At 5,360 meters, the Khardung La Pass in Ladakh, in north-west India, belongs to the highest motorable mountain passes on earth. (2011 we stood up there with Mahangu and struggled with altitude sickness!). The Spreetshoogte Pass is not that high. But it’s steep for that. «With a maximum gradient of 22%, it is the second steepest pass in the country and at an altitude of 1,676 m it is the fifth-highest pass». (Source Wikipedia)

When we first drove on it twenty years ago, it was on a dirt road. Later the steepest sections of the pass were covered with cobblestones, which makes it possible to drive on with a normal car. (However, a sign warns that it is best not to drive it with a trailer or campervan!)

The route to Sossusvlei – our destination for the next few days – led us over this attractive pass. We looked forward to the trip and planned it so that we could get to the Spreetshoogte camp in the evening. There we set up camp and experienced an unforgettable evening!

PS. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the mountain zebra that visited us in the early morning. But the clatter of its hooves awoke us …