Cederberg Ridge Wilderness (4*) 

The Cederberg was proclaimed as a Wilderness in 1973. This mountainous terrain is located in the Cape Floral Region only 2 ½ hours outside Cape Town, but it feels like a different world. The Cederberg Mountains, burnt orange by iron oxide, dominate the landscape. Jagged sandstone rock formations, like the Maltese Cross and the Wolfberg Arch, and ancient San and Khoi rock art, make this area truly spectacular.  The wilderness encompasses about 71 000 hectares of rugged, mountainous terrain, making it a top spot in the Western Cape for hiking and rock-climbing enthusiasts. The Cederberg, which forms part of the Cape floral Region, is a World Heritage Site, is covered in mountain fynbos, including the laurel protea, the red disa, rooibos, and the rare and endemic snow protea. Rare Clanwilliam cedars, the area’s namesake, dot the higher mountain cliffs. The area is also rich in wildlife. Visitors with a keen eye may spot porcupines, honey badger, the Cape clawless otter and aardvark. The lucky few may even catch a glimpse of the elusive leopard. There are also smaller predators like the African wild cat, lynx, bat-eared fox, aardwolf and Cape fox. Other, more common animals include baboons, dassies, grey rhebok, klipspringers, duiker and grysbok.

Cederberg Ridge is very easy to get to. It lies 5km from the town of Clanwilliam in the Cederberg. It takes 2½ hours from Cape Town or the Winelands, while Swellendam (on the Garden Route) is 3½ hours away. 

The nearest airport is Cape Town International Airport, which is just 2 ½ hour drive.