Rocklands is not in Cape Town — it is in the Cederberg, Western Cape. It's about 250 km — roughly three hours — from Cape Town: the N7 to Clanwilliam, then the R364 over the Pakhuis Pass to the farms. Hire a car; it's a self-drive trip.
| From | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Town → Clanwilliam (N7) | ~230 km | ~2½ hours |
| Clanwilliam → Kliphuis | ~17 km | ~25 min |
| Clanwilliam → de Pakhuys | ~25 km | ~30 min |
| Clanwilliam → Traveller's Rest | ~34 km | ~45 min |
| Cape Town → the boulders (total) | ~250 km | ~3 hours |
| GPS (de Pakhuys) | −32.1204, 19.0594 · open in Maps | |
How far is Rocklands from Cape Town?
About 250 km, or roughly three hours' driving. Around 230 km of that is the N7 north to Clanwilliam; the last 17 to 34 km is the R364 east over the Pakhuis Pass to whichever basecamp you have booked. There is no public transport up the pass, so plan on a hire car from Cape Town International.
Driving from Cape Town
It's one of the more straightforward drives out of Cape Town — mostly a single road.
- Leave Cape Town heading north on the N7 (the West Coast road).
- Stay on the N7 for about 230 km, through the Swartland and up to Clanwilliam — fuel up and buy supplies here.
- From Clanwilliam, take the R364 east and climb the Pakhuis Pass — the views open up as you go over the top.
- The farms line the road from the top of the pass onward: Kliphuis just before the top, then de Pakhuys, Kleinfontein and Rocklands Basecamp, then Traveller's Rest. Follow your booking's directions for the last turn.
Do you need a 4x4?
No. The road is tarred to and over the Pakhuis Pass, with some gravel on the final approaches to the farms — an ordinary car is fine in dry weather. Higher clearance is more comfortable on the gravel and handy if you're heading to the further sectors, but it isn't needed to get to your basecamp.
Rest days: what else is around
Coarse sandstone eats skin, so you'll want rest days — and there's plenty nearby to fill them:
- Sevilla Rock Art Trail — a 5 km walk along the Brandewyn River on Traveller's Rest, past nine San rock-art sites. Permit R50 at the farmstall; no pets.
- Clanwilliam Dam — a swim and a change of pace back down in town.
- The wider Cederberg — hikes, the Stadsaal caves and rock art, and dark night skies.
- A little further along the same roads: the citrus valley and hot springs of Citrusdal and the mission village of Wupperthal.
Last updated September 2026 · distances are approximate road distances — confirm your route and conditions before travelling