Spreetshoogte Pass

Spreetshoogte drops around a thousand metres from the central highland onto the Namib gravel plains in about four kilometres, with gradients reaching one in four, which makes it the steepest pass in the country. It was cut by a farmer in the 1940s to get his stock down to the coast road and rebuilt later. The viewpoint at the top looks west across the plains to the dunes, and the descent itself is the attraction as much as the view.

What you actually see

• The descent - a thousand metres of drop in about four kilometres.
• The viewpoint - the escarpment edge looking west over the Namib plains.
• The gradients - sections at one in four, the steepest road in Namibia.
• The escarpment - the transition from highland to desert in a single drop.

When to go

March to October is the cooler and clearer window. Late afternoon light over the plains is the best. Rain in summer can make the gravel treacherous.

Honest expectations

The pass is not suitable for caravans or heavy trailers and vehicles have come off it. Brakes overheat on the descent and low gear is essential. The gravel is loose in places.

Nearby

Solitaire is west, and Rehoboth is northeast.