Hike, climb, wander, or watch the stars. However you spend your day, each path leads back to the same thing: connection with people and the land itself.
Lace up for anything from mellow sunrise loops to solid training miles. You’ve got options with the 13 km Pakhuisberg circuit from Kliphuis, the scenic Heuningvlei track off Pakhuis Pass, and the Sevilla Rock Art Trail for an easy, culture-rich leg-stretcher. Pick up the trail permit from the relevant establishment and carry a proper map. Slingsby’s local guides and booklets are the standard, with Sevilla info sold at Traveller’s Rest.
If bouldering had a pilgrimage, Rocklands would be its final destination. Featured sandstone, steep roofs, perfect aretes – there are thousands of lines spread across a range of styles and grades. Peak season runs through our winter (roughly May to September) when temps are cool and the friction is good. There is also great sport climbing and trad climbing in the shoulder seasons. A valid climbing permit is compulsory for all climbing activities. Keep to trails, mind the rock art, and leave climbing areas cleaner than you found them.
Ancient depictions of people and animals can be found throughout this valley – all part of a rock art legacy thousands of years old. The easiest way to experience these is to walk the 5 km Sevilla Rock Art Trail with nine curated sites and clear access from Traveller’s Rest. Buy a permit at Traveler’s Farm Stall, carry water, move with respect, and leave the rock untouched. Oils and moisture damage the pigments. Other Cederberg sites exist on our land and elsewhere, but the Sevilla Trail is the best starting point.
From protea-covered ridges to sandstone ravines, the Rocklands valley is a magnet for sought-after bird species like the Cape Rockjumper, Protea Canary, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler and Ground Woodpecker. Sugarbirds and orange-breasted sunbirds can also be seen darting between the fynbos. And then there are the raptors. The Verreaux’s Eagle or Black Eagle breeds on nearby cliffs, and some lucky visitors might even spot a Black Harrier.
After good winter rains, the valleys burst into flower with daisies, vygies and bulbs turning Agter-Pakhuis and Biedouw into bright carpets from early to late August, often spilling into early September. To make the most of a wildflower trip, plan your visit around the Clanwilliam Wild Flower Show at the Flower Church, and you will get a close-up of 300+ species under one roof. If that’s not enough, you can also pay a visit to the Ramskopp Flower Garden on the outskirts of Clanwilliam.
With no glare from neighbouring farms, nights here are properly dark, and you can get a good view of the stars – the Milky Way and sometimes even the Magellanic Cloud – right from your tent. For those who want to venture further afield, the wider Cederberg is also famed for low light pollution, and the Cederberg Astronomical Observatory (a scenic drive away) offers Saturday public viewings (new-moon weekends are best). Plan around the moon and let the sky do the talking.
Community starts here— with friends around a table strewn with cards, maps and board pieces. As the wind rustles the fynbos outside and whistling kettle signals the next round of hot chocolate, teammates share strategies, and rivals trade jokes and stories. Turns can be long, and the evenings slow – the perfect antidote to the busy lives that many guests are trying to escape. Our library grows every season – Catan (with expansions), Arcs, Root, Oath, Inis, Clank, and the co-op Fate of the Fellowship. We’ve also got a collection of Magic: The Gathering Commander decks for casual pods.
Close to camp, the two Rocklands staples are Traveller’s Rest farm stall & restaurant, and The Hen House at Alpha Excelsior. Here you’ll find good coffee, local plates, and a friendly climber buzz in season. In Clanwilliam, try De Kelder, Bella-Louise at Velskoendraai (plus the Rooibos Teahouse), Ochre & Ash’s boutique spot, or the restaurant at Cederberg Ridge – worth booking in peak season. Further afield is the seafood experience at Muisboskerm near Lamberts Baai.
