After recently doing the Ben 10 passes in the Eastern Cape, Willem Rudolph says they make for the ultimate gravel adventure.

Mention the name Ben 10 to an off-roader or adventure biker and watch their eyes’ light up. There’s good reason for that. These 10 high-altitude gravel passes in the Rhodes/Wartrail area of the Eastern Cape have to be experienced to be believed. The setting is remote, the roads challenging and the scenery stupendous. 

The name comes from Trygve Roberts, the founder of Mountain Passes South Africa, who dreamed up the Ben 10 Eco Challenge as an ecotourism strategy. He set offroad adventurers the challenge of doing all 10 passes in 7 days to earn a place in the Hall of Fame. As soon as I heard about it, I wanted to do the challenge on my adventure bike. I’d just returned to South Africa after years abroad and I had this thirst to experience all the great places. But before I could set off, Covid-19 intervened. Finally, a couple of years ago I managed to explore much of the area in my Land Cruiser (read about that trip) which reinforced my desire to ride the Ben 10. After a few more false starts, I planned a biking trip for the long weekend at the end of April 2025. Joining me would be 10 other adventure bikers, including Tracks4Africa’s Johann Groenewald. 

Did you know? 

Ben 10 got its name from Ben MacDhui Pass, South Africa’s highest pass, which leads through Tiffindell Ski Resort. The official Ben 10 Eco Challenge required participants to photograph themselves at the summit of each pass. There have been some changes to the selection of passes over the years. It is no longer possible to access Ben MacDhui Pass due to Tiffindell’s closure and the Tiffindell-Tenahead Traverse was removed for being too dangerous. Although the Ben 10 Eco Challenge is no longer accepting entries, the concept remains firmly embedded amongst its followers. The allure of the scenery and the magic of riding these roads will continue to draw people. The passes completed on this trip were, in order of riding: 1) Joubert’s Pass, 2) Heuningneskloof Pass, 3) Otto du Plessis Pass, 4) Bastervoetpad Pass, 5) Potrivier Pass, 6) Naudé’s Nek Pass, 7) Carlislehoekspruit Pass, 8) Volunteershoek Pass, 9) Lundean’s Nek Pass, 10) Dangershoek Pass.

An inauspicious start

When it comes to gravel passes high up in the mountains, weather is always a key consideration. The Ben 10 passes should not be attempted in rain, snow or fog. Because the drop-offs are sheer and there are no barriers, these roads would be too dangerous in wet weather. Many parts of the track have a clay substrate and when this gets wet, there’s simply no traction, even for 4×4 vehicles. Before the trip, I’d made it clear to everyone that if the weather wasn’t right, we wouldn’t attempt the Ben 10. 

Since adventure bikers were coming from different parts of South Africa to ride the challenge, we’d arranged to meet in Lady Grey. As we met at the pub for dinner the evening before, soft rain started to fall. I feared it didn’t bode well. But through the course of the night the rain stopped and the next day dawned clear. However, all that rain had already soaked Joubert’s Pass at the start of our route. Sections of the track had changed into thick black mud – it was like wading through treacle.

At the same time, just beyond the road, the most beautiful scenery unfolded. It looked like the hills and dales of Scotland: rolling grasslands in vibrant green, with weeping willows hanging over mountain streams. It was a Catch-22. We wanted to take in the incredible views but had to concentrate on the track because it was so slick. For around 20-30km we were spinning our wheels and sliding all over the place. It sullied the mood a bit, because this was just the first pass. But as we started heading towards Benjaminshoogte Pass, the sun was up and the track started to dry out.

Food for the soul

Despite the challenging start, we had superb conditions for the rest of the day. The weather was fine: it was bone dry and we had excellent footing. We were treated to crisp, clear skies – and incredible cold. We were above 2,000m and, at that altitude, it was icy and there was a biting wind. At one point we were riding in temperatures of 4°C.

 

However, the landscape more than made up for any discomfort. The gravel track clung to the mountain slopes; down in the valley, golden poplar trees contrasted with the verdant riverbanks. I came around a corner and found one of the riders, Andrew Miller, sitting on a rock and soaking up the scenery. It was food for the soul.

We carried on pushing through the passes. First the rocky and steep Heuningneskloof Pass and then Otto du Plessis Pass with its sharp bends. From there, we detoured to Elliot (Khowa) to refuel – only to discover, when the village was little more than a stone’s throw away, that the bridge over the river, which would take us into town, had been washed away. It meant backtracking into the mountains to pick up another road that would get us to Elliot. With the sun just about setting, we rode the tarred Barkly Pass to our overnight stop at the summit, Mountain Shadows. 

That night we were all exhausted and in bed by 21:00. It had taken most of the day to do 275km; our average moving speed was just 46km/h. 

On top of the world

The next morning, every single one of us woke up with a headache – the altitude was getting to us. But we were going to go even higher than Mountain Shadows’ location at 1,990m on day two.

