The history of beautiful Seweweekspoort

The road from Amalienstein cuts through the fold mountains of the Klein Swartberg: an awe-enspiring poort known as Seweweekspoort. The poort is one of the few natural passes through two mountain ranges, the Groot and the Klein Swartberg.

A World Heritage site, and under the protection of Cape Nature Conservation, Seweweekspoort remains wild, beautiful and full of indigenous flora. 

The pass is one of Thomas Bain's most notable works, completed in 1862 using the labour of prisoners, a common practice in those days. The gravel road connecting the Little and Great Karoo curves over the Seweweekspoort River a total of 23 times, between vertical rockfolds and under towering peaks, including the highest peak in the Western Cape, Seweweekspoort Peak, which rises to 2325m. 

The ruins of the original toll-house can be seen  at the northern entrance of the Poort.