South African Tours - The Cederberg

If you love hiking, you could hardly ask for more beautiful country in which to put your boots to the trail than the Cederberg of South Africa. This mountain range is north of the Cape Peninsula, and is famous for its rugged scenery, spectacular rock formations, and the centuries-old rock paintings of the San (Bushmen) of the region. There are more than 250 kilometres of paths in the mountains, and they take you through some of the most fascinating country in South Africa.

So Much to See - So Little Time
When you plan a hiking trip to the Cederberg, you have to decide in advance just what part you want to see, because it covers such a large area. One trail takes you to unique sandstone features like the Wolfberg Arch and the Maltese Cross; others lead to the intriguing San art in caves and under rocky overhangs. You might like to go to Clanwilliam, an agricultural town that is a great base for exploring the mountains. The wildflowers here are beautiful in the spring, and the Old Jail is an interesting historic attraction. Another good base is Citrusdal, a beautiful community that has the oldest orange tree in South Africa. It still bears fruit, and is considered a national monument.

Game, Birds, and Mountain Bikes
Of the many places to hike in the Cederberg, one that must not be missed is the De Hoop Nature Reserve. This is one of the most important coastal reserves in South Africa. It projects 5 kilometres out to sea to protect coastal and marine life. It is divided into two parts: the western section is for hiking, game viewing, and bird watching and the eastern section is for mountain biking. The trails take you pass marshlands, sandy beaches, and rocky headlands. In addition to baboons, eland, antelopes and rhebok, you can see 250 species of birds. Between July and December, you can see southern right whales in the coastal waters. Cyclists come from all over the world to ride the self-guided trails within the park.

Magnificent Groot Karoo
Groot Karoo (Great Karoo) is a huge, ancient plateau that makes up almost a third of South Africa and is a land of plains that lie among the Cederberg Mountains. You can visit the private nature reserve at Grootbos, or the vineyards of the Hex River Valley, but the main attraction here is Karoo National Park. This park is a hiker's paradise. It covers the Karoo plains, mountain slopes, and a high plateau. The park is accessible only by hiking trails, or by four-wheel drive vehicles on guided tours. Most of the animals seen here are small mammals, birds and reptiles. Karoo National Park is the home of the largest number of wild tortoises in the world. Here, if you look hard enough, you can see the well camouflaged tent tortoise, which looks like an inverted egg carton. You might also see two endangered species - the riverine rabbit and the black rhino. The Cederberg of South Africa is just the place for anyone whose idea of a great vacation involves hiking boots and a backpack.