With a magician's dramatic flourish, the sun starts to set, transforming  the ochre sandstone formations with their purple hues to a molten gold fortress. Shadows gently embrace a massive butterss, painstakingly sculpted by the wind and the rain, which keeps vigil over a valley liberally sprinkled with red-hot pokers, lilies and watsonias. As a meandering stream winds its way among weeping willows and fairytale surroundings, the rare bearded vulture and bald ibis nest on the ledges of the steep sandstone cliffs

Distinctive mushroom-shaped rocks, dark caves and deep shelters all add to the mystery and splendour of Golden Gate Highlands National Park. The highland habitat provides a perfect home to oribi, black wilderbeest, Burchell's zebra, eland and other antelope. Come and enjoy the mild summers, the rich colours of autumn and the occasional snow in winter.

Facilities and Activities

The park has four restcamps and one guesthouse. Glen Reenen, an attractive quaint restcamp offerrs semi- luxury family cottages and rondawel accommodation, scenic camping and caravan sites complrtr with facilities and a shop selling basic necessities. From here guests can enjoy various walks and hiking trails. The two-day/one-night Rhebok trail follows a picturesque route over moutain streams and kloofs to the highest moutain tops. The Park also has a picnic site and offers a variety of adventure experiences including horse riding,canoeing, abseiling and guided trails.

New accommodation in the park includes the Highlands Moutain Retreat, Luxury log cabins nestled into the moutain slope, Qwa Qwa Restcamp, resembling an eighteen century Basotho village and Noord Brabant Guesthouse, a historic guesthouse.

Reservations for the aforementioned are managed by SANParks Central Reservations.

Within the park, Protea Hotel Golden Gate offers guests a wide spectrum of servives and facilities and has luxury hotel accommodation and fully-equipped chalets. Reservations for these facilities must be directed to (058) 255- 1000

How to get there

The Golden Gate Highlands National Park is easily accessible from Johannesburg (320 km), Durban (390 km) and Bloemfontein (305 km). Roads in the park are tarred.