Hi guys. Myself and a couple of friends just completed Baboons pass in Lesotho. The pass is 20km long and it took is 3 straight days to do it. Like the organizer said, it is not a track, it's an adventure -and boy, was it an adventure. I'll do a trip report and post some pics here over the next couple of days.
Baboon's Pass is difficult and not for the faint of heart. This is a hectic pass which consists of huge rocks and the soil only exists to create large 'potholes' for vehicles to suffer through. Essential items are a tow strap, snatch strap, decent D-Shackles, high-lift jacks, airjacks and the odd winch. Motorcyclists have dared this path (the best completing it in an hour), but few motorists in four-wheel drive.
In order to first be eligible to traverse the Baboon's Pass, adventurers will first need the correct type of vehicle. Even some strong ones might not be up to the challenge, unless you don't mind leaving parts of it behind. The ideal number for a group would be four to eight vehicles. The entrance to Baboon's Pass is just after the Likolobeng River, passing Ramabanta Trading post (S29 39.928 E27 47.772) and as soon as you have entered a terrain of large rocks and holes in the road await to ruin the belly of your car. The ground itself starts with small river sand type ground, followed by brown dusty ground, which is bad for traction.
Teamwork and careful planning is essential on this trip, just to make it through, otherwise you could run the risk of leaving your vehicle there permanently to act as a warning and attraction for future adventurers. Stupid mistakes could even lead to vehicles dropping off the cliff face. Obstacles on the pass force vehicles to go one by one, meaning everyone helps each other at least, but the larger the group the longer you'll wait. Huge boulders, narrow passages, holes and ditches causes by flooding, steep uphills, more than 90-degree turns, and high vertical cliffs dropping off the side are what you can expect, and just to make it appetizing the mountain threw in 500m of impassable damaged road, a 2km section of flat twin track road and Goliath, a huge, well known rock in the road making it even more narrow. Overnighting can be done on the pass by means of choosing a suitable area and setting up camp, but expect to spend two days on this track if all goes well. The pass is approximately 26km long.
Baboon's Pass is difficult and not for the faint of heart. This is a hectic pass which consists of huge rocks and the soil only exists to create large 'potholes' for vehicles to suffer through. Essential items are a tow strap, snatch strap, decent D-Shackles, high-lift jacks, airjacks and the odd winch. Motorcyclists have dared this path (the best completing it in an hour), but few motorists in four-wheel drive.
In order to first be eligible to traverse the Baboon's Pass, adventurers will first need the correct type of vehicle. Even some strong ones might not be up to the challenge, unless you don't mind leaving parts of it behind. The ideal number for a group would be four to eight vehicles. The entrance to Baboon's Pass is just after the Likolobeng River, passing Ramabanta Trading post (S29 39.928 E27 47.772) and as soon as you have entered a terrain of large rocks and holes in the road await to ruin the belly of your car. The ground itself starts with small river sand type ground, followed by brown dusty ground, which is bad for traction.
Teamwork and careful planning is essential on this trip, just to make it through, otherwise you could run the risk of leaving your vehicle there permanently to act as a warning and attraction for future adventurers. Stupid mistakes could even lead to vehicles dropping off the cliff face. Obstacles on the pass force vehicles to go one by one, meaning everyone helps each other at least, but the larger the group the longer you'll wait. Huge boulders, narrow passages, holes and ditches causes by flooding, steep uphills, more than 90-degree turns, and high vertical cliffs dropping off the side are what you can expect, and just to make it appetizing the mountain threw in 500m of impassable damaged road, a 2km section of flat twin track road and Goliath, a huge, well known rock in the road making it even more narrow. Overnighting can be done on the pass by means of choosing a suitable area and setting up camp, but expect to spend two days on this track if all goes well. The pass is approximately 26km long.
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