The ancient rock art preserved by Bushmans Kloof, located in South Africa’s extraordinary Cederberg Mountains, has just been named a South African National Heritage Site.
A family-owned wilderness retreat situated just three hours from Cape Town, the reserve is a place of ancient and untamed beauty which harnesses the unique feel of this part of the world and provides a pure and deeply relaxing African experience. Bushmans Kloof is part of Red Carnation Hotels.
Set within 7,000 hectares of stunning flora and fauna, the wilderness haven is home to mystical rock formations, crystal-clear waterfalls and the world’s largest outdoor art gallery. With over 130 documented rock art sites dating back 10,000 years, this archaeological landscape has been pivotal in the reserve’s recognition as a National Heritage Site. This distinctive setting pays homage to the social, political, spiritual and economic history of the Stone Age hunter gatherers and Khoekhoe speaking pastoralists, who inhabited the region for the past 10,000 years.
Bushmans Kloof offers Rock Art Excursions for guests looking to gain an insight into the rich and spiritual culture of the Bushman who resided for years in the Cederberg Mountains. The reserve’s resident Rock Art Curator Londi Ndzima comments: ‘It is an honor to be internationally recognised as a South African National Heritage Site. At Bushmans Kloof we are incredibly proud to have the most unique access to the lives of the San people who are believed to be the earliest inhabitants of the country. Because there are no written accounts of their lives we look to these paintings as a window to this inspiring era. We take the responsibility of care for ancestral heritage very seriously.’
Bushmans Kloof has 17 rooms and suites, accommodating a maximum of 32 guests, and includes two private villas and an expert spa. The private villas, Koro Lodge and new Cederberg House are situated away from the main area of the reserve and are fully-inclusive, complete with a personal guide and chef and private swimming pools. Guests can enjoy invigorating outdoor activities including nature drives, hiking trails, mountain biking, fishing, canoeing, and swimming in clear rock pools. Bushmans Kloof also has exclusive access to the exquisite bushman paintings and on-site heritage centre, which features an extraordinary collection of artefacts established by the late anthropologist, Jalmar Rudner who dedicated much of his work to South Africa. The collection includes jewellery, dancing sticks, hunting kits, musical instruments and digging sticks.
