Clarens is this charming and quaint small town that is located on the foothills of the Maluti Mountains in the Free State. It is known as the “Jewel of the Eastern Free State” and was established in 1912. It got its name from the town of Clarens in Switzerland where Paul Kruger spent his last days. Once you see the mountain views (especially during winter), you’ll understand why it got its name.
You are surrounded with mountains, meaning you’ll have some spectacular views and there are some great outdoor adventures.
Clarens is also known for its many local restaurants, each one unique in its own way. Clarens is the perfect getaway for the foodie traveler and the adventure traveler.
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Where is Clarens?
Clarens is the perfect getaway for people who wants to get away from the big city. Whether that city is Pretoria, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein or Durban.
It is about a 4 hour drive from Pretoria, a 3 hour drive from Bloemfontein and a 4 and a half hour drive from Durban.
We’ve heard that the road from Villiers to Clarens were not in a good condition, so we’ve decided to drive through Harrismith. This has added an extra half an hour to our trip, but it was worth it, as we didn’t want to drive through Pothole-ville.
When is the best time to visit Clarens?
Clarens is a popular destination year round.
- During the winter season (June to August) you’ll see the mountains being covered with a white blanket.
- Spring (September to November) starts to warm up during the day and makes this the perfect time to do some outdoor activities.
- Summer time (December to February) can be quite crowded as many people flock to Clarens during the holidays. This is also the perfect time for some outdoor activities.
- In my personal opinion, the best time to visit Clarens is during Autumn (March to May) as this is right after the rainy season, so everything is lush and green, it is not so hot during the day and the most important part – it is cosmos season. So the fields turn into a ray of white and pink flowers.
Things to do in Clarens
We went to Clarens for three nights/ four days and there was so much exploring to do. Here are some of the things we got up to:
Take a walk through Clarens Nature Reserve
Clarens nature reserve can be easily accessed by foot and there are multiple trails to choose from. The most famous ones being the Kloof Dam trail and the Titanic trail. Most of the trails are easy to moderate, ranging from shorter walks to longer walks.
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Explore the small town by foot
Because it is such a small town, it is easy to explore the town by foot. Most accommodations are close by to the ‘main’ part of the town and this is where you’ll find all the shops and restaurants.
So get up early, grab a bite to eat and then set on to see more of what this town has to offer.
Have a beer (or gin) tasting at Clarens brewery
The Clarens brewery tends to be crowded, but it is so worth to do some tastings. They have beer tasting and gin tasting, so it is perfect for everyone! (And their food is amazing)
Take a trip to Golden Gate National Park
Golden Gate National Park has so much to offer and not just many hiking trails. It is located just 20 to 30 minutes from Clarens and is known as the hiking hub of the Free State. So head to Golden Gate, do one (or more) of the hiking trails, drive the loops and explore all that Golden Gate has to offer.
Go shopping
There are so many quirky shops in Clarens. They sell unique products that is not easily found somewhere else. So take your time and see what souvenir you can take home.
Chase the cosmos flowers
Although this can not be found throughout the year, if you do decide to visit Clarens in March and April, then watch out for the cosmos flowers. They cannot be missed, as the road is lined with pink and white cosmos flowers.
They also take the most beautiful pictures.
Grab something to eat (or drink)
Clarens is probably most famous for all the local restaurants. Each restaurant being more unique than the previous one.
Here are some of our favourite restaurants we ate at:
The Platform
The Platform specializes in waffles, and they did not disappoint. I’ll say that this is the perfect breakfast spot. They have a wide variety of waffles to choose from – both savory and sweet.
I obviously opted for the sweet one.
Clarens brewery
Even though Clarens brewery is mostly known for its beer and gin tasting. They also have some great food choices. They even provide bigger portions of the kids menu to adults (like me) who always want chicken strips, but they tend to not be on the adult’s menu.
The Square
The Square was the very first restaurant we stopped at when we got to Clarens. They had such great and quick service and the food was also delicious.
The purple onion
The Purple onion is a great shopping store to buy some unique gifts. There is also a nice deli at The purple onion. But right at the back is a restaurant with a great view overlooking the mountains in the distance.
Clementines
Clementines is a popular option to wine and dine at in Clarens.
The restaurant was once a SA railway bus service maintenance shed and was turned into a restaurant in 1997.
Post House restaurant
On Sunday evening we drove around Clarens just to realize that most of the restaurants had already closed. Luckily, the Post House was open till late and so we made our way there. They have some great specials, so make sure to look out for that.
The Highlander restaurant
The Highlander restaurant is the perfect place for whiskey lovers. They have a great selection and their pizza’s are made in a woodfire oven. They have a wide variety of pizzas and they were delicious.
Mosaic pizzeria
Even though their main specialty is pizza, they also have some pasta options. I had the lasagna which was really tasty.
They also had live music the Saturday night, which created a nice vibe.
Die bus stop
Although ‘Die bus stop’ is not located in Clarens, this is a unique coffee shop that is worth a visit. They are located just before Golden Gate National Park.
Highland coffee roastery
The Highland coffee roastery is known to have some of the best coffee in town. This is also where you can get a permit for the Clarens Nature Reserve.
Red Stone Craft
If you do want to do some gin tasting with a nice view. This place is for you. You can also buy some gin from them to take home.
Moocca Gelato
Once you are done wining and dining everywhere else, make your way to Moocca Gelato for some delicious ice-cream.
Drive to the Drakensberg and do the Amphitheater hike to the tallest waterfall in the world
If you are in Clarens long enough and have an extra day to spare, I suggest you take the one and a half hour drive to Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge and then make your ascend up the Amphitheater trail. This trail leads to the tallest waterfall in the world and is quite impressive.
Where to stay
There are so many great accommodation available in Clarens. Almost every second house is a B&B, hotel or Airbnb. We stayed in this cute studio (G&T) on Naude street which was close to everything. It is suitable for two people and we had a nice view from the bedroom.
Another unique stay in Clarens is THE CASTLE. And I’m sure everyone has heard of this place before. Go read ‘The Scribs and Nibs‘ blog post on this accommodation.
To stay at The Castle – BOOK HERE!
