Cederberg Wilderness Trail

About Cederberg Wilderness Trail

Start: near Clanwilliam
Emphasis: forge your own route
Duration: 1 - 7 days following woodcutters' paths at will
Fitness: for the hardy hiker
Our tip: for those after solitude and peace, and sleeping where and when you choose, there is nothing that beats the Cederberg Wilderness

The Cederberg Wilderness, a World Heritage Site, is 71 000 hectares of rugged and mountainous terrain with breathtaking landscapes and renowned sandstone rock formations, 250 km from Cape Town.

Roughly 300 km of hiking trails on well maintained paths wend their way through what is, in essence, the Cape Fold Belt peppered with weathered sandstone formations, typical of the area, that include Wolfberg Arch and the Maltese Cross.

Hikes can take any shape from a day hike to up to seven days spent in the wilderness, depending on the hiker. Trails are self-guided. You will need to carry your own pack, so planning is of the essence. Those who head off into the wilderness speak of the vastness of the space and the solitude that results from not seeing another person for days.

The Clanwilliam cedar grows is the cedar zone against cliffs and overhangs usually at over 1000 metres above sea level. It is endangered and under protection in the cedar reserve, 5 250 hectares within the wilderness. Volunteers plant roughly 8 000 year-old trees in this reserve a year. The snow protea, endemic to the area, is both scarce and found only on the highest peaks of the wilderness.

There are a variety of campsites and chalets at Kliphuis and Algeria and Cape Nature are busy constructing a further six self-catering chalets and ablution facilities.

For a map of the area visit the Cape Nature website or get one from the Algeria camp – a map is essential for hiking.