welcometo the official Cederberg tourism site - learn about the Cederberg mountains and Cederberg Wilderness area, what you can do here and where you can stay…
The Cederberg region is only two hours from Cape Town and yet the landscape is completely different: wilder, warmer with a raw, dramatic beauty. Towering mountains, brilliant purple and orange at sunset, preside over the citrus orchards in the valley, laden with the scent of orange blossom in the spring.
Enjoy the beauty of the Cederberg in your own way: walk in the mountains with not another person in sight, enjoy bouldering and climbling at Rocklands; swim in the clear mountain rock pools or marvel at the delicate Bushman rock art. Or simply relax and enjoy the exhilarating peace of this unspoilt paradise. The Cederberg has an exceptional botanical diversity, being part of the Cape Floral Kingdom of South Africa, and among the twisted rock formations, farmers cultivate the world-famous healthy rooibos tea, found only in the Cederberg of South Africa.
Origins of the Cederberg Name
The Cederberg, or Cedarberg, as it is also often called, is named after the ancient cedar trees, distinctive snarled trees growing high in the Cederberg mountains. Many Cedar trees were harvested in the 19th century to make beautiful furniture and, more unfortunately, telegraph poles. But a few still survive.
Read more ...
Originally the English name for the region was the Cedarberg and the Afrikaans name was the Sederberg. Many English-speakers still call it the Cedarberg however increasingly it is known as the Cederberg, an amalgam of both names.
Hide
The Cederberg at the Getaway Show
Cederberg Tourism attended the recent Getaway Show in Johannesburg and it was a great success with lots of people at our stand seeing our presentation of the area and sampling products such as our Rooibos tea and related Rooibos products. The prize winner of our Cederberg Getaway competition was Trudie van Rensburg...
Read more ...
Trudie and her husband have won a Four Night Getaway including 2 nights at Bushmanskloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat in the northern Cederberg, 2 nights at Ndedema Lodge in Clanwilliam, car rental from Cape Town, escorted tours when in the Cederberg and a complimentary dinner. Congratulations Trudie!
Hide
Bushman's Cave Theatre
Bushman’s Cave Theatre has made a name for itself hosting outdoor concerts for some of the big names in Afrikaans music such as Steve Hofmeyr, Danie Niehaus, Emo Adams and Chris Chameleon. This is a stunning venue with a natural rock stage in the Agter Pakhuis region of the Cederberg close to Clanwilliam.
Read more ...
Supper is included in your ticket price and there’s a cash bar. There’s plenty of accommodation in Clanwilliam which is approx 40 mins drive away, as well as camping places close by. Check out the upcoming programme at www.bushmanscave.co.za or see our events page for the major highlights.
Hide
Cederberg Bouldering & Climbing
Recent years have seen the explosion of bouldering in the Cederberg, especially around the Rocklands area close to Pakhuis. Every year hundreds of keen climbers descend on the Cederberg to check their skills on any one of over 1500 documented bouldering problems. This is eco-tourism at its best. The climbers bring in their bouldering crash pads on their backs and they leave only faint chalk marks on the rock, which they use to stop their hands from sweating and slipping. See our Adventure Page for more on cederberg bouldering. Even if you are not a climber, the Cederberg rocks with their strange formations are heaven for old and young - for hiking, playing on the rocks and picnics....
Hide
Wine-tasting in the Cederberg
The Cederberg mountains are home to some of South Africa’s highest vineyards. The Cederberg Cellars falls within the Cederberg Wilderness Area and not only has a unique mountain situation but also a string of awards, including several Veritas Double Gold awards, for its ‘wines with altitude’.
Read more ...
A cool continental climate coupled with north-westerly breezes in the hot Cederberg summers, several soil types, unpolluted air and clear water have made the Cederberg mountains the ideal terroir for a wide range of wines, notably its red wines. Cederberg Cellars is found in the central Cederberg on the farm Dwarsrivier, past Algeria Forest Station and over the Uitkyk pass. It is open for wine-tasting, for a nominal fee, and wine sales from Monday to Sat lunchtime. Tel 027 482 2827 for more info. You can combine a visit to the wine estate with Stadsaal Caves & bushmen’s paintings, Wolfberg cracks or Maalgat. See our Cederberg Wilderness pages for more info.
The Cederberg Cellars is not the only wine estate in the Cederberg. It is joined by Alpha-Excelsior country winery near the Pakhuis pass in the northern Cederberg as well as a number of wine estates along the Oliphants River Valley such as Royston wines near Citrusdal and Trawal winery north of Clanwilliam. Alpha Excelsior is also open for wine and olive tasting as well as wine sales. Contact them on 027 482 2700.
Hide
Weddings in the Cederberg
The Cederberg makes a great venue for a destination wedding. Imagine getting married in the great outdoors, surrounded by dramatic rock formations and looking out over vast plains. There are many spots on offer such as Bushmans Cave, or Bushmanskloof Wilderness Reserve or Pikenierskloof Lodge.
Hide
Birding in the Cederberg
Birdwatchers will not be disappointed in the Cederberg with the most popular birdwatching spots being the Cederberg Wilderness area, the Kranskloof valley as well as nearby Lamberts Bay on the West Coast. There are over 100 species recorded in the Cederberg Wilderness area alone including the rock kestrel and jackal buzzard.
Hide
The Cederberg exhibits at Destinations Expo Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:08:18 GMT+2 The Cederberg region is exhibiting at the inaugural Destinations Expo to be held at the Convention Centre in Cape Town from Thursday 22nd October to Sunday 25th October. We have a stunning stand with our classic mountain backdrop and we look forward to telling visitors all about what they can do and see in the [...]
Clanwilliam WINS Dorp van die Jaar Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:05:47 GMT+2 We are delighted to announce that Clanwilliam has won the Dorp van die Jaar competition sponsored by Kaap Rapport and Van Loveren wines. The judges said that they were particularly impressed with:
Our community projects such as the Clanwilliam Living Landscape Project, Cederberg Heritage Trail and the Donkey Cart Excursions which both offering visitors an exciting [...]
Clanwilliam is a finalist for Dorp van die Jaar Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:04:15 GMT+2 Clanwilliam in the northern Cederberg is one of the top three finalists in Kaap Rapport’s Dorp Van Die Jaar. We entertained the judges last week with an active visit including horse-riding to some rock art sites, donkey cart excursions in the mountains, a visit to one of our Rooibos tea farms, a demonstration of bouldering [...]
Trudie Van Rensburg wins our Cederberg Getaway Prize Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:50:28 GMT+2 Cederberg Tourism attended the recent Getaway Show in Johannesburg and gave a Four Night Cederberg Getaway Prize. The prize winner was Trudie van Rensburg. Trudie and her husband have won a Four Night Getaway including 2 nights at Bushmanskloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat in the northern Cederberg, 2 nights at Ndedema Lodge in Clanwilliam, [...]
Living Landscape Lantern Festival Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:16:07 GMT+2 Sunday 13th September saw the annual lantern festival take place in the streets of Clanwilliam. The University of Cape Town, together with Jazzart Dance Company presented the culmination of a week long arts programme involving the community of Clanwilliam. The procession was a spectacular performance of fire, dance, storytelling and screen puppets at the Cederberg [...]
