Keep Naudé's Nek optional when planning a Rhodes stay, especially if you are towing or have a fixed arrival in Underberg. Confirm your approach to Rhodes and your onward route separately. Treat the gravel crossing towards Maclear as a scenic choice that depends on the latest road advice, weather and your vehicle arrangements. A map's shorter estimate is a poor reason to rely on the pass.

A traveller planning an August road trip had booked several nights in Rhodes before continuing to Underberg. They asked about crossing the pass in a Jeep Compass with a trailer after discovering that the alternative would add time on their map. Their question identifies the right comparison: what can you verify about the proposed crossing, and is the alternative worth planning from the start?

Understand which side of Rhodes you need

Visit Eastern Cape's Highlands guide describes both the dirt-road approach from Barkly East and the scenic connection between Rhodes and Maclear via Naudé's Nek. Its Woodcliffe destination listing identifies the Maclear-to-Rhodes connection as part of the R396. A plan to reach Rhodes from Barkly East can therefore be separate from a plan to continue across the pass.

That distinction can save a holiday booking. If your aim is a few nights around Rhodes, ask your accommodation for the advised approach from the direction you are actually travelling. If your aim is to reach Maclear and continue towards KwaZulu-Natal, check the next leg too. Decide whether the pass is part of your holiday or simply a line that appeared on your navigation app.

Your priority	Build the day around
Two or more nights in Rhodes	A confirmed approach and local plans that work even if you skip the through-crossing.
Scenery across the high pass	A flexible travel day that you can change after checking the road, weather and vehicle.
A fixed arrival towards Underberg	A separately verified alternative, with enough time for fuel and daylight.
A rental vehicle or trailer	Route-specific advice and the exact limits of your rental and roadside assistance arrangements.

Verify the gravel section before relying on it

Ask the Eastern Cape Department of Transport or the Senqu municipality's Barkly East traffic office for the current position on the R396 between Rhodes and Maclear. State the intended travel date, direction and vehicle or trailer. Ask about closures, roadworks and any restrictions relevant to that combination. Ask your accommodation separately whether recent arriving guests reported conditions the road authority has not yet published.

Check the South African Weather Service close to departure. The national government's August 2026 winter weather notice describes travel disruption on Eastern Cape mountain routes. That notice explains why timing matters. It does not establish today's status on Naudé's Nek. We found no dated official notice confirming whether this exact crossing was open when we checked on 3 November.

If the route is important to you, tell the rental company exactly where you want to drive and ask how its gravel, towing and breakdown provisions apply. Ask about the full vehicle and trailer combination rather than the badge or drive type alone. An answer for one day or another vehicle is a weak basis for committing to the crossing.

Green highland grassland below a rocky outcrop north of Woodcliffe in the Eastern Cape — Grassland north of Woodcliffe, February 2022, by Tony Rebelo, CC BY-SA 4.0. The frame comes from a wildlife observation and shows the habitat. Resized for web display under the same licence.

Leave time for a Rhodes day without the pass

Give the village at least part of a day after arriving. Visit Eastern Cape describes Rhodes as a highlands base with historic buildings and opportunities for guided outings. Ask locally which services and activities will operate on your dates. If a short local outing is possible, choose one with confirmed access rather than treating a track or a private farm on a map as open to visitors.

BirdLife South Africa's regional guide describes grassland around Rhodes and Maclear that supports species including the Southern Bald Ibis. Birding can give a village day a focus when the long drive falls away. Ask about an authorised viewpoint or a local guided outing. The time you set aside is for observation, with sightings dependent on what is there on the day.

Have the next overnight stop work either way

Before paying for an inflexible onward booking, compare your intended route with one you can actually confirm. Save its principal roads and ask where the next dependable fuel stop is. A change of route should leave time for the longer journey rather than pushing your arrival after dark. When you cannot verify the through-route, choose the confirmed option or adjust the overnight plan.

If your inland Eastern Cape trip also includes Graaff-Reinet, our Valley of Desolation visit guide covers a separate viewpoint outing with its own entrance and timing.

For a separate Cape Peninsula leg of your South African holiday, check Aqua Terra availability in Simon's Town. Aqua Terra welcomes guests aged 12 and older.

Featured photograph: mountain pass near Rhodes by Hendrik van den Berg, CC BY 3.0. The source records a 2008 Panoramio upload and January 2007 camera metadata. Archival scenery, resized and cropped for featured display. The source does not identify the road as Naudé's Nek. Researched and reviewed by Aqua Terra on 3 November 2026.