Plan your trip
DAY ONE
Settle in at the hotel and be sure to open the curtains, where you’ll find amazing views of the iconic sandstone Brandwag Buttress lit up at night. When you check in, book to go horse riding the next day as they require advance notice.
STAY HERE
The alpine-style Golden Gate Hotel offers the most contemporary accommodation in the park and has the most facilities, including restaurants, a cosy pub, tennis courts and even board games on request. There are simple self-catering chalets (from R1 094 for two) on the grounds, but the hotel rooms feel more luxe. The north-facing rooms cost a little more but have the best views. From R1 142 for two sharing B&B. Conservation fees R44 pp a day. 058-255-1000
DAY TWO
Make the most of the generous breakfast buffet, then kick off your morning with an expertly guided horse ride through the grasslands, crossing streams and trotting up small hillocks. You can choose an hour (R100) or two-hour (R155) scenic outride and the guide will cater to all riding abilities (it might be too slow-going for pros). Animals you’re likely to see include black wildebeest,
springbok, blesbok, grey rhebok and mountain reedbuck. Keep an eye peeled for butterflies, too, and see how many different ones you can spot – 78 species have been recorded here. Afterwards, drive into town and grab a light lunch at the Clarens Brewery. The German-style food is affordable and delicious – I always order the sausage bowl (R70 for two), which comes with an assortment of relishes and fresh bread from the bakery at the entrance to town. Aside from beer brewed on site (the tasters are free so sample them all to find your favourite), the brewery has joined the national trend and now distils gin too. (082-901-4700, clarensbrewery.co.za). Spend the rest of the day wandering around town and its various shops and art galleries. Then head back in time to watch the orange cliffs grow golden at sunset from the hotel’s balcony.
DAY THREE
Most day hikes depart from Glen Reenen Rest Camp but there is one, the Holkrans Trail, that starts just behind the Golden Gate Hotel. Do it before you head home – it only takes an hour. The path winds up the massive orange sandstone cliffs, briefly dips into a forest along the edge of a ravine, and crosses windswept grasslands before returning to the hotel.
‘Here, you’re high enough to see birds of prey swooping by and really feel a part of the landscape’