Today we drove from Champagne Valley to Clarens via Sterkfontein Dam and Golden Gate Highlands National Park. It was a scenic 204-kilometre journey that took about half a day, with plenty of stops to enjoy the views and take photographs.
We left the Central Drakensberg foothills and headed north on the R74, passing through Winterton and Bergville. Our first stop was the Sterkfontein Dam Viewpoint, overlooking the vast reservoir, known for its deep blue waters, impressive dam wall, and surrounding mountain scenery. From the viewpoint, the panorama stretches across the water, rolling grasslands, and distant hills.
We then continued to Golden Gate Highlands National Park, following the R712 through one of the region’s most spectacular landscapes. The road brought us face-to-face with enormous sandstone cliffs glowing in shades of golden yellow, orange, and red in the sunlight.
Along the way, we made a short stop at the Basotho Cultural Village, then stopped at several viewpoints to take in the park’s dramatic scenery.
Finally, we arrived in Clarens, a charming mountain village known for its artistic atmosphere, cafés, galleries, craft breweries, and spectacular surrounding sandstone mountains.
Parking location – Clarens: 28.5146126S 28.4190496E (🅿️,🚻,🚿,💦,🔌)