The Swartberg Nature Reserve is teeming with a rich history and is perhaps best known as Gamkaskloof - a small settlement established there in 1830 by farmers of European origin. Entirely self-sufficient, the community of Gamkaskloof lived in isolation for over a century. The first road into Die Hel, as it is known, was only built in 1962. The village is now a cultural heritage site that forms part of the Swartberg Nature Reserve, a World Heritage Site.

Swartberg Nature Reserve lies in the district of Oudtshoorn, between the Great and Little Karoo.

It’s an area of climatic extremes where winters are characterised by vast snow-capped mountains while summer days reach high temperatures. The Swartberg Pass is a wildly popular setting for both photographers and filmmakers.