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Clarens is nicknamed the "Jewel of the Eastern Free State" and lies at the foot of Mount Horeb.  This little village is truly a gem, surrounded by the Rooiberge and Mauluti mountains which affords spectacular beauty and many wonderful hiking trails to explore.  Clarens is truly a seasonal delight, for residents and visitors alike, who enjoy the many activities and gems it has to offer.


With an altitude of 1850m the village is the 3rd highest in South Africa and is close to both the Lesotho border and the Golden Gate National Park.  Golden Gate is not only fascinating for its distinct layers of rock formation but will soon be open the Dinosaur Park which is currently under construction.  Fossils of Dinosaurs dating back around 240 million years have been found in and around the areas of Clarens.  Dinosaur enthusiasts can learn more by taking part in a Dino Walk with Dr Gideon Groenewald who is an expert in the field.


The village dates back to the early 1900’s and is guarded by the very impressive Titanic Rock, named the same year the Titanic sank as it resembles a large ship.  This was also the year that Clarens was officially proclaimed a village with the original farms of Lelieshoek and Naauwpoort being sub-divided and sold off as erven for £50,00 each.  Clarens is also an ideal base to explore the area and offers easy day trips into the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho.


Being an easy 3 to 4 hour drive from JHB, Bloemfontein and Durban, Clarens is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the eastern Free State. The area appeals to young and old with great, art, photography, music and other classes, and many day trip tours.  For the less active the laid back village offers tranquility and rest, with a large variety of gift and curio shops, art galleries, authentic shops, handmade crafts, home made preserves, and cheese and wine tasting. Enjoy friendly hospitality in one of our many coffee shops, restaurants, eateries, gin, cocktail or whiskey bars.  No trip to Clarens is complete without a visit our local brewery which is renowned for the Annual Beer Festival held in February each year.  If this in it itself is not enough to entice you, at times guests are luck enough to wake up to the surrounding mountains covered in snow.  



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