Rocklands Bouldering: Tips for First-Time Visitors
Rocklands is one of the top bouldering areas anywhere. There are lots of nice rocks in the world, but in my circles, the top three bouldering destinations are Rocklands, Bishop, and Hueco. I had been to Bishop and Hueco, but I didn’t know much about Rocklands until June 2024, when I got a chance to climb there for two weeks. Below is a quick compilation of tips for first-time visitors, written on the plane back from Cape Town to the U.S.
This article is an attempt to capture the very basics for first-time visitors. Many people visit Rocklands every season, and countless locals and dedicated foreign developers and land owners know the Cederberg intimately. I am not one of those people! This is an introduction from someone who just visited for the first time. I attempt to include information that would have helped me get oriented as someone starting with no knowledge. There are, of course, many other helpful resources for first-time visitors, including the Rocklands Bouldering website.
Here's what I’ll touch on:
- Rocklands Bouldering
- Rock Type
- Climbing Style
- Community
- Weather
- Land Access
- Is there a Rocklands guidebook?
- The Best Boulders in Rocklands - How to get to Rocklands and Where to Stay
- Rocklands Bouldering Season
- Getting to Rocklands
- Where to Stay - Other helpful logistics
- Should you bring crash pads or rent them?
- Is there WiFi in Rocklands?
- Can I work remotely from Rocklands?
- Do I need cash?
- Is there cell service?
- Is Rocklands dangerous?
- Do I need to get vaccinations or take malaria medications?
- What should I do on rest days?
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Rocklands Bouldering
Rock Type
I always heard that the boulders in Rocklands are sandstone. Having climbed on other sandstone boulders in the U.S., I imagined it might be like Moe’s Valley (Utah), Roy (New Mexico), or even Hueco Tanks (Texas). Rocklands felt pretty different from any of those areas, although Hueco is the most similar in my opinion.
Rocklands is medium-hard, fine-grained, grippy sandstone. However, it’s more featured than other sandstone I’ve climbed on and felt more solid (holds less likely to break). In fact, it seems common in Rocklands to climb after rain, which is definitely not the case at sandstone climbing areas I’ve visited in the U.S.
Similar to Hueco Tanks, the rock in Rocklands has lots of holes (“huecos”) that form nice pockets, jugs, and buckets. But Rocklands boulders also have lots of “chicken heads” and are generally larger than most boulders I’ve climbed on. The combination of large blocks with good rock and lots of features makes the holds and problems you find at Rocklands unusually varied and super fun.
Climbing Style
My climbing goals are all outdoors, so when I climb inside, I’m usually focused on training movements and hold types I find outside. I like to project hard sport climbs with small holds, so in the gym, I usually opt to train on the Moonboard over gymnastic-style gym problems on large holds. When I see a comp-style problem in the gym - a big dyno or inverted feet-first move - I often think, “Seems fun, but I never do moves like that outside.” I recognize this is a limited way of thinking, but it often felt true… until I visited Rocklands!
Rocklands is full of problems with dynos, toe hooks, heel hooks, kneebars, roofs, and dynos (did I say dynos?). To me, it felt like all the most fun gym boulders I’ve tried had been set on amazing orange sandstone blocks in a beautiful setting with nice weather. The descriptors that come to mind are: dynamic, athletic, featured, and varied. There are lots of big moves!
Of course, Rocklands is a huge area with thousands of established problems (and surely thousands more that aren’t published). There is SO MUCH ROCK in Rocklands. Any time we visited a popular boulder with world-class problems, I could turn around and climb another great boulder with no name or description. The vast quantity of rock means you can find problems of nearly any style and difficulty. That said, Rocklands excels in the harder grades. I have never been to another bouldering area with so many routes 8a-8c (V11-V15). It’s no wonder so many of the pro climbers make this an annual trip.
While many are tall, I thought the boulders in Rocklands generally had good landings and easy top-outs (thank you, chickenheads!). The grades felt equivalent to other areas. I recommend thinking in the Font scale (e.g., 6B, 6B+, 6C…) since conversions to V grades seemed less consistent.
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Community
For me, the Rocklands climbing community was the highlight of the trip. In June and July, there were lots of experienced, skilled climbers from all over the world, and everyone I met was nice and supportive. Many people were there for their first trip, but just as many had visited annually for years. As far as I could tell, most climbers were international (mostly from North America, Europe, Asia, or Australia). I unexpectedly bumped into several people I know from the U.S. climbing circuit.
Rocklands also felt small enough that we kept seeing the same people at different crags or at meals at the Hen House or Traveler’s Rest. Be friendly and open and expect to make some new friends! There is plenty of beta, lots of foam, and seemingly unlimited enthusiasm.
Weather
I visited Rocklands for two weeks in late June and early July, and the weather was perfect (ranging from 40º to 80º F). There were a few days it was “warm,” which just meant a little less friction and we were seeking shade and a breeze, or climbing earlier/later in the day. There were no days when it felt too cold to climb.
