Riviersonderend

Riviersonderend, established in 1923,

Riviersonderend, established in 1923, derives it’s name from the river flowing eastwards from it’s source in the Hottentots-Holland Mountains, which, to the first explorers, seemed to meander on ‘without end’. The village is situated in a farming area famous for it’s sightings of the Blue Crane – South Africa’s national bird. The town is situated on the N2 highway, approximately 160 km from Cape Town and offers beautiful mountain and river scenery.

GENERAL INFORMATION

How to get there

Cape Town 160 km, Swellendam 58 km, Caledon 46 km

Banks

Absa, Standard Bank

HIRSTORICAL VIEW

Origin of the Name ‘Riviersonderend’

There is much incertainty about the origin of the town’s name. Willem ten Thyne, who was at the Cape in 1673, referred to the river as the ‘sine fine flumen’ (‘rivier sonder eynde’). In 1707, Jan Hartogh who was a horticulturist in the service of the Dutch East India Company, as well as a traveler, referred to the river as the ‘Kanna-kam-kanna’. The word could have been derived from the Hessequa word ‘Kamma-kan-kamma’, Which meant something like ‘water endless water’. The Hessequa was a local tribe of herdsmen.

Old Trading Store

Houses an Africana Museum

NATURE

Riviersonderend Conservation Area

Lies between the towns of McGregor, Riviersonderend, Greyton and Villiersdorp in the southwestern Cape. The area covers approximately 69 500 ha and includes sections of proclaimed, privately owned mountain catchment areas, state property as well as private and municipal nature reserves. The terrain is mountainous and rugged with rivers, forested kloofs, gorges and high peaks, making it ideal for adventurous hikers.

Fauna and Flora

The conservation area’s varied topography and Mediterrean climate supports a rich variety of plants. Mountain fynbos is the predominant vegetation with several species of everlastings, ericas and proteas, including the giant protea (Protea Cynaroides). Dense riverine vegetation occurs along the many water courses with species such as the stream conebush and the wild almond. Mammals include grey duiker, grey rhebuck, klipspringer, baboon and dassie. Leopards occur in these mountains, but are seldom seen. Hikers may however see leopard tracks in the sand and scratch marks on the trunks of old waboom trees. The large tracts of sugarbush attract CapeSugarbirds and brightly coloured Orangebreasted Sunbirds. Raptors, including Black Eagles, Booted Eagles, Jackal Buzzards and Rock Kestrels are likely to be seen.

ATTRACTIONS

Annual Events

Blue Crane Festival – March

Fishing

Freshwater angling on the Sonderend River

ACTIVITIES

Hiking

Genadendal Hiking Trail

The trail is fairly stenuous, leading through private property and traversing the conservation area on both sides of the Riviersonderend mountain range. The trail provides panoramic views of the Overberg, as well as the Worcester- Robertson Karoo. The trail forms a circular route of 25,3 km and takes two days to complete. It begins and ends in Genadendal at the historic MoravianMission Church, which dates back to 1738. overnight facilities are available at the church for hikers who prefer to stay the night before starting on the route. The first day’s stretch is 14,3 km (eight hours) and leads past two pools at Groot and Klein Koffiegat, ending at the farm Die Hoek on the north side of the mountain. Overnight accommodation, including braai facilities, is available here. The following day is 11 km (seven hours), returning to Genadendal. Hikers should be fit and well equipped. In summer the area can be extremely hot and hikers are advised to carry water. Winters are cold and wet and hikers should adhere to weather warnings as the trail can be dangerous in extreme conditions. A maximum of 24 hikers per day is allowed, with a maximum of 14 to a group. It is necessary to book separately for the trail and for overnight accommodation.