Elevation: 2256m
The Cache is just out of Harrismith, and a good pair of hiking
boots is required :)
It is possible to drive quite close to the cache if you have a
4X4 and are on the adventurous side., but it is suggested that you
go on foot. It is roughly a 5 Km hike up and back down again,
depending on the route you take. This is all up to you... :) (you
can find more detailed instructions below if you are wanting to
find the cache in your 4X4 :))
The Cache is a regular 2l ice cream tupperwear, placed in a very
tight fitting bank bag. The container is not water tight, so we
placed it in a few plastic bags. It would be great if you could
take a plastic bag or two along just incase. The contents is made
up of plastic toys, and odds and ends, I'm not going to list
everything, let it be a surprise. Nothing to fancy though :)
Take the hint below with you just incase you can't find it once
you have reached the coordinates. But it shouldn't be too difficult
to find.
the 4X4 Adventure! :)
Please note that you may be charged to drive up the donkey pass,
as you may have seen from the Cownchicken's log they had to pay
R120.
From Johannesburg you take the turn-off into Harrismith from the
N3 highway (at the Wimpy complex). This leads you into town on the
main street called Warden Street. You keep heading straight, almost
till the end of the street which takes you through the centre of
town (take a moment to look at the beautiful Town Hall on your
right with the remnants of a petrified tree. You will go around the
Dutch Reformed Church in a very awkward shape for a main road. You
just keep heading straight! You will come accross a sign indicating
the direction to the Spar and you turn left here into Bergweg (not
100% about this street's name, will confirm). You then just keep
heading straight.
From Durban which is the N3 South (and Bethlehem N5) you enter
the town at the Spur/Engen complex and take the first right into
King Street. You just keep going straight until the road forces you
to make a very sharp left turn. You immediately turn right into
Bergweg.
You head straight underneath the N3 highway and in about 1km,
the road will become a gravel road. You are now on your way to the
Botanical Gardens. Shortly after the tar road finishes you will get
to a wooden structure that serves as the entrance to the Mountain
are and the Botanical Gardens. Here you might ask for directions.
You keep heading straight until you reach the main entrance to the
Botanical Gardens. You pass them (and another opportunity to ask
for directions) and head past the houses of the caretakers
(basically drive in between them). NB! Don't go INTO the Botanical
Gardens.
Now you just head straight and keep to the left. Ignore all
roads that turn off to the right. There is a singular sign at SOME
point that reads Donkey's Pass. Now here is where it gets tricky.
The section UP the mountain has been semented ... but a Highway it
is not. So, because of the steep incline you do need a 4x4, but the
road is not so good, so I won't take my brand now Volvo XC90 AWD
vehicle on this road just yet. Once you reach the top of the
mountain a GPS will come in handy for you are now on the far side
and have to traverse the top of the mountain to get to the
Cache!