poort

A poort is a South African English term for a narrow mountain pass, especially the kind carved out by a river cutting through a ridge. Borrowed from Afrikaans, it's a practical geographic term used across South Africa to describe those dramatic cuts through rocky terrain that connect valleys and towns. You'll find it in place names throughout the country — if something ends in '-poort,' there's a good chance a tight rocky passage is involved. It's the kind of word that feels as rugged as the landscape it describes.