Looking out over the Renosterhoek Valley from your garden table at Kardoesie you can still imagine that elephants used to roam freely through this district but not so when you enter the town of Clanwilliam.
Located on the West Coast Way Wild Route
West Coast Way Is South Africa’s Road Trip With The Most Twists
Explore the Cape West Coast by planning a self-drive trip or book a guided tour for a nature and adventure-filled Cape West Coast holiday.
Find a 101+ things to see and do on the West Coast Way:
Enjoy wine, craft beer, olives and Rooibos tea tastings, Weskus cuisine and braaivleis (barbecue), swing into Citrusdal with a zipline, go Cederberg bouldering, jump into natural (warm) pools, step onto cruises of lagoons and rivers, trek through nature reserves and a National Park, hop onto game drives, try the skill of archery and angling, get your adrenaline pumping with sand-boarding and quad-biking, go horse riding, learn about the San culture and Riel-dancing, do kite- and windsurfing, chill in your flip flops and do surfing, book a kayaking trip, go beach hopping, learn about bees, whales and listen to our birds in a twitcher’s paradise – all in South Africa’s wildflower reserve.
For more information on the West Coast’s top places to go, road tripping, hikes, tours and trails, explore westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777. Follow us on @WestCoastWaySA on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.Clanwilliam is located on the West Coast Way Wild Route and its People Rocking Nature Track. The town was first called Jan Disselsvalleij but later it was named after the Earl of Clanwilliam. It is one of the ten oldest towns in South Africa.
At the lovely Old Gaol Museum you can learn more about the history of Clanwilliam, the poet and gastronome C. Louis Leipoldt and the famous comedian Tolla van der Merwe. You can also see an old pot still, a manual telephone switchboard of yesteryear and smartly polished wagons.
Amble across the road to the Yellow Aloe Guest House and Coffee Shop where you will be absolutely astounded by the creative garden and its decor.
Whilst in Clanwilliam while away your time with drinking rooibos (or honey bush) tea and discovering an array of rooibos-inspired products; visiting and photographing the pretty churches, some with gravestones in the church yard; and popping in to Albrecht General Dealer where they used to sell marbles for a mere seven cents, but no longer, though you will still find old-style knitted tea cosies.
At Strassbergers you will fall in love with their leather shoes and boots with names like Crazy Horse, Gesie, Juliette, Drifter, Romeo or Niklaas. These will last you a lifetime. If you’ve always coveted a pair of red vellies you’ve come to the right place.
Outside of the town you can try your hand at rock climbing, hike in the Cederberg or do the self-guided Sevilla Rock Art Trail.
People from far and wide attend the annual Clanwilliam Wild Flower Show that is hosted in the Blomkerk (Flower Church – built in 1864) in late winter towards early spring.
Although Clanwilliam is where the Wild Flower Show is held, carpets of seasonal flowers can also be seen at Piketberg, Citrusdal, Wupperthal, Vanrhynsdorp, Nieuwoudtville and Garies.
Find Clanwilliam on the West Coast Way Wild Route.
Open 7 days a week
Distance from Cape Town: 231km
Where: On the N7
West Coast Way Is South Africa’s Road Trip With The Most Twists
Explore the Cape West Coast by planning a self-drive trip or book a guided tour for a nature and adventure-filled Cape West Coast holiday.
Find a 101+ things to see and do on the West Coast Way:
Enjoy wine, craft beer, olives and Rooibos tea tastings, Weskus cuisine and braaivleis (barbecue), swing into Citrusdal with a zipline, go Cederberg bouldering, jump into natural (warm) pools, step onto cruises of lagoons and rivers, trek through nature reserves and a National Park, hop onto game drives, try the skill of archery and angling, get your adrenaline pumping with sand-boarding and quad-biking, go horse riding, learn about the San culture and Riel-dancing, do kite- and windsurfing, chill in your flip flops and do surfing, book a kayaking trip, go beach hopping, learn about bees, whales and listen to our birds in a twitcher’s paradise – all in South Africa’s wildflower reserve.
For more information on the West Coast’s top places to go, road tripping, hikes, tours and trails, explore westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777. Follow us on @WestCoastWaySA on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.