Great Outdoor Experiences
The Matroosberg Private Nature Reserve offers an abundance of outdoor activities for any and all adventurous types.
Farm Tours: A tour of the Erfdeel Farm allows visitors a glimpse into the workings of the farm’s fruit, vegetable and protea production. You’ll meet the farming members of the Smith family and their staff, and get to know the inner workings of their successful endeavours.
Hiking: The challenging hike that starts at 1 250 m above sea level and takes you to the top of Matroosberg at 2 249 m will reward you with incredible views, but don’t despair: many shorter hikes past some amazing rock formations and to lovely rock pools also exist.
Mountain biking: A relatively easy 15 km cross-country loop traverses the foothills of the Matroosberg Mountains, with at least 60% of the route along singletrack. The downhill track, however, is a different story. The course starts high up on Matroosberg Peak before dropping an awesome 1 081 m in just 11 km! The course follows a dual-track 4x4 route and should not be attempted by riders without the necessary experience.
Self-drive routes: During the winter months, the chances of driving through snow on Matroosberg are good, and after a good snowfall, the southern slopes remain snow-clad for quite some time. The most famous of the Matroosberg 4x4 trails heads up the mountain, getting rockier and steeper as you go along. From here, you overlook the picturesque Groothoekkloof Canyon. There is a very challenging 7 km circular route at the top past spectacular rock formations and through the infamous ‘Gutter’.
Along the Mountain
Snow sports: Find yourself in a high-altitude world boasting virgin runs, stacked couloirs and (believe it or not) a ski-lift less than two hours’ drive from Cape Town. And if the ‘speedy’ snowboarding thing is not for you, bring your gear and get ice climbing!
Ice climbing: If weather permits, experienced climbers can have a go at tackling the icy mountain range. If you have the gear and know-how, you can challenge yourself with this extreme sport.
Kloofing: The extreme kloofing trip starts in the heart of the Groothoek Kloof and ends, two days later, in De Doorns – 1.2 km lower than you started and 12 abseils later! This activity is only permitted during summer months (December to February).