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CEDERBERG WILDERNESS AREA
Bushman's Kloof Private Game Reserve & Sanbona Reserves
The Cederberg is a wonderland featuring grotesque sculptured stone, cedars, waterfalls, sheer cliffs and gentle slopes. In spring, this region is clothed in colors. The Cederberg is located between the Pakhuis Pass and Middleberg Pass of which area 71 000 ha have been declared a wilderness area.
The Cederberg Wilderness Area is named after the rare Clanwilliam cedar tree (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis), which once covered the mountains in this area. Today only a few can be found on higher altitudes. The flora, which can be found in the Cederberg Wilderness Area, is fascinating varying from spring annuals to fynbos. The snow protea ( Protea cryophila) which is home on the higher parts of the mountains, occurs nowhere else in the world. The rocket pincushions (Leucospermum refelxum) can also be found here, the large red disa ( Disa uniflora) occurs along some of the mountain streams.
The Cederberg is famous for its unique rock formations and numerous rock overhangs shelter galleries of Bushman (San) paintings.
ANIMALS & BIRDS
Amongst the 30 mammal species, which live in the Cederberg Wilderness Area, are baboons, klipspringers, Cape clawless otter, the grey rhebok, steenbok, duiker, caracal, wild cat bat-eared fox and black-backed jackal. Over 100 bird species include sugarbird, sunbird, francolin and Cape canary. The main raptors in this area are the black eagle, rock kestrel and jackal buzzard. The rare Twee River redfin can be found in the Olifants River system, which contains several species of fish. Eight of the ten indigenous species of fish found in the Cederberg Wilderness Area are endemic.
Leopards and caracals generally prey on small mammals such as dassies. Leopards also hunt small antelopes such as springbok, klipspringer and reedbuck. Rare mountain zebra graze on the bushy hillsides and areas of open grasslands in the Cederberg Wilderness Area. Meerkats and mongooses eat scorpions, beetles and other small creatures.
SEASONS
The months from November to March are summer in the Cederberg Wilderness Area which are hot and dry with mid-summer heat reaching over 30°C. The temperature is increased by heat radiation from the rocks.
Rain usually falls between the winter months of May and September. Temperatures in July and August drop to freezing point with snow not being uncommon on higher altitudes. The sky is often clear and bright during the winter months but the wind can be very cold.
August and September feature the spring with its many colorful spring flowers covering the grasslands and mountain slopes.
CEDERBERG WILDERNESS AREA SPECIALITIES
• Spectacular rock formations
• Bushman (San) paintings
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