Prince Alfred's Pass — Knysna toUniondale.

Distance

85 km

Duration

1 day

Climb

1,300 m

Clone in App Share

Curated by Rider · Updated Jun 2026

Overview

Prince Alfred's Pass — Knysna to Uniondale.

Thomas Bain's 1860s masterpiece — roughly 68km of mostly gravel mountain road climbing north from the Knysna forests over the Outeniqua range to the Langkloof. One of South Africa's longest and most scenic passes, threading ancient yellowwood forest, the Keurbooms River gorge and the tiny hamlet of De Vlugt. Remote, unpaved in sections, and unforgettable.

Quick facts

SurfaceMixed

Distance85 km

Days1

Total climb1,300 m

DifficultyChallenging

Loading map...

Day-by-day

The route.

ROUTE

5 stops

KnysnaStart · Start in the lagoon town of Knysna. Fuel up here — there is no fuel on the pass. Head north on the R339 into the forest.

Diepwalle Forest StationScenic Point · Gateway to the Knysna indigenous forest reserve and the start of the climb. Cool, fern-lined gravel beneath giant yellowwoods.

Diepwalle Big TreePhoto Spot · An 800-year-old Outeniqua yellowwood. The last wild forest elephants of the Cape once roamed this valley.

De VlugtRestaurant · Tiny hamlet deep in the Keurbooms River gorge at the heart of the pass. Angie's roadside pub is the only refreshment stop for miles.

UniondaleEnd · Climb out of the gorge to the Langkloof watershed and finish in the Karoo town of Uniondale.

Save this ride. Open the app.

Clone it to your planner, customize dates and stops, then ride. All free.

Get the app More routes →

Open in MotoVault

Navigate this route with GPS

Open