It only rained one day when I was at Rocklands, but it rained before I arrived and after I left. It seems like climbing in the rain is possible, and experienced visitors or locals will have the beta. That said, I’m glad I got lucky and mostly avoided the rain and fog. Based on 8a.nu ascents, it seems like most Rocklands sending happens in July and August, with June also being popular. When we were there, conditions typically felt great.
Bring layers for Rockands, especially if you are staying in accommodations without heat. We were outside a lot, even on rest days, and it can feel cold if you’re not moving around. I recommend at least one puffy (substantial jacket) and base layer, a good warm hat, and a pair of wool socks. That said, most days I climbed in shorts and a sun hoody.
Land Access
Rocklands bouldering seems to be on a mix of private and public land. I don’t know of any access issues, but always check with locals when you arrive. Permits are required for most climbing (you can pay online and download the PDF ticket to your phone). I don’t know all the details about the groups managing permits and how the funds are used, but this is a good way to support local conservation and development efforts, and it’s a small price to pay for access to this incredible area.
Is there a Rocklands Guidebook?
Yes, there is a Rocklands Bouldering guidebook. I couldn’t find an easy way to acquire it before arriving, so I didn’t buy a copy in advance. Once I arrived, everyone was using an app, so I did that. But I do like to support local developers and guidebook authors, so ask around when you arrive. When I visited, the primary guidebook available was by Scott Noy.
In the end, I didn’t use the guidebook when visiting Rocklands. Most people were using the 27 Crags app, which worked well for finding boulders and problems. I also used 8a.nu to identify the most “classic” (repeated) problems based on most logged ascents for each sub-area (you can also filter by grades). I got the impression most people weren’t logging ascents on 27 Crags, so while it’s useful for locating climbs, 8a.nu is a bretter substitute for popularity.
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The Best Boulders in Rocklands
Ha.
There are too many great boulders in Rocklands to attempt a list, and I wouldn’t be the right person to ask. But checking 8a.nu for the sector you’re visiting is a good way to quickly figure out what’s most popular.
Here are a few of my favorite Rocklands boulders from my first trip:
● Plateau: Minki (7B), Jaws (7C), Human Energy (7A), Hole in One (7C+), Catch of the Day (7B)
● Roadcrew: Orange Heart (6C), When the Day Breaks (7B)
● 8 Day Rain: Vanity (7A+), Crazy Leg (7B), Tennis Biscuit (7B+), Downclimb Dyno (6C)
● Roadside: Schwupp (7A+)
My favorite boulders I tried but did not send were Caroline (7C+) and Barracuda (8A). It seems like as the grades go up, the lines just get more stunning!
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How to get to Rocklands and Where to Stay
Rocklands is a rural area in the Cederberg Mountains, 200km (a 3-hour drive) northwest of Cape Town. The closest town is Clanwilliam (~30 minutes), which has a grocery store and other amenities you would expect in a large town.
Rocklands Bouldering Season
Most people visit Rocklands in the winter (Southern Hemisphere), which is summer in the Northern Hemisphere. I visited in June and July. Many people I met said “I’m here through August,” so I get the impression July is peak season.
I visited for “just” two weeks, which was shorter than most people I met. Climbers visiting from other countries usually said they were there for anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months!
Getting to Rocklands
Getting to Rocklands is logistically pretty easy. Get a flight to Cape Town and rent a car. From the airport, drive three hours to wherever you’re staying. Mapping to De Pakhuys will put you right in the middle of everything (the pin goes to the start of the dirt road that leads to both Alpha Excelsior Guest Far and AfriCamps at De Pakhuys.
Car rentals were pretty affordable, and there were lots of options. I paid $300 for a two-week rental (small SUV). Since everyone drives to most of the crags, you’ll want a vehicle that can transport bouldering pads. Keep in mind that you’ll be driving on the LEFT side of the road and that most vehicles in South Africa have manual transmissions.
I didn’t meet anyone at Rocklands without a vehicle, but it seems possible. If you could hitch a ride to De Pakhuys and find accommodation there, you could walk to the bouldering at The Platuea and carpool to other sectors with other climbers. But it’s nearly 30km (30 minutes) to Clanwilliam, so you’d need a way to get there for groceries occasionally. A rental car seems to be the standard way to get around.
Where to Stay
Book early! We didn’t, but were able to piece together a few different accommodations (required moving twice in two weeks). I was told that lots of places book out a year in advance!
We stayed at Alpha Excelsior Guest Farm, which turned out to be lovely. They offer a range of accommodations, from house rentals to “Caravans” (old RV trailers converted into guest houses) that have nice communal bathrooms and a cooking area. There seem to be many options around the area (everything from true camping to Airbnb), so I don’t think you can go wrong.
