Wolfberg Cracks
Narrow passages.
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The Cederberg is a mountain range about 190 km in a straight line north of Cape Town, between the towns of Citrusdal and Clanwilliam, and the Cederberg Wilderness Area protects its heart. The range runs about 50 km from north to south, and its highest peak, Sneeuberg, reaches 2,026 m. The main entrance area is about 27 km in a straight line south-east of Clanwilliam. The mountains are named after the Clanwilliam cedar, a rare tree that grows only here. Wind and water have carved the red and orange sandstone into strange shapes: arches, pillars, overhangs and deep cracks. Among the best known are the Wolfberg Cracks, narrow passages through a cliff, and the free-standing Wolfberg Arch, both reached on a long day hike. San rock paintings, some of them thousands of years old, survive under many overhangs. The area is managed by CapeNature, and hiking needs a permit. Gravel roads link campsites and farms, and the clear, dark skies make the Cederberg one of the best places in South Africa for stargazing; an observatory holds public evenings. Spring, from August to October, brings wildflowers, while summer is very hot and winter nights are cold, with snow at times on the peaks.
Narrow passages.
Free-standing arch.
Dark skies.
Cederberg, Western Cape, South Africa
Yes, for hiking in the wilderness area.
Spring, from August to October.