When Is the Best Time
The best time to visit Cederberg Wilderness Area and the surrounding region is during the southern summer. During this period it is hot and dry under a mostly cloudless sky, while the winter is cold and rainy. Even snow can cover the top of the mountains. It is possible that bridges and fords in the nature park are flooded and not passable.
Top Tip: The cloudless sky and dry air in summer create excellent conditions for a breathtaking sky with fascinating stargazing conditions. An observatory in the Cederberg Wilderness Area brings visitors closer to the celestial objects.
Weather Overview
- The spring season is mostly pleasant. However, rain is always possible until the month of August.
- Summer between November and March is hot and dry. That means you should start any hiking trip in the morning if possible.
- The fall season between April and mid-May is still pleasant if you are planning outside activities like hiking. However, be prepared for rain.
- The most rain falls during the winter months until August.
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Tours | Cape Town
The Cederberg mountain range is located about 200km north of Cape Town and is easily accessible by car. Coming from Cape Town, the entrance to the Wilderness Area is via Citrusdal. From there, a dirt road leads directly into the Cederberg (four-wheel-drive vehicle highly recommended!).
The Cederberg Wilderness Area is hardly populated by people due to the rocky ground, the high altitude, and the dry heat. This allows nature to develop absolutely undisturbed in the protected area. Between the imposing mountain slopes hide a variety of animals.
The shy leopard, the elegant caracal, also known as the desert lynx, the hawk cat, porcupines and badgers, meerkats, and mongooses, mountain zebras, and oryx antelopes, and over a hundred different species of birds. The pitch-black Kaffir eagle and the buzzard are the most frequently sighted birds of prey. The Olifants River system is also home to the greatest abundance of fish species south of the Zambezi River.