The next pass on our route was Bastervoetpad Pass. Not only is this gravel road up in the mountains steep and rough. It’s also not in a good condition: much of the track has been badly eroded and it is infrequently maintained. The advanced riders in our group couldn’t wait to tackle it, but I needed to divert to Ugie to deal with a flat front wheel that wouldn’t inflate. Some of the riders who were struggling with headaches opted to follow me down. By all accounts we missed out on an unforgettable experience. Even though the participants doing it were all seasoned riders, they reported that Bastervoetpad Pass was the most challenging ride they’ve ever done. 

After our stop in Ugie, the rest of us headed towards Potrivier Pass along flowing country roads to join up with the riders exiting Bastervoetpad Pass. We were steadily climbing again, the jeep track snaking its way up the mountains to Elandshoogte. But the masterpiece for day two still awaited: Naudé’s Nek Pass. With the summit at 2,590m, it seems as if you’re on top of the world looking out over everything that lies below. Undulating foothills and valleys stretch as far as the eye can see.

A lovely spot to stop for a warming drink is nearby Tenahead Mountain Lodge. The lodge’s massive picture windows frame the magnificent views. You just want to sit next to the fireplace and stare out while sipping on a hot chocolate. 

Could it get any better?

From Tenahead’s location – a heavenly place between earth and sky, as their website has it – we slowly wound our way down to Rhodes. For the last 5km leading into the village, we were riding next to a pristine mountain stream. It looked so idyllic. Every turn of the road brought another postcard-pretty spot into view. All I needed was a picnic basket and a blanket. 

Rhodes itself is a magical little village, with Victorian-era houses lining the dirt streets. When we arrived at Walkerbouts Inn, the fireplaces were lit and we had an amazing welcome. The hospitality of people in the countryside is just in a different league. Owner Dave Walker is a legend in these parts, he knows everything about everything. Even though there normally isn’t fuel available in Rhodes, Dave made a plan for some members of our group. 

That night at dinner, which was brilliant, some of the riders were shaking their heads. Day one had been awesome, but day two – if such a thing was possible – was even better. What would day three be like? As it turned out, day three was the ultimate – for many of us, the best riding we’d ever done in our lives.

High spirits, low temperatures

We set off in picture-perfect weather the next day, a light dusting of frost covering the fields in Rhodes. Straight out of the village, we started the climb up Carlisleshoekspruit Pass. This track is steep and off-camber and there are very sharp hairpin turns as it winds up the mountain. To make your way up, you have to maintain momentum while at the same time keeping your wits about you as you turn into a myriad of off-camber switchbacks. 

At its steepest, concrete tracks lead up Carlisleshoekspruit Pass. Where water off the mountain flowed over the concrete, it had turned into ice, which resulted in a complete loss of directional control over these slick sections. Volunteershoek Pass would prove even more challenging. This pass, with its many switchbacks, seems impossibly steep, predominantly so when riding the decline. You have the sense that if you go over the edge, you will never be seen again. 

Although our spirits were high, we found it bitterly cold as we rode along the ridgeline towards Volunteershoek Pass. The wind whipped across the peaks and we were chilled to the bone. Our relief at heading down was short lived. The pass became steeper and steeper, rougher and rougher, so that we had to apply extreme caution. By the time we rolled into Bidstone, we really needed something to warm us up. Fortunately, Allan and Julz of Bidstone Cottages had coffee and cake ready for us.

 

 

 

From there, it was scenic riding to Lundean’s Nek Pass, declared one of the “most underrated big gravel passes” by Mountain Passes South Africa. After the passes that had gone before, we didn’t find it hectic, just beautiful. On the way from Lundean’s Nek to Sterkspruit, we also turned out to Dangershoek Pass to bring our Ben 10 expedition to its full tally. 

The final verdict

Looking back, I can’t get over the magic of this trip. I can’t believe that it was possible to visit places that are so beautiful and that all it took was riding there with my motorbike. The scenes are etched into my mind. Although we have countless photos and hours of footage, they don’t come close to capturing what we experienced: the tranquillity of the area, the friendliness of the people. Other travellers need to get out there to understand what special places we have in South Africa. 

Good to know

• Don’t do the Ben 10 on your own, travel with at least one other biker or vehicle.
• Plan your trip for the shoulder seasons to avoid rain and extreme cold. The passes are treacherous in wet weather and in snow you wouldn’t be able to see the road surface. This would be perilous on a bike. 
• You can arrange sandwiches and coffee through the lodge where you stay. Snacks like nuts, biltong, droëwors and dates can keep you topped up. 
• Support the locals. Volunteershoek Pass, for example is maintained by farmers from the area – you can contribute via an honesty box. 
• Make sure you have some kind of back-up. There’s no reception in most parts of the route, so a satellite phone or GPS tracking device that enables communication is critical. 
• Service your bike thoroughly before a big trip like this. That includes checking the state of your battery. One of the riders on our trip couldn’t finish the route because his battery wasn’t carrying current like it should. 
• Take an action camera and strap it to your helmet. The scenery is out of this world!

For more trip inspiration, follow WillTour on Facebook.