Page 1 of 1
NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 8:57 pm
by Family_Dog
Found this in the Cruiser Forum...
Read on an adventure riding forum:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NO MORE TARRING SANI
Just returned from SANI. Tuesday 26 May 2009 during a meeting in Himmville the locals were informed that the tarring of SANI is scrapped due to environmental impact study findings and projected budget. If the pas will be tarred it must,according to law, be done as prescribed by the environmental impact study findings and recommendations. The projected cost will run into the billions according to the strict recommendations not to damage the world heritage site. The first phase (currently busy with) is also unlikely to be completed since it is 2-years over completion time and budget has been reallocated. I spoke with a land surveyor who worked on the design team (stayed at his guest house) who said it was a pipe-dream from the beginning since the pass would have to be closed. Local tour operators are happy...
So, good news for all of us! I could not ever imagine a normal family saloon ever making it up there any way, even if they had tarred the pass. Too steep, too many bends.
-F_D
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 9:00 pm
by JohanM
That is good news for those like me, that like to travel up the pass in snow or in heavy rain or just for the fun.....
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 10:24 pm
by Niel
Good stuff and gives me time to plan a trip back to the Drakensberge
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 7:36 am
by ThysdJ
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:24 am
by Family_Dog
I see Jack's SFA made the news in the June edition of Leisure Wheels too, recovering the 'Lux that went swimming!
-F_D
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:43 am
by 2.8 d/cab SFA
great news, planing to do sani ain August
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 4:53 pm
by Family_Dog
2.8 d/cab SFA wrote: great news, planing to do sani ain August
Then you must take the back road through Fouriesburg - Golden Gate - Bergville - Winterton - Nottingham Road - Underberg - Himeville rather than the treacherous N3 Highway. Far less traffic, good roads, excellent scenery.
-F_D
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 8:32 pm
by Hoppy
In the '80s some racing driver went up Sani pass with a 3.0 Sierra towing a caravan, there used to be an ad in the Car magazine for shocks or something using these pics.
(I think with some clever photography they kept the hilux and snatch strap out of the picture)
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 7:37 am
by ThysdJ
Also there are toll gates on the N3.
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:27 am
by Traveler
I am planning on doing Sani again shortly. Did it last year on 3rd June in driving sleet. And the night at the top the wind was recorded at over 100km/h. Was lekker koud.
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:26 pm
by ChrisF
SANI is the main motivation for me to get a passport. :)
Which would then be used later for Namibia ... :) :)
GLAD it is to stay "natural".
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 8:03 pm
by koeka
Excellent!!
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:39 am
by Bloues
Great - never thought they gonna do it anyway - logistic wise nearly inpossible to tar one side and still keeping the pass open. Space would have been a problem.....and cost I think !!!
So thanks to the environmental guys on this one.....!!!!!! Now open our beaches !!!!
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:52 pm
by Family_Dog
Now all I've got to do is to convince the government to flood the Free State by digging a ditch to the Indian Ocean (the Atlantic is too cold) so that I don't have to drive so far to go to the Seaside...
-F_D
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 5:57 pm
by kfxnando
now that is good news!!
know that it was posted quiet a while ago, however only saw it now!!
now will still get a chance to do it with the quads!!
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 8:06 pm
by yotaman
Never did the Sani hard to believe! Tks, for the tip on taking the back roads Eric. My Lux hate the highways. Will be going there in Sept
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 9:46 pm
by Family_Dog
The Sani has to be one of the most awesome trips/adventures ever! Beautiful scenery, great traul, lots of history to the trail, and of course the obligatory stop at the "Highest Pub in Africa!"
-F_D
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 9:57 pm
by yotaman
Can't wait. I bet the frosties taste better and colder up there!
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 10:28 pm
by Family_Dog
I think they might. When we got there, there was standing room only outside the Pub, and by then we were frozen from our noses to our little toeses, so we skipped on the Frosties and went straight to the Hot Chocolate, which was probably the nicest hot choc drink I have ever had!
-F_D
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:19 pm
by lancebregman
This is great to hear! Sani is a firm favourite of ours...
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 1:33 pm
by Ngiri
That's awesome news. We're going there in late November, staying at the Castleburn Lodge for a long weekend and going up Sani for a day.
Most of our group don't have passports. Will they issue a temp one at the border so we can go to the pub?
Ngiri
Re: NO MORE TARRING SANI
Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 4:54 pm
by ThysdJ
Rather get your temp passports in order before you go. Sani Pass is a great drive, you'll enjoy it lots, but the best part is the 14km between the SA border post and the Lesotho border post. This you might not be able to see without passports.
