Western Cape · South Africa

Clanwilliam and Cederberg

Town in the Olifants River valley, land of rooibos, gateway to the Cederberg mountains, with San rock art, late-winter flowers and red sandstone formations.

Cape Town and the Western Cape

In the photo: View of Pakhuis Pass in the Cederberg.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Clanwilliam sits in the Olifants River valley, about 230 km north of Cape Town via the N7, at the foot of the Cederberg mountains. It is the seat of the Cederberg municipality and one of the oldest towns in the Western Cape province: until 1814 it was called Jan Dissels Vallei, when Governor John Cradock renamed it after the Earl of Clanwilliam. The main street still has the old jail, now a museum, the Dutch Reformed church and 19th-century houses.

The region is the home of rooibos. The shrub grows on the Cederberg slopes, and the town is a center for the farms and processors of the beverage, protected by a geographical indication. In late winter and early spring, in August and September, rains often cover the fields with wildflowers; Ramskop Nature Reserve, on the edge of the dam, brings together hundreds of species in a native-flower garden.

East of town, the road climbs Pakhuis Pass between sandstone cliffs to the Sevilla Rock Art Trail, with San rock paintings along the Brandewyn River, and descends to Wupperthal, a mission village founded in 1830, known for handmade leather shoes and organic rooibos. To the south is the Cederberg Wilderness Area, managed by CapeNature, with the jagged rocks of the Wolfberg Cracks, the Wolfberg Arch and the Stadsaal caves, another rock art site.

The climate is dry, with very hot summers and rainfall concentrated in winter. Roads into the Cederberg interior are unpaved, and many trails require a permit purchased before the hike.

This destination brings together 1 city: Clanwilliam.

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Where Clanwilliam and Cederberg is

Boundaries: South African Municipal Demarcation Board / OCHA ROSEA / geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Clanwilliam and Cederberg

✈ Aeroporto Internacional da Cidade do Cabo (CPT), in Cidade do Cabo · 230 km to Clanwilliam

From Cape Town airport it is about 230 km via the N7, nearly three hours by car. Pakhuis Pass provides access to the northern Cederberg. Uitkyk Pass is closed after the May 2026 floods; for the central valley and Matjiesrivier use the southern access via Citrusdal and Op-die-Berg, or via Ceres. Check conditions with CapeNature.

Cabo Ocidental · Clanwilliam and Cederberg

Clanwilliam

Town in the Olifants River valley at the foot of the Cederberg mountains in the Western Cape. It is the home of rooibos and the base for Pakhuis Pass, with the rock art of the Sevilla Rock Art Trail, the mission village of Wupperthal and the sandstone formations of the Wolfberg Cracks and the Stadsaal caves. In August and September wildflowers often cover the fields and the garden at Ramskop Nature Reserve.

The local experience

Things to do in Clanwilliam and Cederberg

Clanwilliam · Western Cape · Nature reserve

Ramskop Nature Reserve

Reserve on the shore of the Clanwilliam dam, with a garden of regional wildflowers, short trails and views of the Cederberg mountains. It is more in bloom in August and September.

Clanwilliam · Western Cape · Museum

Clanwilliam Museum

Regional history museum in the old gaol of Clanwilliam on the main street, with rooms on San rock art, rooibos, handmade leather shoes and the poet C. Louis Leipoldt.

Clanwilliam · Western Cape · Rock art

Sevilla Rock Art Trail

Easy trail along the Brandewyn River in Pakhuis Pass that passes rock shelters with San rock paintings: human figures, elands, zebras and other animals.

Clanwilliam · Western Cape · Historic site

Wupperthal

Mission village founded in 1830 in the Tra-Tra River valley in the Cederberg, with a church, whitewashed thatch-roofed houses, hand-made leather shoe workshops and rooibos cultivation.

See 2 more places in Clanwilliam and Cederberg

Clanwilliam · Western Cape · Cave

Stadsaal Caves

A set of grottoes and wind-carved arches in the sandstone of Matjiesrivier Nature Reserve in the Cederberg, with a nearby shelter containing rock paintings of elephants.

Clanwilliam · Western Cape · Natural formation

Wolfberg Cracks

Narrow cracks that cut through the sandstone cliff of Wolfberg, in the central Cederberg valley. The trail climbs through the cracks to the plateau and can continue to the Wolfberg Arch, a stone arch.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

August and September are the flower season, which depends on winter rains. From September to November and March to May days are usually mild, good for hiking. From December to February it is very hot in the valley and the mountains. From May to August there is more rain and nights are cold; at the top of the Cederberg it can snow.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days are enough for the town, the museum, Ramskop Nature Reserve and the Sevilla Rock Art Trail at Pakhuis Pass. With three or four days you can include Wupperthal, the Wolfberg Cracks trail and the Stadsaal caves in the Cederberg interior, which each require a day because of the dirt roads.

Which city to stay in

In central Clanwilliam, near the main street, guesthouses and B&Bs are a short walk from the museum and restaurants, and the town serves as a base for Pakhuis Pass and Wupperthal. On the dam shore and along the Pakhuis Pass road there are farms with cottages. For the Wolfberg Cracks and the Stadsaal caves, farms and campsites in the Cederberg central valley shorten travel on dirt roads.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Clanwilliam and Cederberg

Where is Clanwilliam?

In the Western Cape, in South Africa, about 230 km north of Cape Town via the N7. The town lies in the Olifants River valley at the foot of the Cederberg mountains.

When is the flower season in Clanwilliam?

Generally August and September, in late winter and early spring. The amount of flowers depends on the year’s rainfall. Ramskop Nature Reserve, on the edge of the dam, is the easiest place to see them near town.

Do you need a car to explore the Cederberg?

Yes. There is no regular transport to the trails and mountain villages. Roads to Wupperthal, the Wolfberg Cracks and the Stadsaal caves are unpaved; an ordinary car usually manages in dry weather, but you should confirm conditions before going.

Can you do Clanwilliam as a day trip from Cape Town?

It is possible, but it’s about three hours of driving each way. To also see the Pakhuis Pass rock art and the Cederberg interior, it’s best to spend at least two nights in the area.

Do you need a permit for Cederberg trails?

Yes, for most of them. The Sevilla Rock Art Trail, the Wolfberg Cracks and the Stadsaal caves require a permit, sold at the farms where the trails start or at CapeNature offices. Buy it before you start the hike.

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Clanwilliam and Cederberg

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

The cities on this trip