Experience
Bushmen Rock Art
Marvel at the ancient rock paintings of the San (Bushmen) people on the Sevilla Rock Art Trail.
The Cederberg is teeming with remarkable and ancient rock art of the San Bushmen people, the first inhabitants of South Africa. With some 2,500 documented sites, the Cederberg is one of the best locations in the World for rock art. Here you can view these delicate paintings, flowing with movement and life, with no crowds to spoil your quiet enchantment.
One of our most popular excursions is our guided rock art excursion to Sevilla usually offered every other day. This is an activity which really benefits from having a guide! As you’ll learn so much from our guides about the Bushmen people and their art.
Sevilla rock art trail
Rock art excursion
The Sevilla rock art trail is a collection of nine rock art sites about 30 minutes’ drive from Cederberg Ridge. The 5km walking trail consists of 9 different rock art sites and will take about 3 hours to complete, depending on how long you stay at each site, so it’s a 4+ hour trip in total.
Our guides introduce you not only to the life and culture of the San but also to the natural beauty of their homeland. Our guides are passionate and very knowledgeable about the history and culture of the San people.
Note that in summer we head out very early at 6.30am in the relative cool of the day, armed with some snacks to ward off hunger. Then we come back for a late breakfast/brunch.
Walking
5km Walk
Though our rock art excursion is not hilly, it is a 5km walk on uneven, sometimes rocky, ground. So it is not suitable for frail people who cannot walk very far. Please discuss the trail with our team, if you are not sure. As a general rule, I would say hesitate to recommend it to people in their 70s if they are regular walkers.
Rock Art & Flower-viewing in spring
Picnic in Spring
In spring (August) we often combine viewing the rock art with a drive to see some of the wild spring flowers in the Biedouw Valley making it a full day excursion with a picnic lunch in the veld. (The Afrikaans name for natural bush found all around the Cape).
Visiting Independently
You can visit the Sevilla Rock Art trail on a self-drive basis if you prefer. There’s also a useful Sevilla rock art booklet for sale which we strongly recommend. (Sold in our shop.)
On arrival at the Sevilla Rock Art Trail, you buy a conservation permit from Khoisan Kitchen before starting the trail. This is a restaurant, coffee shop and craft shop so you may want to stop off here for refreshments afterwards?
Tip: If you are short of time, we would recommend walking past the first four sites to get quickly to sites 5 to 9 and then visiting some of the first 4 sites on the way back.
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