Walks in the northern Cederberg Mountains

Wild & Remote: Best Northern Cederberg Hikes

The Cederberg Mountains are best-known for the classic hikes of the central Cederberg. But there are loads of great walks in the northern Cederberg. Especially in the Pakhuis area close to Clanwilliam. A unique characteristic of the northern Cederberg is that you’ll rarely see another walker on a walking trail… for hours, if at all. This is raw wilderness at its best.

Given that it is a mountainous area, some walks in the northern Cederberg involve some steep sections. As it is wilder, they can be over-grown in parts, so wear long trousers if you don’t like getting the odd scratch on your legs. But there are also several flatter walks on offer.

Below I outline some favourites of mine.

Walks in the northern Cederberg – What you need to know

Seasonal Advice

It is extremely hot in the Cederberg in high summer. So we don’t recommend that you plan to do full day walks during the months of December to February.

If you do walk in summer, you should start as early as possible i.e. 6:30 am or 7 am so that you’re back from your walk before the main heat of the day. Do NOT under-estimate the heat!

However winter months (June to August) can be very cold in the early mornings, but with pleasant daytime temperatures. It is ideal for walking throughout the day unless it is raining. But if it has been raining a lot recently – ask your hotel or guesthouse, then some of the paths could be very muddy or waterlogged. (The Cederberg is in the winter rainfall area, though we get only a third of the rainfall of Cape Town).

What You need to Take – especially Summer, Spring Autumn

• Plenty of water
• Sunblock
• Wide brimmed hat
• Summer: Light weight long sleeved shirt to cover up if necessary
• Walking poles are handy (and can be bought in Cape Town at Cape Union Mart if you don’t want to bring them with you.

Permits for the Cederberg Wilderness Reserve: You need to buy a day permit to walk in the Cederberg Wilderness. You can buy the necessary permits from Klein Kliphuis Cape Nature Office. More info on Cape Nature here.

Difficulty Level

This is always subjective but I use the following scale:

• 1= Very Easy
• 2= Easy, mainly flat but some uneven ground
• 3= Moderate-Hard, 2-4 hours, some steep uphill, but not for too long
• 4= Hard, either longer in hours, or steeper uphill

Ramskop Nature Reserve, Clanwilliam – 45 to 60 mins

Rating: 1, Variable (as far as you want)

There is a lovely walking trail through the Ramskop Nature Reserve. It starts in the flowering area of the reserve and then heads around the small hill with beautiful views of the Clanwilliam Dam. An easy trail.

Heuningvlei Jeep Track – as far as you like

Rating: 2-3 depending on how far you walk, Variable

All Trails: Heuningvlei Trail from Pakhuis Pass

This is probably one of best known walks in the northern Cederberg. At the very top of the Pakhuis Pass, there is a small turnoff to the right. Turn off here and park your car in the car park. Take the trail from here through the gate and continue straight on. Unfortunately the first section of the track has been badly eroded by floods but there is now an alternative path next to it. This is a well-marked trail through classic Cedarberg terrain with lovely views down to the Karoo on your left. You can walk as far as you want and then turn back. (Eventually you would come to the small community of Heuningvlei after about 12km – see next). A Cederberg Wilderness Permit is needed.

Pakhuis to Heuningvlei (and Back?)

Rating: 3 to 3+, 12.5 km one-way, or 25km if you walk back (3+)

All Trails: Heuningvlei Trail from Pakhuis Pass

This is not really a full day walk but it does take most of the day as you will need to return by vehicle. At the top of the Pakhuis Pass, there is a small turnoff to the right. Park your car in the small car park. Take the trail from here through the gate and continue straight on. You walk to the small community of Heuningvlei. At Heuningvlei, you can either return the way you came (a solid 25km in total). Or arrange for one of your party to collect you by car. Or you can opt to book a lunch and donkey cart ride back to the Pakhuis Pass. Note: There is no shop at Heuningvlei so you will need to take provisions with you. Cederberg Wilderness Permit required.

TIP – For a solid walk, but slightly less distance, you can walk to the top of the Pass (approx 9.5km in – You will know when you get there! Then you can walk back (19km in total)

Short Kliphuis Circular walk (1.5 to 2 hours)

Rating – 3, approx 8km

All Trails: Doesnt have this exact trail but Kliphuis Campsite Alternative Route shows the trail starting from the campsite. This route is just the triangular part starting from the Summit (near Faith on map)

This is a circular walk from the top of Pakhuis Pass (Park in the car park – see above). First take the Heuningvlei Jeep track as above. Unfortunately the first section of the track has been badly eroded by floods but there is now an alternative path next to it. After approx 1km, you will see a small cairn and a single file track to the right. (Watch out for this as it’s easy to miss if you are chatting away. If you find yourself steadily climbing on the main track, then you have gone too far!) Take this track as it crosses the vlei and then goes gently uphill (after another 1km) on to a second plateau area. Look out for a not very clear four way intersection in the trail. Turn right at the intersection and start to descend.

Note: This walk can be a little overgrown (especially the last uphill section) but not too bad. It is also not recommended in winter after rains as that section can get water-logged and slippy.

Alternative Start from Kliphuis campsite

All Trails: Kliphuis Campsite Alternative Route

A second variation is to start at the Campsite and do a circular trip from there. This will require quite a bit of uphill hike. The clock-wise route is the more gradual uphill, with a steeper downhill on the way back. (as per main walk). The anti-clockwise is a steeper uphill and you will need to use the app, as the turnoff is not at all clear. (I keep missing it.)

