Sani Pass over the Drakensberg between Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal is the only road access to the mountain kingdom from the east, and the highest mountain road in Southern Africa used by motor vehicles.

Like so many other tough mountain passes in the eastern half of the country, this trail over the Drakensberg, between Hodgson's Peaks and the Twelve Apostles, was first blazed by San (Bushmen).  Later the route was followed by herdsmen driving sheep and cattle to be bartered or sold.  Next came pack animals, mostly Basotho ponies, used to take products such as mohair, wool and peas from Lesotho to Natal and beyond and bring in essential supplies for the Sotho people in the remote villages on the roof of Africa.  Much later came the four wheel drive motor vehicle.

The pass links the village of Himeville in KwaZulu-Natal with Mokhotlong in Lesotho over a distance of 93km.  From the foot of the pass (2255m), 23km from Himeville, the road climbs 600m over 14km along the course of the upper Mkhomazana River to the Lesotho frontier post (2865m).  The summit of the Drakensberg is reached 3km later.  From here the road gradually ascends over the Sani plateau to the summit of Swartberg (3200m), only 10km south of Thabana Ntlenyana (3482m), the highest peak in the Drakensberg, from where one descends along the course of the Sehonghong River to Mokhotlong.

The first major improvement to the original trail was made in 1912 when a track about 2m wide was built to make the route a little easier for pack animals, which remained the only mode of transport until after the Second World War.  

In 1949 David Alexander of Natal introduced a transport service using jeeps to convey passengers and supplies between Himeville and Mokhotlong.  The road was improved again in 1958 but even now can be safely used only by Basotho ponies and four wheel drive vehicles.

Accommodation in and around Sani Pass