My friends booked lodging so I didn’t extensively research options, but the most central locations were:
Alpha has a really nice coffee shop/hangout area called “The Hen House,” where climbers gather every morning (and pretty much any other time). When I was there, they served food until the afternoon and dinner two nights a week (Wednesdays and Sundays). Sunday night was wood-fired pizza night, which is a pretty great scene.
The other place we ate out was The Traveler’s Rest, which is just a few minutes down the road near the 8 Day Rain sector. Traveler’s Rest seemed to be open every day for dinner, making it tempting to opt out of cooking after a long day of bouldering! We usually paid ~$10/per person for a nice dinner (meals, wine, dessert).
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Other helpful logistics
Should you bring crash pads or rent them?
Both De Pakhuys and Alpha had crash pads available to rent (even during peak season). I traveled to Rocklands with three friends, and we mostly rented crash pads rather than travel with them. This made financial sense for a short trip where we would have been paying for checked bags, but I don’t have a lot of experience traveling with crash pads.
Now that I know more, it seems like you can strap two normal-sized crash pads together with a boat strap and check it as “sports gear” with most airlines for the same cost as a regular checked bag. Knowing this, if I go back to Rocklands for more than two weeks, I’d probably bring two crash pads with me.
Is there WiFi in Rocklands?
Yes, Rocklands has pretty good WiFi. When I visited, there was free WiFi at Alpha Excelsior (at The Hen House, Donkey Camp, the rental cottages, etc.), and I was told other locations have WiFi. I ran a speed test and was getting over 30 Megabits per second, which is plenty to get on a video call, check email, do research online, etc.
Can I work remotely from Rocklands?
I worked half-time from Rocklands for two weeks with no problems. The interne was solid, and there are a few nice places to hang out if you need to work on a rest day (the Hen House and Traveler’s Rest both have seating areas and outlets for charging). Make sure to bring the right outlet converter, and you should be all set. Power outages are pretty common in South Africa, so if you need internet 100% of the time I recommend getting a SIM with data so you can hotspot if needed.
The biggest barrier to working remotely at Rocklands is that you would rather be socializing or climbing!
Is there cell service?
Get an MTN SIM if you want cell service in Rocklands. This seems like crucial Rocklands beta that I nearly missed. In the Cape Town airport I saw two booths selling travel SIMs: Yellow (which is MTN) and Vodacom. My friend got Vodacom, which worked fine in Cape Town but not at all around Rocklands. I got MTN (Yellow) and had service in most places we climbed (not all).
All I needed was a passport and less than $15 to get a regular SIM or eSIM from Yellow (MTN) with plenty of data for the trip.
Do I need cash?
I paid with a credit card (Apple Wallet) nearly everywhere we went. It was helpful to have cash in small bills to pay for a local laundry service (inquire at Alpha), but I didn’t need it anywhere else.
Is Rocklands dangerous?
Whether a place is dangerous to travel to is a very subjective assessment and outside the scope of this article. The U.S. State Department South Africa Travel Advisory is the first stop for most U.S. travelers, but of course, you’ll have to make your own decision about safety and risk.
I’ve traveled in South Africa and other parts of Africa before, and the area around Rocklands felt very safe to me. It’s a rural area and a low-key vibe. Most of the people you will interact with are international climbers or in the service industry.
That said, South Africa, and especially Cape Town, has high levels of inequality. Consequently, you hear about car break-ins and other crimes in large cities like Cape Town. Be cautious and remember that if you are traveling to South Africa to rock climb, you are much wealthier than most people you will interact wih in South Africa.
Do I need to get vaccinations or take malaria medications?
Americans usually check the CDC’s Travel Recommendations for information about vaccines, medications, and travel health notices relevant to foreign travel destinations. I got a few routine vaccinations/boosters before going. I was also advised to take malaria medications (I did). While this is routine for travel in South Africa, climbers usually visit in the winter. I didn’t notice any mosquitos, we never used insect repellant, and I don’t think any other climbers were taking prophylactic malaria treatment.
My parents worked in international public health, and I have always been told not to swim in streams or lakes in South Africa because of schistosomiasis. I didn’t swim, but no one else seemed worried about this, and after further research, the disease incidence is very low in the region around Rocklands. There are reportedly a few popular local hikes to waterfalls and swimming areas, but I didn’t get a chance to check them out. It was also winter, so not swimming weather for most people.
We drank the tap water at Rocklands, as did everyone else I met.
What should I do on rest days?
The Rocklands Bouldering website has a few tips for Rest Days. We walked the Sevilla Rock Art Trail, a short hike to some cave art sites that leaves from Traveler’s Rest (I would recommend it!). The area around Rocklands is mostly rural, so it seemed like tourist attractions were limited beyond the climbing. Having visited Cape Town on previous trips, I’d recommend leaving time to visit the city and surrounding area at some point! On this trip, I was working most non-climbing days and didn’t do much exploring beyond the bouldering.
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