The Cederberg Mountains
- by Jana Meyer
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- 30 Mar, 2021
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The perfect spot to find inner peace and to recharge your batteries.

The Cederberg Mountains – well known for their breathtaking scenery, rock formations and rare Clanwilliam cedar. Not only a paradise for hikers, but also for nature lovers!
The Cederberg Mountains are about a 2 hour drive from Cape Town and still a hidden gem in the variety and diversity of South Africa. As you travel over the Piekenierskloof Pass, you descend into a different world. The countryside has changed. It's wilder and warmer, with a raw, dramatic beauty. If you want to experience an exclusive getaway, fresh air and remote relaxation then it's the perfect place.
It can be seen as a stop on the way to South Africa’s Northern Cape or Namibia – or as a place of relaxation for a few days as this region offers so much in activities. It's a natural arena for adventure lovers with great hiking and mountain biking opportunities. However its stunning mountain passes and landscapes can be equally enjoyed by vehicle. The Cederberg is also known for its beautiful wild flowers in spring, with good rains seeing carpets of flowers in August.
The majestic Cederberg is a 100km long mountain range known for its characteristic jagged sandstone, richly coloured by iron oxides to a deep orange, as well as its curious rock formations and Bushmen (san) rock art. Most of the Cederberg is a designated Wilderness Area (83,000ha) and is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom which is a World Heritage Site.

To explore nature you can go on different hikes. A famous one is the Sevilla rock art trail. The 5 km trail winds along the Brandewyn River and visits nine sites of rock art paintings, left behind by the San people, who inhabited the area for thousands of years. The Sevilla Rock Art Trail offers some of the finest examples of rock art in the district and a fascinating glimpse into the world of these early inhabitants.
The trail is relatively easy walking, the atmosphere is inspiring and in spring the wild flowers are an added bonus. Over and above springbok and eland, small game, dassies and baboons may be encountered on the walk and a fascinating array of indigenous plant species and birds can be observed.
The Cederbergs are also known for their birding opportunities.
Find more impressions on our facebook page: https://fb.watch/4yGId3nVDT/
Another way of exploring the Cederbergs is on the Cederberg Heritage Route which is a collection of four community-based walking trails in the mountains. The walking trails (ranging from 3 to 5 nights) include your overnight luggage transportation (by donkey cart or vehicle) so that walkers only carry a daypack on the walks.
The Cederberg mountains with their clean air provides the perfect environment for the unique and healthy Rooibos plant (Aspalathus linearis). The Cederberg is the only place on earth where Rooibos is found. Rooibos is refreshing and soothing, and it has many health-giving properties. It contains powerful antioxidants that fight free radicals. The minerals in Rooibos also enhance the nutritional value of food and drinks. Rooibos is indeed the magic ingredient that will turn an ordinary recipe into an extraordinary one.
One can visit Rooibos Ltd company, do a tea tasting at the Rooibos Tea House or you can learn more on a rooibos farm tour.
Skimmelberg is a restaurant with rooibos infused meals, cakes etc.. Try a refreshing cup of Rooibos, as well as buy many other Rooibos-inspired products.
The valleys of the Cederberg are also used extensively for citrus farming with harvesting from April to August, as well as table and wine grapes which are harvested from December to February.
Wine is an important product in South Africa and the Cederberg wines are known as an upcoming new wine region.
Unique for its Cederberg Mountains, whose windy faces keep grapes cool and offer well-drained soils as well as the occasional water source from natural springs, Cederberg has a Mediterranean climate and soils that combine shale, sandstone, granite, and clay.
The Cederberg Wilderness Area is largely untouched thanks to conservation efforts, but the vineyards that do populate the region yield fabulous wines from a variety of grapes including the Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, and Pinotage; look for their expression of the rare varietal Bukettraube, a fine alternative to off-dry Chenin Blanc.To quote Mirjam: "My favorite one is Tierhoek Chenin Blanc. Had it the first time at Cederberg Ridge Wilderness Lodge
and did not only fall in love with the beauty of this place – also with the wine."
Among spectacular rock formations and fynbos, you will find the highest altitude vineyards in the Cape while in Clanwilliam and surroundings you can enjoy different small boutique wineries and their wines.
If you visit the Cederberg Cellars, the Stadsaal Caves are close by – it's easy to combine both experiences:
Stadsaal Caves and Bushmen paintings as well as Truitjieskraal are found high in the central Cederberg. They are a ‘must’ for all Cederberg visitors and keen photographers could spend hours there capturing the play of light and shadows on the open caves and rock formations.
For the person preferring beer there is also a Cederberg microbrewery in the area as well – you can find something for everyone :)
As mentioned before, the fresh air in this area is amazing. The clear sky is the perfect spot for stargazing. This is offered by the lodges in the area after dinner.
Clanwilliam is one of the 10 oldest towns in the country. But nowadays it is a bustling country town. However its history is still on show with a display of fine old Cape Dutch homes in Park Street, the flower church and the Old Gaol which is now the Clanwilliam museum – here you learn about the Cederberg’s unique history from the San bushmen people and their rock art to the Settlers and even the Anglo-Boer war.
Water always has something mood uplifting - the Cederbergs are close to the West Coast where one can enjoy beautiful seafood restaurants. Alternatively the Clanwilliam Dam offers activities as well like water skiing and fishing.
A boat cruise is a perfect way of enjoying a typical and famous African sundowner.
As you can see, the Cederberg mountains offer so many activities that one can easily stay here for a week and can combine this remote experience with our mother city Cape Town.
South Africa is not always about spotting the Big 5, it’s also about finding the spots to recharge your batteries.
The Cederberg mountains are one of those places.