Note: Linear variation to end at Kliphuis (1.5-2 hours, need two cars)

This is a linear version of the first walk. So ideally you need two cars. (Or someone who is prepared to walk the additional 3km uphill to retrieve your car from Pakhuis Pass!)

Follow the walk as detailed above. However as you descend the rocky and scenic kloof at the end, you stay on the path. You descend until you come to the river/stream. In the winter months you may need to take off your shoes to wade through the stream, but in summer it will be dry. Walk along the other side of the stream to Kliphuis campsite where you will have left one vehicle. Alternatively walk up the road to the summit again to retrieve your parked car. Allow 2 hours for this walk at a leisurely pace. Cederberg Wilderness Permit required.

Sevilla Rock Art Trail

Rating – 2, approx 4.5 to 5km (depending on number of sites visisted

All Trails: Sevilla Rock Art Trail

The Sevilla Rock Art Trail is on Travellers Rest farm, about 30 minutes drive from Clanwilliam over the Pakhuis Pass. (The trail can be easily combined with a visit to Wupperthal or to the Biedouw Valley during the flower season.) This is probably the most famous of the walks in the northern Cederberg because of the stunning series of rock art paintings.

The trail consists of 9 different rock art sites and will take about 2½ hours to complete. As it is a linear trail you can turn back at any time if you are tired but, because of this, the first four sites are less impressive than the following five as they have been visited by many more people over the years. If you are short on time, we would recommend walking past the first four sites to get to at least sites 5 to 7 and then visit the first 4 sites on the way back. (Sites 8 & 9 are also very good but a little further on).

The walk is not difficult but does involve slightly uneven terrain so comfortable shoes are recommended. You will need to purchase a permit at the Traveller’s Rest Restaurant. You may also want to purchase the very useful informative booklet on these paintings from the Clanwilliam Tourism Office in Clanwilliam beforehand.

It is rocky terrain here, but the views are stunning. Note that part of the track has become a little overgrown. Please be on the lookout for the stone cairns to guide you. You descend until you come close to the road. You will come to a T juncton in the path. Turn RIGHT here and follow the path back up to the car park. This last section has been cleared recently. There is one open section where you walk straight across and pick up the trail on the other side.

Follow the small cairns to the river/stream. In the winter months you may need to take off your shoes to wade through the stream, but in summer it will be dry. Allow 3 hours for this walk at a leisurely pace. Cederberg Wilderness Permit required.

Longer Kliphuis Circular walk (Perdefontein Trail, 3-4 hours)

Rating – 3, 11km

All Trails: Perdefontein Trail

OK, let me own up. This is one of my favourite walks in the northern Cederberg. Just before the Pakhuis pass, park your car outside the Kliphuis campsite. The walk is a 3 to 4 hour circular walk through pristine Cederberg fynbos. It is relatively gentle (as Cedarberg walks go!). The trail begins behind the old Forestry House and snakes up a steep kloof for approximately 30 minutes. This is steep but it’s the only bit of steep walking.

When you reach the top of the kloof, you come out onto a wide, broad plateau with views of Kliphuis immediately on the right, the peaks of Faith, Hope and Charity on your far right hand side, and Ribbokberg immediately in front of you. The path veers around to the left. Most of the walk continues on this plateau with gradual ups and downs. The path is clearly marked in most places and there are stone cairns where the trail is over the open rock.

Later in the walk, you descend next to a river (Kliphuisrivier). Although usually dry in summer, it has lovely waterfalls in winter. At this point, there’s a very pretty view of Lion’s Head, an escarpment of small peaks looking like lions gazing over the plains. Shortly after this the path turns to the left and you round the hill to head down hill into the original valley.

Note: This downhill section can be quite over-grown which is annoying as Cape Nature is literally right there! But the overgrown sections are not usually long. So I recommend long trousers, even in summer.

At the bottom it can be a bit boggy in winter so I would steer clear if there has been lots of rain recently (rare!) After the descent there is a slow gentle uphill section (tiring at this stage in the walk) back to the car park at Kliphuis. Cederberg Wilderness Permit needed.

Boskloof Valley – as far as you like, easy undulating

Rating 1-2, depending on how far you walk

This is not actually a trail but a very quiet country road through beautiful scenery. It’s ideal for people who are not comfortable walking on the Cederberg trails in the mountains. We recommend that you drive part of the way and then simply walk along the road and back to your car. The Boskloof road has the Krakadouw mountains on one side and a beautiful valley and farmland on the other.

Suitable Cederberg Tours:

Ultimate Cederberg – 3 nights staying in Northern Cederberg

Cederberg Hiking Tour – 3 nights visiting Central and Northern Cederberg

Plus many tailormade self-drive options involving Cape Town, Cederberg, West Coast and Winelands

Walks in the northern Cederberg – Related Articles & Links

Cederberg Ridge Wilderness Lodge – great place to stay for people who like to walk with guided trails on their farm and in the Cederberg Wilderness.

Walks in the central Cederberg Wilderness Reserve – our more famous sister article.

Cederberg Wilderness Reserve – Cape Nature’s page on the Cederberg Wilderness Reserve.

Planning to hike the Cederberg?

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This “Walks in the northern Cederberg” article was written by Cedarberg Africa

Cedarberg Africa is a specialist tour operator for Southern and East Africa. We focus on upmarket, tailor-made safaris for discerning and inquiring people. We happen to live in the Cederberg so we know it well, so we can chat to you from personal experience to craft an itinerary that’s just right for you.

Contact us if you’d like a tailormade safari quote for a trip to the Cederberg. (Note: we don’t know or book camping sites or self-catering, only hotels and guesthouses. and min 3-4 nights)