Whale Coast Ocean Villa
Voëlklip, Hermanus
From R 2,235a night
Explore South Africa by province
Mountain stays in South Africa
Across South Africa
Thabile Lodge
Oudtshoorn
From R 1,400a night
A Riverbed Guesthouse
Swellendam
From R 2,750a night
An African Story by RETURN Africa
Bakoven, Cape Town
From R 9,900a night
Schoone Oordt Country House
Swellendam
From R 4,355a night
La Clé Lodge & Villas
Franschhoek
Price on request
Sasi Bush Lodge
Bergville
From R 5,400a night
Klein Waterval Riverside Lodge
Franschhoek
From R 3,425a night
Coot Club
Stanford
Price on request
Mbizane Escarpment Retreat
Mbombela
From R 3,800a night
Barry House on Riverton
Robertson
From R 1,155a night
The Alphen Boutique Hotel & Spa
Constantia, Cape Town
Price on request
Zwartberg View Mountain Lodge
Oudtshoorn
From R 5,060a night
Swallows Rest
Benguela Cove, Hermanus
From R 44,080a night
Dorp Hotel
City Centre, Cape Town
Price on request
The Cavern Drakensberg Resort & Spa
Drakensberg, Bergville
From R 4,280a night
Sungubala Eco Camp
Drakensberg, Bergville
From R 1,140a night
The Marly Boutique Hotel & Spa
Camps Bay, Cape Town
Price on request
The Doolhof Country House
Wellington
From R 5,940a night
Icarus Cottage
Wildschutskloof, Barrydale
From R 2,800a night
Pearl Valley Hotel
Paarl
Price on request
Chalcedony
McGregor
From R 2,800a night
The Ostrich Baron's Palace
Oudtshoorn
From R 2,070a night
Grande Roche Hotel
Paarl
Price on request
The Overberg
Next stop
Whale coast and rolling farm country
See places that give backSouth Africa is a high country with a coastal rim, and the edge of that plateau is where the mountains are. The Drakensberg runs as a basalt wall along the Lesotho border with a band of sandstone foothills below it. The escarpment of Mpumalanga and Limpopo drops from the highveld to the Lowveld in forest, waterfalls and trout country. The Cape Fold ranges run in parallel lines from the Cederberg through the Boland to the Swartberg, holding the fynbos and the passes. In the Karoo, isolated peaks such as the Sneeuberg stand straight out of the plain.
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Autumn and spring, March to May and September to November, suit every range: cool, clear and mostly dry. Winter brings snow to the Drakensberg, the Swartberg and the Cederberg peaks and rain to the western Cape ranges, while the Karoo and the escarpment stay dry and very clear. Summer is green and warm with afternoon thunderstorms over the Berg and the highveld, and hot enough in the Karoo valleys that walking is a morning activity.
Every stay here is in a town at the foot of, or inside, a range. Pair the mountains with hiking, mountain biking, gravel riding, stargazing under Karoo skies, or the wine farms that sit directly under the Boland peaks.
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit the mountains in South Africa?
Autumn, March to May, and spring, September to November, are cool, clear and dry across every range. Winter brings snow to the high peaks and rain to the western Cape ranges but is the clearest season in the Karoo and on the escarpment. Summer is green and warm with afternoon storms over the Drakensberg.
Which mountains are best for hiking?
The Drakensberg for multi-day walks and the escarpment edge, the Cederberg for sandstone day hikes and rock art, the Cape Fold ranges above the Winelands and the Overberg for fynbos trails, and the Mpumalanga escarpment for forest and waterfall walks. Many trails need a permit, which your host can advise on.
Do I need a 4x4 to reach a mountain stay?
Rarely. Almost everything on this page is on tar or graded gravel that a normal car handles driven slowly. The exceptions are a few Cederberg farm roads and high passes, and Sani Pass, which does need a 4x4. Ask your host about conditions after heavy rain.
