An isolated valley in the Swartberg mountains near Oudtshoorn called "The Hell" proves that a nickname can be far from true! Gamkaskloof was for more than a century the home of a self-sufficient farming community, but now visitors can experience its unique cultural heritage protected within the Swartberg Nature Reserve while they overnight in one of the restored houses.
Gamkaskloof
A hidden, historic valley Visiting Gamkaskloof is like taking a step back into history. The remote and isolated valley, also nicknamed "The Hell", lies about 90 km from Oudtshoorn and 60 km from Prince Albert and is only accessible via the Otto du Plessis road, which turns off from the Swartberg Pass. It takes about two hours to complete the last 57 zigzagging kilometres to the floor of the lush valley, but it is worth the experience.
The first inhabitants of the Swartberg mountains were the San, whose rock art still remind us of their former presence. From the 1830s to the early 1990s, a self-sufficient but isolated Afrikaner farming community lived in the Gamkaskloof valley. Before a road was built in 1962, the area was only accessible by foot or on horseback . The area became depopulated from the 1970s and the greater part was included into the Swartberg Nature Reserve and managed by Cape Nature Conservation.
The valley is of ecological, archaelogical and cultural-historical importance. It is renowned for its wildlife, rock formations, 130 bird species and wide spectrum of vegetation, ranging from fynbos to succulent karoo plants. Hiking, mountain biking, as well as angling and kayaking in the Gamka River are all recreational opportunities. The rich and interesting cultural history of the Kloof are presented to visitors through newly developed interpretation material.
Various self-catering accommodation all provide a sense of old-worldly charm. It is almost as if the clock has been turned back, because the once dilapidated homes were recently renovated to their former glory. Each are fully equipped with modern facilities to ensure visitors a comfortable stay. The houses can accommodate between two and eight people. Solar power provide electricity for lighting to most of the houses. CNaccom*
