Golden Gate Highlands National Park
Accommodation in the Shadow of the Maluti Mountains of South Africa
Jun 11, 2009
The Golden Gate National Park nestles in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains in the Free State Province of South Africa and borders Lesotho. This 46-year-old National Park derives its name from the rays of the setting sun that casts a soft shade on the west facing sandstone cliffs and turns them into a glowing gold color.
Hikers and holidaymakers flock to Golden Gate to explore the various mountain-hiking trails and watch the vultures feed at the vulture restaurant along one of the scenic routes inside the park. Other places of interest are the Van Reenen family graveyard, a guided walk to the Cathedral Cave and the impressive buttress Brandwag rock formation.
Glen Reenen Rest Camp at Golden Gate Park
The main road between Clarens and Harrismith divides the rest camp in two sections. The one side accommodates the camping ground while the other side hosts a shop, petrol station, the reception office and the rondawels, longdawels and family cottages. The town of Clarens is approximately 15 kilometers away from the National Park and visitors can shop there for items not available at the Glen Reenen Rest Camp.
Hiking trails start from both sides and the view from either side is spectacular. The traffic along the main road sometimes causes some irritation to the people camping in the campsite. A picnic spot and ablution facilities cater for the needs of day visitors.
Campsites at Glen Reenen Rest Camp are shady and mostly level. All the campsites have access to water and the Park provides barbeque facilities. Management renovated the ablution buildings during 2008 and campers can choose between stands with or without electrical power points. Due to the elevation of the campsites, camping in the winter months can be very cold and snow is a real possibility.
The self- catering rondawels, longdawels and family cottages each accommodate 2 to 6 people. Occupants of the the self- catering accommodation are conveniently close to the reception office and shop. Each cottage is equipped with a kitchen, bathroom and barbeque facilities and some of the longdawels have television sets inside. Fireplaces provide heat in the cold winter months.
Brandwag Hotel and Noord Brabant Guesthouse
Tourists hiking outdoors might want to consider spending their nights in luxury at the Brandwag Hotel at Golden Gate. The hotel offers luxury accommodation and self- catering chalets. Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant, ladies bar, coffee shop, curio-shop, conferencing and banqueting venues, as well as a variety of indoor and outdoor games.
Between January 2009 and March 2010, extensive renovation will be done on the hotel and guests should bear that in mind when making a reservation at the hotel.
The Noord Brabant Guesthouse is a historic farmhouse, which was restored to provide accommodation for six people.
Log Cabins at Highlands Mountain Retreat
The South African National Parks Board built eight log cabins high in the Maluti Mountains. Quite some distance away from the main camp at Glen Reenen, the cabins provide unrivaled silence and an impressive view over the rolling hillside. At a height of 2200 meters above sea level, waking to a snow clad countryside is a regular occurrence during the winter months.
Four two- bedroom log cabins cater for four people each bedroom has en-suite facilities while the remaining four cabins each sleeps two people. The cabins are built to blend in as much as possible with the surroundings and some of the rooftops are overgrown with natural grass. The cabins are far enough apart to ensure complete privacy to the occupants.
Residents of the cabins can explore the surrounding mountains via mountain hiking trails and there are no facilities for day visitors at the Highlands Mountain Retreat.
Golden Gate Highlands National Park ensures that accommodation is available to cater for the different needs of holidaymakers.
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