sometimes cause wash-aways. The road was built between 1880 and 1890 by South Africa's most famous road engineer, Thomas Bain.

 

• The road to Molteno Pass, South Africa's first mountain pass
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