Things to do near
Tankwa Karoo National Park
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Hiking Trail
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Cederberg (72.6 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) From Dwarsrivier, take the road towards Ceres until you see a Nature Conservation sign indicating the Stadsaal Caves. Permits can be purchased at the gate.
Walking to the Stadsaal Caves and rock art sites is really just a doddle from the parking area. From here, stroll to a string of open caves and see beautiful Bushman paintings depicting an era when elephants occurred in the Cederberg.
Duration: 30 minutes or an entire day can be spent exploring the area
Difficulty: Easy
Mountain Biking Trails
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Cederberg (72.6 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) Explore the stunning Cederberg Wilderness and see Lots Wife and Window Rocks on two wheels. This awesome landscape offers incredible mountain bike opportunities.
Grab a permit and map at Dwarsrivier or Algeria Forest Station (Nature Conservation HQ for Cederberg Wilderness). Take lots of water and don’t forget sunblock and a puncture kit.
Distance: 12.5 km
Permits: Obtainable from Dwarsrivier office
Warning: Watch out for hikers along the route
Four By Four Trails
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Op Die Berg (74.2 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) Kagga Kamma 4x4 offers over 100 km of trails within its private reserve. It is located about 60 km from a small town call Op Die Berg. This town is your last stop for supplies. The trails take at least 6 hours to complete and have a difficulty grading varying from 2 to 3. High clearance vehicles are required on this self-drive trail. An entrance fee is required. Please call for further information.
Wine Estates
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Wellington (75.9 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) De Compagnie Wine Estate is situated in the Val du Charron, five km outside of Wellington. The farm is 27 hectares and lies in the narrow valley between the cliffs of the Hawekwa Mountains and Groenberg.
Visitors can enjoy not only the fantastic wine of the De Compagnie estate, but also its rich cultural environment. The owners of the the farm, Riana Scheepers and Johann Loubser, host cultural evenings with music and poetry in the historic cellar. Riana is also an award winning Afrikaans author and offers a creative writing course at De Compagnie.
There is a selection of Cabernet Sauvignon and Privaatkeur wines to select from, as well as pot-still brandy.
Hiking Trail
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Cederberg (76.2 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) Malgat, also called Hippo Pool, is a large natural pool downstream from Sanddrif. Backed by cliffs, the 50 x 30 m pool is a popular swimming spot in summer.
Permits for day visitors are obtainable from the Dwarsrivier office. (No day visitors over long weekends and school holidays).
Duration: 1.5 hours return
Difficulty: Easy
Popular Attractions
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Wupperthal (76.3 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) Visit the oldest working shoe factory in South Africa. The factory produces 'veldskoene' (field shoes), traditional 100% leather shoes made and worn by the early settlers.
The factory was founded in 1836 by Johann Gottlieb Leipoldt, grandfather of the famous South African poet C. Louis Leipoldt. The town of Wupperthal is situated in the remote Tra-Tra valley near the Cederberg Wilderness Area in the Western Cape province of South Africa. To get to Wupperthal travel on the gravel road from Clanwilliam, via the Pakhuis Pass.
Mountain Biking Trails
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Cederberg (77.9 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) Grab a permit and map at Dwarsrivier for the 7.5 km Wolfberg Mountain Bike Trail. Remember to take lots of water, sunblock and a puncture kit.
Distance: 7.5 km
Difficulty: Moderate
Popular Attractions
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Sutherland (79.6 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) Here you can experience what most people come to Sutherland for - stargazing. Just 1 km outside Sutherland you will find the Sterland Caravan Park where the local amateur 'star' aficionado, Jurg, will delight you with a celestial show. Regular sessions are presented throughout the year, even on the coldest nights.
The sessions are kicked off with a short video about Sutherland itself, a presentation on basic astronomical principles, posters and interesting books on the subject. Naked-eye viewing of the sky is followed by a chance to make use of the 3 x 11 inch Celestron telescopes that will reveal Deep Sky Images and other marvels. All the relevant constellations, stars, planets and objects are explained before looking through the telescopes.
The shows at Sterland starts at 8 pm and last about two hours each. Booking is essential and it is advised that you confirm the relevant dates and costs.
Four By Four Trails
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Clanwilliam (81.9 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) Biedouw 4x4 is located in the Cedarberg mountain area with the closest town, Clanwilliam, 54km away. The Biedouw 4x4 trail is 30 km in length and takes about 5 to 6 hours to complete. The trail has a difficulty grading of 3 to 4 and a high clearance, low range 4x4 vehicle is needed.
The self-drive Beidouw 4x4 trail is best experienced during the months of August to September when the flowers are in bloom. The trail runs over a variation of sand and rock with steep ascents and descents. The waterfall and rock pools are a great pit stop for yourself and the whole family.
Please contact for further information.
Hiking Trail
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Cederberg (82.7 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) Seasoned hikers should only attempt the spectacular hike to the Wolfberg Arch via the Wolfberg Cracks.
Purchase permits and a map from the office at Dwarsrivier or Algeria Forest Station (Cape Nature HQ for the Cederberg Wilderness). The route starts 1.2 km from Sanddrif. Park your vehicle under the oak trees and head up the path to Wolfberg Cracks.
Once you reach the summit of Wolfberg Mountain, look for a path leading to Wolfberg Arch. Cairns mark sections of the path that are unclear. For a real wilderness experience, plan to camp out under the stars.
Duration: Cracks – 3.5 hours return, Cracks & Arch – 9 hours return
Difficulty: Tough
Popular Attractions
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Sutherland (86.5 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) A literacy museum in the house where two famous Afrikaans poets and writer brothers, N.P van Wyk Louw and W.E.G. Louw were born in this house. Interesting displays.
Nature Reserves
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Calvinia (90.4 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) The Akkerendam Nature Reserve was established in 1967 and is situated just outside of Calvinia. The reserve is 2750 hectares in size and incorporates the majestic Hantam Mountain.
There is a wide variety of flora and fauna to see, including sword lilies, Cape asters, and brown peppering plants. The reserve is also a proclaimed bird sanctuary with more than 65 bird species, such as the fairy flycatcher, the black-headed canary, and layard's tit-babbler. The best time to visit the reserve is during flower season in September.
There are two hikes across the Hantam Mountain, one being relatively easier than the other. You can expect to spot the endangered sterkboom as well as the magnificent star tree which is unique to the region. Visitors can also enjoy a picnic and relax within the stunning scenery. The reserve is open daily and there is no entrance fee.
Hiking Trail
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Cederberg (92.2 km from Tankwa Karoo National Park) Venture up a short, moderately steep trail from Algeria Forest Station up to Middelberg Waterfall. Start walking up the clearly signposted path at the end of the Algeria campsite. Take the path that forks to the left when you’re almost at the waterfall.
The waterfall offers stunning mountain and valley views. Make use of the small pool for a swim or picnic at a secluded rocky overhang.
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Distance: 4 km