Gantouw Pass (Elands Path) Hottentots Holland

Early Cape Settlers had to go to great lengths to get their Ox-Wagons over the Mountains, Gantouw is named after the Eland that used to cross over the mountains here, sadly today not a single Enland exists in the area.

Gantouw Pass, Hottentots Holland

Gantouw in the Khoi language means eland and historically these large animals crossed the Hottentots Holland mountains at this narrow and steep pass. The Khoi and San people followed the eland and, after European settlement at the Cape, the pass became an important gateway to the Overberg for transport wagons hauled by teams of 24 oxen.

The ruts cut by the locked rear wheels of the wagons as they were dragged up the pass can be seen deeply gouged into the sandstone rocks. At the top of the pass are two Dutch East India Company signal cannons that the Helderberg Renaissance Foundation is trying to restore to firing condition. The Foundation will be conducting this event on National Heritage day 24 th September each year.

The grooves of the ox-wagon wheels in the rocks left over 100 years ago.