Iconic Campsite in the Cederberg Gets a Makeover
CapeNature has completed a number of upgrades at Algeria, Cederberg Wilderness to offer an even better holiday experience ahead of the festive season. Avid campers will be happy to know that the communal ablution facilities at the ever-popular camping site got a lovely face-lift with several upgrades and improvements implemented. As we enter the holiday season, travellers are looking for family-friendly and fun experiences where they can marvel in the beauty of nature, without compromising the comforts of home. New solar lit walkways light up previously dark areas at the campsites so that visitors can navigate more easily and cautiously, specifically at night.
One of the most prominent makeovers was the replacement of the iconic low-water bridge that served campers and hikers alike for more than four decades. This enhances the aesthetics of the campsite and improve visitor safety. The newly designed bridge is an engineering masterpiece in a protected area which is wider and provides safer thoroughfare. In keeping with the entity’s eco-tourism mandate of creating a safe and accessible natural space for all, the new low-water bridge has been designed and built to last for decades. In addition, it will also protect the crossing during possible future flood events.
The months of construction also provided a number of job and SMME opportunities in the local Cederberg community.
Currently Algeria has the capacity sufficient electricity to power the entire site, including 48 camp site, three ablution block, eight self-catering units, the Conservation Operation office complex and stores, and staff housing. Phase 2 of the PV solar lithium battery set-up will be concluded by end of March 2023, which will ensure that will allow for the reserve to store surplus electricity and enabling them to go completely off grid and not affected by future loadshedding at all.
Looking to the future, CapeNature will also be introducing wood-fired hot tubs at selected camp sites. This will make Algeria one of only a handful of campsites in the Western Cape that offers this unique experience.
CapeNature Executive Director: Eco-Tourism and Access, Mr. Sheraaz Ismail added, “With the Western Cape tourism season set to pick up in the coming weeks, we are happy to provide visitors with fresh and upgraded facilities, making their stay more comfortable and safer at our reserves. The various upgrades will breathe new life into the reserve but also into the tourism sector of the local community and beyond. CapeNature, together with its partners in the value continues to be economic hub for the West Coast and the Western Cape, contributing to job creation, SMME advancement and overall economic sustainability.”
Cederberg Wilderness Area remains one of the most undisturbed and secluded places in South Africa. A trip to this West Coast nature reserve means immersion in a landscape of stark grandeur, a place both dry and shining, desolate yet so rich. Renowned for its rugged landscapes, rock formations, and extraordinary examples of ancient San rock art, as well as the increasingly rare Clanwilliam cedar tree, visitors to the reserve are also spoiled for choice with an array of different outdoor holiday destination options.
Don’t miss out! Call 087 087 8250 today to make a booking, email us on reservation.alert@capenature.co.za or book now.
Wood-fired hot tub at Garskraal cottage at Algeria, Cederberg Wilderness
The new bridge will ensure a safer crossing, also in the event of floods.
Cars can comfortably cross the new low-water bridge.
Related News
Catch and release helps to conserve the Western Cape’s indigenous fish
Freshwater ecosystems across the Western Cape are rich in biodiversity, supporting a variety of indigenous fish. However, these species are increasingly threatened by the spread of invasive alien fish species, that prey on indigenous species and compete with them for food, space, and breeding grounds.
Celebrating innovative, resilient women in tourism
Women are thriving in tourism and wielding influence from the boardroom to hiking trails, where they beat a pathway for others to follow. They occupy 70% of the tourism workforce in South Africa, and their voices are being amplified in the sector now more than ever. A powerful yet often overlooked statistic that underscores their vital role in the sector.
Rivers, Watersheds, and the Klein Estuary: A 2025 Natural Breach Event
Over millions of years, South Africa’s rivers and watersheds have evolved through the forces of erosion, rainfall, and shifting geology. A river catchment, or watershed, is an area of land where all surface water flows toward a single river, stream, or channel, eventually reaching the sea.
Avian Influenza detected in Western Cape: Public urged to stay alert, not alarmed
High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI or “bird flu”) is a viral disease of birds that can also, on rare occasions, infect humans and mammals. The virus spreads through bird faeces and droplets from the nose and mouth, and is present in other body fluids and tissues of dead birds. The disease can cause high mortality rates in domestic poultry.
Independent experts’ review of draft action plan for baboon management now available
The Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) consisting of representatives from SANParks, CapeNature, and the City of Cape Town, wants to inform residents, interested parties, and stakeholders that the independent expert panel’s review of the proposed action plan on baboon management is now available to the public.
Boost for freshwater biodiversity as Wilderness Nature Reserve declared
A new nature reserve has been declared in the Western Cape, marking another significant milestone for the province’s environment. The Wilderness Nature Reserve, spanning over 643 hectares, has been declared a Provincial Nature Reserve in terms of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (Act 57 of 2003).
How can I assist you today?
How can I assist you today?