Cederberg, Mountain wilderness region in Western Cape, South Africa
Cederberg is a mountain range in Western Cape featuring dramatic sandstone cliffs, deep valleys, and natural pools scattered throughout the protected wilderness. The landscape shifts from jagged peaks to verdant ravines, creating varied terrain across the protected area.
The San people created rock art throughout these mountains thousands of years ago, depicting scenes from their daily life and spiritual beliefs in stone. These paintings show that the region has been home to humans for an extremely long time.
Rooibos tea is the area's best-known product, grown on farms where altitude, dry climate and rocky ground limit other crops. In the north, the Moravian mission station of Wupperthal remains the centre of a small farming community and of a local industry making veldskoene, soft leather shoes. Fruit and tobacco are also harvested on some farms.
Visitors can explore marked hiking trails of varying difficulty and find camping spots and rock climbing areas throughout the region. Check local conditions before visiting since weather changes quickly in mountains and some areas may require permits.
The Cederberg holds just one winery, the highest in South Africa, so wine here comes from a single estate rather than a wine district. The same mountains supply the world's rooibos, grown almost nowhere else, and the veldskoene sewn at Wupperthal. Look for the Maltese Cross, a sandstone pillar standing apart on the slopes.
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