Six hundred million years of geology will do something to a place. The Cederberg sandstone was being shaped long before anything walked upright, and you feel that when you’re standing in it – a quiet sense that you are very new here, and the rocks are very old, and they are largely unbothered by your presence.
My sister and I left Cape Town on a Friday morning at the start of April, taking advantage of a long weekend.
Our main targets for the second day: Truitjieskraal, Stadsaal Caves, and Lot’s Wife. Three different experiences, all within easy reach of each other in the Matjiesrivier Nature Reserve.
Important update – May 2026: The Matjies River road has been closed following the devastating Western Cape floods of 2026. The road was washed away and is currently inaccessible. This post is kept up as a record of the area and a resource for when access is restored – but please check current road conditions with CapeNature before planning a visit. The Cederberg communities were hit hard; it’ll take time to rebuild.
Getting There
The Cederberg is roughly 300 km north of Cape Town via the N7 highway. The turn-off into Matjiesrivier Nature Reserve is off the N7 and leads down a gravel road – you’ll want a high-clearance vehicle here, especially after any rain. The soft, deep sand closer to the rock formations will humble a regular sedan quickly. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Permits: Sort These Out First
You need a permit to visit both Truitjieskraal and Stadsaal Caves. These are available at the CapeNature offices in Matjiesrivier or Algeria, or from the Kromrivier office. Wild Card holders get in free.
Truitjieskraal
Truitjieskraal is a short, interpretive loop trail through dramatic sandstone formations – AllTrails lists it at about 2.6 km, taking 30–45 minutes at a gentle pace. It’s an easy walk, accessible to children, but don’t rush it. The landscape demands to be looked at slowly.
The name is believed to come from Gertruida – a local shepherd’s wife or loved one who likely sheltered here when the cave was used as an overnight stop along the old livestock route between winter and summer grazing areas.
Wildlife was low-key but charming – no baboons this time (we half-expected them), but plenty of dassies sunbathing on the warm rocks, doing what dassies do best: sitting very still and looking mildly inconvenienced by your presence.
Information boards are dotted along the trail, covering the lifestyle of the San and Khoekhoe people, as well as the local flora and fauna.
Truitjieskraal is also a well-known rock climbing destination with around 37 bolted routes developed by CapeNature and the MCSA, ranging from beginner to advanced. We watched a few people on the walls while we walked – it is a brilliant crag that we’ve climbed at before.
Stadsaal Caves
Just a few kilometres from Truitjieskraal, Stadsaal (Afrikaans for “town hall”) is a different kind of spectacle entirely. Where Truitjieskraal feels open and sun-baked, Stadsaal pulls you into the earth. Enormous sandstone overhangs have been carved into caves and chambers by centuries of wind erosion and weathering, creating a cavernous, cathedral-like space.
The rock art here is worth seeing before you go exploring – near the entrance you’ll find an overhang with San paintings estimated at around 5,000 years old, depicting human figures and, remarkably, elephants. Elephants once roamed through these mountains.
Once inside the caves themselves, the scale is disorienting in the best way. One thing we found unfortunate was the amount of graffiti from previous visitors writing their names in the bigger cave.
Lot’s Wife
A short stroll from the road near Dwarsrivier farm, Lot’s Wife is one of those formations you’ll spot before you’ve even parked. The tall, solitary pillar of rock rises up from the surrounding landscape, shaped loosely like a figure in prayer – which is exactly where the name comes from. In the biblical story, Lot’s wife disobeys the angels’ command not to look back as they flee the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and is turned into a pillar of salt for her trouble.
It’s a short walk in – barely 1.6 km from the road – but the route threads through some excellent Cederberg rock scenery, and if you carry on a little past the main formation, you get views across the Dwarsrivier vineyards, which feel completely surreal against the backdrop of jagged orange rock. It’s worth taking the loop rather than just turning back at the pillar.
This is a very quick stop and works well as a late-afternoon stretch-your-legs outing, especially if you’re staying nearby.
A Few General Tips
Stargazing
The Cederberg is one of the darkest spots in the Western Cape. On our second night, the Milky Way overhead was genuinely ridiculous. Bring a blanket and budget some time just to sit outside.
Timing
We went over a long weekend in early April – early autumn – and it was excellent. Not too hot, not too cold, and the crowds that descend on the Cederberg in peak season were absent. We even had some rain, which felt odd there but turned out to be a gift. A long weekend works well logistically: Friday morning departure gets you there before lunch with two full days to explore. Summer can be brutally hot with afternoon thunderstorms. Winter can bring snow at higher elevations, which is magical but check road conditions.
Due to several bad fires in the summer of 2026 in the Cederberg, we were gifted with displays of Hessia Monticola shown below.
Water and Snacks
Even the short trails can feel long in summer heat. Always carry more water than you think you need.
Phone Reception
Patchy to non-existent in most of the reserve. Download offline maps before you leave.
Take it Slow
The Cederberg rewards lingering. Don’t cram all three sites into a frantic half-day. Give yourself time to sit in the caves, look at the rock art longer than feels necessary, and let the place settle into you.
Leave a Reply