Travel north from Cape Town and over the Piekenierskloof Pass beyond Piketberg and you descend into a different world. You are only two hours drive from Cape Town and yet the country has changed; wilder, warmer with a raw, dramatic beauty. Towering mountains, brilliant purple in the late afternoon light, preside over a fruit-filled valley laden with the scent of orange blossom in the spring.

The majestic and rugged Cederberg Mountains are a gigantic mass of sandstone, richly coloured by iron oxides and eroded into a variety of strange shapes. This 100-km long range rises splendidly above the vineyards and citrus groves of the Olifants River valley. The Cederberg is most famous for these unique rock formations as well as for fine examples of San (Bushmen) rock paintings and spectacular wild flowers in spring (early/mid August to early September). Most of the Cederberg is a designated Wilderness area and thus remains one of the most undisturbed areas of the country. The hiking trails of the Cederberg Heritage Route aim to make this beautiful area accessible to walkers via the use of charming community guest cottages in the Moravian Mission villages of Heuningvlei, Brugkraal and Wupperthal on the eastern side of the Wilderness area and other guesthouses in or near Clanwilliam on the western side.

Rating of the severity of the hikes/walks

Most of the hiking/walking on the Cederberg Heritage Route trails is not very severe, though the paths are often stony and uneven. (Also, take note that during the winter (wet) season some of the streams/rivers may be difficult to cross without removing one’s boots and wading. In extreme circumstances the guide may have to change the route.)  However, some optional hikes are more challenging. We use the following Rating to describe each day’s hike.

1 – Fairly easy walk on undulating terrain, up to 8km

2 – Relatively easy walking on undulating terrain, about 8-12km

3 – Steeper walking/hiking and/or a longer distance, up to about 18km

4 – Steep mountain hike with several hours of uphill walking

A – no exposure to heights and no scrambling

B – some walking up rocky steps

Estimated times

The times estimated below include stops for ‘tea’ and lunch and some time for photography, swimming and other activities. Hikers are provided with a packed picnic lunch at the start of each day so that you only need to carry a day-pack containing items needed during the day (water, snacks, additional clothing, rain gear), as your other luggage is transported from one overnight stop to the next.

Accommodation on the Trails

Accommodation on the Cederberg Heritage Route Trails is either in comfortable guesthouses or in community-based guest cottages. Please note that, though the community-based guest cottages are well kept, they do not have the bathroom facilities or perhaps the level of comfort that you may be used to. Bathrooms will usually have to be shared between the group and the room configuration may require three persons to share a bedroom, given the traditional nature of the mission cottages. We aim to describe this as accurately as possible but please come with an attitude of acceptance. The revenue from your walking trail is directly helping the local community.

Arrive in Clanwilliam in the late afternoon and stay overnight at The Longhouse or Die Waenhuis where you stay overnight on a DB&B basis.

Clanwilliam

Clanwilliam is one of South Africa's oldest towns. Colonialists settled the area by 1725. In 1820 about 350 Irish settlers arrived in Clanwilliam. You can still see some of the attractive 1820 settler houses in Park Street. Clanwilliam is now a centre for an agricultural community cultivating the uniquely South African Rooibos tea, citrus, table grapes and vegetables. The citrus orchards can be seen along the Olifants valley from Citrusdal to Clanwilliam. Further north there are a number of vineyards producing both wine and table grapes.

If you arrive in the town earlier in the afternoon, you may like to visit the Old Gaol Museum, the Strassberger's Shoe Factory to purchase a pair of locally made 'veld' shoes, or the Rooibos tea factory for a video of the tea-making process. Project participants at the CLLP make a number of attractive necklaces and bags available for sale at their craft shop. Alternatively you may like to pre-book an optional walking tour of the community called the Sederville Slinger (approx one hour) with one of the community guides. Approx R100 per person for the walking tour.

This morning you are collected and taken on a guided morning rock art walk of about three hours (Rating 1a) which will be followed by a picnic lunch and then a transfer by road to the top of the Pakhuis Pass. From there you will take the Donkey Cart Trail to the charming mission village of Heuningvlei where you overnight in a community guest cottage on a DBB basis.

San (Bushmen) Rock Art

One of the most appealing activities is to follow a trail to some of the ancient rock paintings of the San people, the first inhabitants of the Cape. The Cederberg is one of the best areas for rock art in Southern Africa with 2,000 discovered sites. (The other three areas are the Drakensberg mountains in KwaZulu Natal, the Brandberg in Namibia and the Matopas in southern Zimbabwe.) It is not only the quality of the San's artistry that makes so many rock paintings appealing to the modern eye - many of the paintings show a strong sense of whimsy, flowing with movement and life.

Donkey Cart Trail

You can opt to ride in the traditional donkey cart of the area – an exhilarating 2 hour ride (including a couple of stops for photography), or choose to walk all or part of the trail. This is a 12 km trail on a wide track which would typically take 2½ to 3 hours to walk (Rating 2A) The mountain scenery is spectacular and there are usually a variety of indigenous flowering plants to be seen along the way. Take note that the donkey cart is not a luxury vehicle – it is a bumpy ride though cushions will be provided!

