Prince Alfred Pass

Prince Alfred Pass

Prince Alfred Pass
4.5
About
Built by Thomas Bain in the 1860s, the Prince Alfred Pass (R339) is a dirt/gravel mountain pass between Knysna/Plettenberg Bay and Avontuur/Uniondale. It is a scenic route with spectacular views and interesting flora. Please note that this is not a shortcut from the Langkloof to Knysna/Plettenberg Bay. Having been built about 150 years ago, parts of this historic pass is very winding and narrow. In some areas, the surface of the road is eroded and there are potholes along the way.
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Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles217 reviews
Excellent
118
Very good
65
Average
18
Poor
11
Terrible
5

Maurice
Cape Town, South Africa8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2021
This is by far my most favorite mountain pass road.
Stunning views around every corner.
It took us about 2.5 hours with a Jimny. I would recommend a high clearance vehicle but a 4x4 is not required when its dry.
Written 24 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roddy P
Johannesburg, South Africa944 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2021
Don't do this under any time pressure, as you will get frustrated as the pass goes on and on and on and on...Its amazing from a driving and viewing point of view, but should NOT be seen as a short cut between Uniondale and Knysna.

You need to have time to stop and admire the views so allow 3 hours.

You can do this pass in a high clearance car and you don't need a 4 x 4. Allow for potholes on the Knysna side of the pass.
Written 20 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PeteJhb
Plettenberg Bay, South Africa6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Family
The Prince Alfred pass is a great alternative to joining the masses on the N2 and turning your trip between Plettenberg bay/Knysna area and Uniondale into a memorable experience. Beautiful scenery with mountain streams and endless views. This is a dirt road with beautiful hand packed stone retaining walls and is an engineering feat from another era. There are quite a few ruts from rain water but generally the surface is in reasonable condition and there is evidence of recent maintenance work. Don't expect to do the pass in under 2 hours but you could still shorten your travel time instead of travelling via George. It can be done in a medium sized car but is best done in a 4x4. Cell phone reception is limited for much of the pass.
Written 21 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

William Louw
Benoni, South Africa51 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Couples
Today after doing some online research for a while was the day. We drove the prince Alfred pass from Uniondale side to Knysna, in my little faithfull 1500 Toyota Etios.

Let me tell you it was all good. The road is gravel, narrow in some spots with steep drops but boy what a ride.

Stopped for cake, coffee and pies at the plaas kind padstal. After our quick stop it was onto Knysna.

Guys, it takes time to drive, took us a good 3 hours to drive the 57odd kilometres. Max speed at times were between 30 and 40kms. If you in a hurry, stay on the highways, but if you wanna take some time and want to see some breath taking views, the Prince Alfred pass is a must do.
Written 18 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Issyall
Upper Beeding, UK49 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Tackled this in a Nissan Almeira and while it might be easier in a 4x4 it may be less fun! Simply incredible feat of engineering from the 1880s, gravel track through ever-changing landscapes and flora, don’t believe Google maps about the time it takes to drive the pass! It took us 3-4 hours but this in pouring rain and two trees down in front of us (quickly removed by fellow drivers who happened to have a chainsaw!) but it was so worth it. Sensible driving a must but it was as safe as can be when there are 100m drops and no barriers, so if you’re of a nervous disposition it may not be for you. We found it exhilarating and when we wound our way towards Knysna through verdant jungle we didn’t want it to end.
Written 23 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

J Cain
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Couples
Did this route in February 2023. No 4x4 necessary. Road is corrugated with pot holes. Max speed is 40km/h, but usually about 25km/h. Narrow roads with extreme drops. Very hair raising. But also very beautiful and extreme nature. I it was worth it, but not again.
Written 12 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sandy F
9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Couples
Road was pretty good after the rains..but best in a 4x4 simply due to some bumpy areas. However we passed 3 regular sedans going the opposite way, so they did manage. It was misty at the start (coming from Uniondale to Knysna) but that added to the beauty of the incredible rock formations and forests that make up the initial part of the pass. Some narrow areas to just be aware of.
incredible to think Thomas Bain built this in the 1800's!;
A lovely pass. So glad we did it.
Don't be fooled however..its not the fast route to Knysna. Its is the way worth going though
Written 6 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Poppy M
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
What an experience!!! The drive on that pass is definitely not for the fainthearted. It is breathtaking. The road is narrow and very scary. It is a one way traffic, gravel road. At some point there were two cars coming from the opposite direction. We had to stop, reverse and bend side mirrors for these cars to pass. We were all freaking out because of the gorges below. It took patience and cooperation of the drivers to be able to pass through. Sharp curves were even scarier. We had to drive at 20km or less to navigate the bends. The scenery was breathtaking. Never use the pass when you are in a hurry. It took us 4 hours to complete the stretch of 68.5km
Written 2 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

floridaherbie
Marco Island, FL220 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
The road from Knysna to Avontuur was marked on our map as paved but it turned out after a few kilometers that was not true. We pressed forward anyway - driving an SUV. The pass itself offered some nice views over the mountain ranges but nothing spectacular. But when we arrived Die Vlug the amazing experience started - beautiful rock formations in deep canyons made the long and stressful drive just a memory. If you want to see that part only you would have to drive from Knysna to George and the highways N12, N9 and finally R62 to Avontuur. From there the dirt road to Prince Alfred Pass is the best part of that mountain crossing. Don't drive up to the Pass it's not worth it.
Written 19 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Philip_Bolster
Groningen, The Netherlands936 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
This drive was suggested by Google maps, but this is definitely not a normal road. It took us much longer since the road was very bad, it was a very narrow gravel path with huge gorges at the side. Fortunately we did hardly encounter any ongoing cars. The views were stunning.
Written 8 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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PRINCE ALFRED PASS (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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