CEDERBERG, Western Cape

Western Cape Attractions

Cederberg, Western Cape

The Cederberg Wilderness Area

The beautiful Cederberg, a wilderness area dominated by a craggy mountain range and a nature reserve that stretches from the Middelberg Pass at Citrusdal to just north of the Pakhuis Pass at Clanwilliam - over 70 000 hectares of spectacular, rugged terrain - lies roughly two to three hours’ drive, depending on how leisurely the pace, from Cape Town.

The Cederberg, named after the endangered Clanwilliam Cedar - a tree endemic to the area - is virtually synonymous with a series of impressive rock formations that emerged as a result of a combination of factors, including the chemical composition of rocks in the area, climatic conditions and the general flat-lying nature of the geology in the Cederberg.

This largely isolated and undeveloped part of the world is renowned for its hot, dry summers with typically cloudless skies, winter rains and incredible natural beauty. A period of severe exploitation of the environment, during which large amounts of cedar wood, rooibos tea, buchu and rockwood bark were unsustainably harvested, came to a halt in 1973 after the cedar was brought to the edge of extinction by constant felling to meet the growing demand for construction wood.

A conservation project now actively supports the Clanwilliam Cedar Tree - run by the Botanical Society, Western Cape Nature Conservation and individual reserves in the area in an effort to save this light, honey-coloured and highly aromatic wood from the endangered list.

This is without doubt one of the most beautiful and finest areas in which to hike. Wolfberg Arch and Cracks (the arch is a long way from the cracks, but worth the effort), Maltese Cross, Tafelberg, Sneeuberg, Sneeukop and Krakadouw peak make for real mountaineering attractions, whilst the not-as-fit still gain a lot of pleasure from Maalgat pool and Stadsaal Caves. There are fine examples of San rock art in caves and overhangs throughout the area. Farming villages in the area make for leisurely days of exploration, particularly the Moravian mission station at Wupperthal.

Cederberg is now the generally accepted spelling for the area, which combines the English (Cedarberg) and Afrikaans (Sederberg) variants - Wikipedia

Cederberg

Destinations / Town & Suburbs of the Cederberg

Biedouw Valley

Where to Stay: Accommodation in Biedouw Valley

The beautiful, fertile Biedouw Valley lies hemmed in by the Biedouw Mountains to the north, and to the south by the Tra-Tra Mountains, just 32 kilometres from Clanwilliam in the Cedarberg. The essence of this valley is captured ... biedouw valley information

Citrusdal

Where to Stay: Accommodation in Citrusdal

World renowned for superior quality citrus and for Goue Vallei wines which are grown in the area, Citrusdal is a leader in the field of eco-tourism, offering holidays with an emphasis on nature related activities ... citrusdal information

Clanwilliam

Where to Stay: Accommodation in Clanwilliam

Resting at the foot of the Cederberg Mountain range, a little over two hours’ drive from Cape Town, lies the little hamlet of Clanwilliam. Regarded as the only town in the world where rooibos is planted and cultivated, is also famous for ... clanwilliam information

Wuppertal

Where to Stay: Accommodation in Wuppertal

Wuppertal lies hidden deep in the Cedarberg Mountains, 72 kilometres behind Clanwilliam. It lies in the heart of the barren wilderness that is the Cedarberg Mountains, far from civilisation, a series of three terraces of neatly ... wuppertal information

Cederberg

Featured and "Must See" Attractions in the Cederberg

Beaverlac Nature Reserve

This little talked about gem lies just 25 kilometres outside of Porterville, roughly 2 hours from Cape Town, in the Olifants River Mountains in the Cederberg. Over 5 000 hectares of wilderness gives one the opportunity to completely unwind amidst beautiful specimens of fynbos, naturally occurring waterfalls ... more information

Cederberg Wilderness Area

The Cederberg Wilderness Area lies some 200 km north of Cape Town. This vast area stretches from the Middelberg Pass at Citrusdal to north of the Pakhuis Pass at Clanwilliam, encompassing some 71 000 ha of rugged, mountainous terrain. The Cederberg was proclaimed a wilderness area ... more information

Cape Flower Route

The southern section of the famous Cape Flower Route falls within the Olifants River Valley. Following good rains, Lutzville, Vredendal, Vanrhynsdorp, Klawer and Clanwilliam are all renowned for the extravagance of their wild flowers in August and September after the right amount of rainfall.

Bushmanskloof Wilderness

Bushmanskloof Wilderness, lying in the northern Cederberg wilderness roughly 270 kilometres from Cape Town, is a South African Natural Heritage Site and it is not difficult to understand why it deserved this label. Not only does it form part of the Cape Floral Region, itself a world heritage site, but it is also pretty ... more information

Matjiesrivier Nature Reserve

The beautiful Matjiesrivier Nature Reserve lies on the eastern edge of the Cederberg Mountains, managed as part of the greater Cederberg conservation area, roughly three hours from Cape Town and 35 kilometres beyond Algeria. This arid part of the world that falls in a transitional zone between the ... more information

Pakhuis Conservancy

Set on the northern edge of the Cederberg Wilderness area, roughly 300 kilometres from Cape Town and close to the town of Clanwilliam, the Pakhuis Conservancy is a project initiated by farmers in the area. They have banded together to convert degraded farm land into burgeoning conservation areas ... more information

Cederberg

Featured Things To Do in the Cederberg

Fly-fishing crystal clear Cape streams

Where: Western Cape
How much (per person): On Request

Fly-fishing crystal clear Cape streams with Inkwazi Flyfishing: Inkwazi is the Zulu word for Fish Eagle and arose from the frequent presence ... more information

Scenic Flights in the Cederberg

Where: Wuppertal, Biedouw Valley
How much (per person): R201 to R500

Visit Enjo Nature Farm in the Biedouw Valley in the magnificent Cederberg region and join us on a scenic flight in our plane. We take off on ... more information

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Cederberg

Holiday Accommodation in Cederberg

For accommodation in the Cederberg see:
• Biedouw Valley Accommodation
• Citrusdal Accommodation
• Clanwilliam Accommodation
• Wuppertal Accommodation

Or to see all accommodation in this region at once, visit Cederberg Accommodation.

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destinations / attractions in the western cape