Nestled in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains, Clarens is a small South African town that has been nicknamed the “Jewel of the Eastern Free State”. It is named after a Montreux municipality where the politician Paul Kruger spent his final years after escaping to Switzerland during the Boer War.
Things to do in Clarens
In 2009, the remains of South Africa’s largest known dinosaurs were discovered in Clarens, with a highlight being the 190-million-year-old fossilised egg of a Massospondylus. On the Clarens Dinosaur Tour, you can learn about the palaeontology of the area while getting up close to prehistoric teeth and bones. Marvel at the impressions of ancient ferns and see the fossilised footprints of the dinosaurs that once roamed the area.
Clarens serves as a gateway to Golden Gate Highlands National Park, which is renowned for its colourful sandstone cliffs and outcrops. Along the scenic drives that traverse the park, you can spot elands, hartebeests and zebras, as well as visit a hide inhabited by endangered bearded vultures. San rock paintings can be seen in many of the park’s caves and rock shelters.
Nestled at the base of the sandstone mountains is the Basotho Cultural Village, which offers a fascinating insight into the lifestyle of the Sotho people. In addition to recreating a traditional village, it features replica homesteads dating back to the 16th century. Admire the traditional basket ware that decorates many of the huts and engage in a game of maraba-raba before visiting the chief’s bone thrower.
Getting around Clarens
Clarens is around three hours’ drive from Bloemfontein and Bram Fischer International Airport, which has flights to destinations across South Africa. Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport is 3.5 hours away. Mini-buses connect to Clarens and the town is compact enough to explore on foot.