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    Clarens
    Village

    South Africa

    Clarens

    Clarens is an artists' village in the eastern Free State, in the Maluti foothills. Galleries, cafés, and a known craft brewery dot the village square.

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    9. Clarens
    Clarens is an artists' village in the eastern Free State, in the Maluti foothills. Galleries, cafés, and a known craft brewery dot the village square. The Golden Gate Highlands National Park lies just 20 km east.

    Restaurants in Clarens

    Artist Village, Mountains

    Clarens was founded in 1912 and named after the Swiss town where Paul Kruger, former president of the Boer Republic of Transvaal, died. Galleries, craft shops, cafés, and the Clarens Brewery have settled around the village square. The surrounding area offers hiking, mountain biking, and rafting on the Ash River. Many day-trippers from Johannesburg arrive on weekends.

    Arrival and Orientation

    From Johannesburg, allow three and a half to four hours; from Durban, around four hours. In the village, everything is walkable. The Golden Gate Highlands National Park starts about 20 km east on the R712. Lesotho is accessible via the Caledonspoort border post near Fouriesburg.

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    Nearby

    Golden Gate Highlands National Park

    Golden Gate Highlands National Park

    The Golden Gate Highlands National Park is named after its golden-yellow sandstone cliffs, which glow particularly intensely at sunset. In the grasslands live zebras, eland, wildebeest, and bearded vultures. Trails like the Brandwag Trail and a panoramic road open up the park.
    Royal Natal National Park

    Royal Natal National Park

    Royal Natal National Park in the northern Drakensberg is known for its Amphitheatre, a rock wall stretching approximately five kilometers. From it, the Tugela Falls cascade almost 950 meters in several stages. The park is part of the Maloti-Drakensberg UNESCO World Heritage and offers hiking trails for all levels.
    Drakensberg

    Drakensberg

    The Drakensberg in South Africa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, captivates as a majestic mountain range with dramatic peaks, deep valleys, and unique biodiversity. They offer spectacular hiking trails, breathtaking views, and are home to a rich cultural history, visible in the millennia-old rock paintings of the San.
    Free State

    Free State

    The Free State lies on the high plateau in the heart of South Africa. For travelers, the east is especially interesting: the sandstone mountains of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park and the artist village Clarens at the foot of the Maluti Mountains, near the border with Lesotho.
    Sani Pass

    Sani Pass

    This spectacular high-mountain pass connects South Africa with Lesotho and is only accessible by 4x4; it rewards with unforgettable panoramic views and Africa's highest pub.