The Cederberg is a rugged place, concealing a thousand secrets in its ancient valleys. Weathered away over millions of years, the eerie sandstone rock formations are not dissimilar to what Neil and Buzz must have found after taking their "one small step," while names like Moordenaarsgat (Murderer’s Hole) give just a taste of the chequered history of these secluded valleys.

It’s a secret place where enthusiastic hikers spend years traipsing across its rugged peaks and plains, never discovering all of its secrets. But tucked away in the northern part of the Cederberg is an altogether more genteel way to discover what is surely the Cape’s most dramatic mountain range.

Head a few hundred kilometres north of Cape Town, hang a right at Clanwilliam, gear down as you climb the Pakhuis pass — where poet and epicurean C Louis Leipoldt’s grave rests in a rock overhang — and down to the area known simply as Agter-Pakhuis, where Bushmanskloof Wilderness Reserve lies discreetly tucked away in the pristine foothills of the northern Cederberg.

Once an overgrazed cattle farm, 10 years of intensive environmental management have returned the landscape to the way it would’ve looked thousands of years ago when the San bushmen were the only humans exploring these valleys.

That they lived in this area is beyond doubt, as one of the highlights of a stay on the reserve is exploring the 130 rock art sites that have been recorded and mapped by archaeology experts from the University of Cape Town.

While the nearby Sevilla Trail (open to the public, R25 per person) offers equally impressive rock art, the beauty of exploring the Bushmanskloof sites is that the reserve’s resident archaeologist is on hand to explain the intricacies of the drawings to guests.

Recognising that guests want more than just a ‘drive-by’ view of the fauna, flora and heritage of the area, the reserve is offering a range of special ‘discovery’ weekends, where experts in their field and the ever-friendly lodge staff will introduce guests to the intricacies of fauna, flora and fine living.

Get up close and personal

The area’s indigenous fynbos and endangered renosterveld, supremely adapted to their harsh environment, are an often overlooked highlight of a stay in this part of the world. With some tiny plants barely large enough to see, let alone examine, it’s easy to step right over them without someone drawing their incredible adaptations to your attention.

Someone, for instance, like Dr Penny Mustart of the Botanical Society, who runs regular ‘Botanical Breaks’ at Bushmanskloof. With guided walks through the reserve and entertaining evening slide shows, these specialist weekends are the perfect way for amateur botanists to get up close and personal with the startling diversity of the area, which boasts over 750 species ranging across three biomes.

Worried that you don’t know your rhizome from your restio? Relax; the weekends are geared at the man-in-the-street and Penny is expert at explaining the basics of botany, so don’t think you have to swot up on your seedlings before you go.

Apart from the fauna and flora, the reserve’s wealth of San rock art is also well worth further exploration. If you want more than the regular rock art walks, the ‘Art of Archaeology’ weekends — run by resident archaeologist, Siyakha Mguni together with Prof. John Parkington from UCT — are the perfect way to explore and understand the ancient rituals and meaning behind these delicate cave paintings; such as why the eland was not just an antelope to the San, but rather the incarnation of their god '/Kaggen'.

While the hunter/gatherer San might have lived in the stone overhangs you see dotting the surrounding cliffs, accommodation at Bushmanskloof is a tad more comfortable, with a selection of tastefully decorated rooms and suites available. Crackling fires in the lodge (and a few of the more luxurious suites) keep the chilly Cederberg winters at bay, while a drink in the bar of the cosy Homestead is a great way to warm up from an afternoon exploring the reserve.

Make sure you’re hungry

Feeling peckish after all that walking and discovering? Meals are a triumph at Bushmanskloof, where Head chef Leanne Roberts keeps the tables groaning with such delectable fare you’ll need a Fitness and Detox weekend to recover!

Breakfast before you leave for the morning activity and a delectable brunch when you return sets you up for a sublime afternoon of relaxing around the lodge. Until High Tea that is, when an incredible selection of cakes, savouries and tarts will tempt you to stock up for the evening drive through the reserve. Don’t tuck into the sundowners too heartily though, for the three course dinner each evening is worth the wait. I have a reputation for enjoying a ‘healthy’ appetite, but was no match for Leanne’s prolific kitchen.

And the fine cuisine is just one of the many charms of Bushmanskloof. As a member of Relais & Chateaux the reserve offers the hotel grouping’s famous five C’s — Courtesy, Charm, Character, Calm and Cuisine — in abundance, from the moment you arrive until you reluctantly make your way back over the Pakhuis Pass. With the five C’s taking care of your every need, throw in the rugged beauty of the Cederberg and you’ve got all the makings of a memorable weekend away.


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