After Pinetown, the route goes up Fields Hill, a 3 km 1:15 gradient (this section is notorious for heavy vehicle accidents that can close an entire carriageway of the road[1][2][3]).

The route then enters the Upper Highway Area,[4] passing westwards through Kloof and Gillitts, before the R103 diverges, providing access to Hillcrest.

The route then passes south of Hillcrest and through Assagay before merging with the N3 freeway (westbound only) at the Key Ridge Interchange, where it ends.

The M13 is the main thoroughfare to Durban for residents of the nearby towns of Westville, Pinetown, Kloof, Gillitts and Hillcrest.

The M13 remains an alternative route to the N3, and is commonly used by motorists wishing to avoid the Mariannhill Toll Plaza, located on the N3 outside Westmead.