Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve is an untamed accumulation of gorges, rivers, caves and plateaus that provide anyone with even a vague botanical leaning with hours of potential exploration, as well as some bona fide hiking challenges, making it well worth a visit.
Oorlogskloof is exactly what it sounds, an area dominated by gorges where a war ensued in 1739 between the indigenous Khoi and local farmers. Dutch colonists in the area were under obligation to supply the Khoi, who lived on the plains and were fundamentally livestock farmers, with water and pasture land. As you can imagine there was a fair amount of appropriation of livestock on both sides and things eventually got out of hand during 1739.
Today, Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve is 4 776 hectares of mountains dissected by deep river gorges. Through these flows the Oorlogskloof River in an area that sits on the transition zone between fynbos and Karoo biomes. Two major hiking trails dominate the reserve, but there are also a couple of day routes or circular hikes.