Accommodation at Heuningvlei

Accommodation at Heuningvlei is provided in either the brand new community guesthouse or in one of two guesthouses. Dinner is provided by the ladies of the community.

Today you have a choice of two possible walks depending on your fitness levels and/or inclination! However we do ask that your whole group opts for one or other of the optional walks and also that you let us know in advance which option you are likely to do.

This is an immensely rewarding, but strenuous hike up to one of the highest peaks in the Cederberg Mountains. It is an 8 hour hike (3-4 hours up climbing 900 metres, approx 1 hour on the summit and 3 hours descent). Rating is 4C. Some scrambling up gullies will be required so above average fitness and some mountain experience would be expected. However at the top you are rewarded with 360 degree panoramic views of the whole of the Cederberg range and a fascinating terrain. On the way up and down there are also wonderful views, incredible rock formations and a number of the rather rare cedar tree, Widdringtonia cedarbergensis, which is endemic to the Cederberg area.

 Overnight at Heuningvlei guest cottage again on a DB&B basis.

Today you enjoy a guided day hike of about 15km (6 to 8 hours) up to the Boontjieskloof Hut, in the heart of the Cederberg Wilderness Area, and then down to the little Brugkraal mission settlement, via Grasvlei village. There are swimming opportunities en route in pools in the perennial Grasvlei stream. There are fascinating rock formations and an interesting variety of indigenous vegetation along the way. The Boontjieskloof Hut is one of several simple stone huts in the Wilderness Area that were built originally to provide shelter for the forestry workers. They are now mainly used by backpacking hikers.   (The trail is not steep with a gentle climb up of 250 metres and then a 300 metres descent, Rating 3B). You stay overnight in the community guest cottage at Brugkraal on a DBB basis.

Accommodation at Brugkraal

Accommodation at Brugkraal is in a community guest cottage. There are two bedrooms. One has one double bed and one single bed. The other has four single beds. There is one bathroom, off the passage, which is shared between the two bedrooms.

You continue on the guided trail down to the main village in the area, Wupperthal Mission Village. The hike is approx 12km (taking 6 to 7 hours) down the valley of the Grasvlei River, via Grasvlei and Agtersvlei, and then via Sassakloof to Wupperthal along the Tra Tra River (Rating is 2B). From Brugkraal to Grasvlei the trail follows a pretty path along the west bank of the stream. At Grasvlei village you cross the stream to the east side on a rustic little footbridge and then walk down the gravel track for a short while before turning off into the indigenous vegetation between the track and the cliff above the river. There is no clear path so you wind your way through the fairly sparse vegetation. The Grasvlei waterfall with a big pool at the bottom is worth a visit, particularly if you would like a swim, if you are prepared to scramble down a steep path and back again. Later the trail rejoins the gravel track for a couple of kilometres to pass through Agtersvlei. Thereafter the trail takes a short cut through the bush, crosses the Tra Tra River and joins a good path through a beautiful “kloof” that leads to Wupperthal. There are several swimming pools in the river in this section. You stay overnight in a guest cottage in Wupperthal on a DBB basis.

Accommodation at Wupperthal

Accommodation is normally in the Kloofhuis community guesthouse. The keys should be collected from the Information Office. It has two bedrooms, each with three single beds, and a bathroom (bath, shower and basin) and a separate toilet that both lead off a passage. Meals are provided at the Lekkerbekkie community restaurant that is about 200m from the guesthouse, next to the Information Office.

This morning you will be collected from Wupperthal at approx 10am, so there is time for some sightseeing after breakfast. They will transfer you back to Clanwilliam arriving between 1-2pm. You stop en route for a short guided tour of the Sevilla Rock Art Trail. The Sevilla Trail consists of 9 different rock art sites, in a very attractive environment, and will take about 2½ hours to complete (Rating 1A) but you can choose how many sites you wish to visit. When you return to Clanwilliam, you collect your cars and depart for home.

2009 Nett Prices

2009 Rack Rate Prices

• Accommodation and meals as specified in the itinerary (Full Board)

·         Road Transfers as mentioned in the itinerary

·         Services of a local community guide for all the hikes

·         Transport of luggage between overnight stops

• Transport to/from Clanwilliam (quoted extra on request)

·         Travel insurance

·         Drinks (but tea and/or coffee are provided)

How to Book

Please send us your proposed dates. We only hold accommodation if it is a confirmed booking but we are happy to check availability for you. When a booking is confirmed, we book the tour and confirm it in writing.

Payment and Cancellation Policy

Tour payment is due promptly four weeks before travel. If you are booking less than four weeks prior to the trail, we will need full payment now to confirm the booking.

Our cancellation policy is as follows:

Between 30 and 15 days prior                        60%

Between 14 and 6 days prior              90%

5 days or less                                       100%