We woke up early to make the most of the good weather window before the usual afternoon storms arrived. From Underberg/Himeville, we took the P27-2, also known as the Lower Lotheni Road, a rugged gravel route crossing the foothills of the Drakensberg towards the Kamberg Valley.
This is not a road for a quick drive. Severe corrugations, loose gravel, deep ruts and, after rain, potentially heavy mud make it a demanding route. The road climbs and drops dramatically through the mountains, with Bucklands Pass reaching around 1,700 m, followed by the spectacular Nzinga and Lotheni Passes. Narrow bridges, sharp bends and steep descents add to the challenge.
There is virtually no mobile reception along much of the route, no road shoulders, and livestock, pedestrians and occasionally minibus taxis share the road. With our 4-metre-high, 13-tonne expedition truck, we had to take it slowly and carefully.
The reward is the scenery. The road winds beneath the towering uKhahlamba-Drakensberg escarpment, plunging into the valleys of the Mkomazi and Nzinga rivers before climbing back into vast mountain grasslands. At higher elevations, the views open onto some of the Drakensberg’s most impressive peaks.
Eventually, the rough wilderness gives way to the greener and gentler Kamberg Valley, with rolling dairy farms and striking Clarens sandstone formations.
It is one of those roads where the journey really is the destination — slow and demanding, but spectacularly remote and rewarding.
Parking location – Kamberg: 29.3875607S 29.6680862E (🚻,🅿️120 ZAR/pax)