Walk the Highlands
EAST FREE STATE: A SAFARI FREE ZONE IN NATURE
From beer in Clarens to hikes in the Golden Gate parks, this is an unforgetable weekend away.
When we think SANParks, we immediately think safari. Lions, elephants, watering holes with crocodiles, pink sunsets over the bush, humming cicadas and galloping eland. It’s a beautiful way of thinking, but it’s funny that our minds don’t conjure up mountains, grassy plains, outdoor activities and natural and cultural history.
The Golden Gate Highlands Park in the eastern Free State is as magical as any other SANpark – without a safari vehicle in sight. The park, on the slopes of the Maluti mountains, is a serene sanctuary where you can reconnect with nature.
It’s a relatively short drive from Joburg and Pretoria and is a perfect weekend breakaway with good food, great hikes and cultural immersion.
BASOTHO CULTURAL VILLAGE
The Basotho cultural village has become famous worldwide. Locals live and work at the centre. Here’s your top pick of activities:
Museum tour: Depicting the architecture and lifestyle of the Basotho people from as early as the 16th century to the present day, the tour takes you through customs and traditions. This tour is conducted seven days a week and takes only 45 minutes. Cost: R40 per person.
Herbal trail: Get your hiking boots and thinking caps on. For this trail, you join the village traditional healer who explains in detail all the medicinal herbs on the trail. A guide then continues with the tour to caves to view San rock art. This guided trail is only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. It takes about two hours. Cost: R40 per person.
Cultural route: For this educational programme aimed at cultural heritage awareness, you trace the footsteps of the first settlers of the area by visiting the historical sites of QwaQwa. This guided tour is offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. It lasts for seven hours and costs R40 per person.
CLARENS
Eastern Free State has become renowned for its beer-loving town Clarens. The town’s slow pace suits its artistic residents, pubs and quirky stores. It demands you take it easy when visiting.
Here are some of Clarens’ top activities:
Art and Wine Gallery on Main: The name says it all. While you pour over artworks, pour a glass of vino too. It celebrates the Cape winelands as well as great South African artists.
Clarens Brewery: This is one of the town’s highlights. Next month the brewery will host the two-day Clarens Beer Festival. There will be an exciting music line-up and a range of breweries from around SA.
HIKES FOR LIKES
The top activity at Golden Gate Highlands has to be its exceptional hiking routes. What makes it so great is that you could join some of these trails to create a longer walk, or fit more than one into a day.
Here’s all the trails you can look forward to;
Cathedral Cave Hike: The 4-hour hike is no trouble at all, but needs to be booked in advance (with a minimum of five walkers).
Wodehouse Hike: At around four hours this unguided hike will test your skills with its high degree of difficulty. It starts and ends at the Glen Reenen Rest Camp.
Mushroom Rock:
Finish this low difficulty hike in around one hour. The hike is suitable for young children. It starts and ends at the Glen Reenen Rest Camp.
Eco-Ravine Hike: This unguided hike with a medium level of difficulty can be finished in around one hour. Suitable for children, it starts and ends at Glen Reenen Rest Camp.
Boskloof Hike: This 60-minute unguided medium difficulty hike also starts and finishes at the Glen Reenen Rest Camp.
Holkrans Hike: For splendid mountain views this one hour hike starts and ends at the hotel.
Brandwag Rock Hike: At one hour, this unguided medium difficulty loop hike is suitable for accompanied children. The hike has a chain to help with a steep accent. The hike starts and ends at the hotel or Glen Reenen.