Affectionately called the ‘Jewel’ of the Free State, Clarens beckons visitors from everywhere in South Africa and from the four corners of the world to indulge themselves in a world of diversity, all of which is contained in a valley that holds a picturesque village that’s over one hundred years old.

If anyone you know tells you they’ve been to Clarens and there’s nothing to do there, you can be absolutely certain that they’re lying to you, more than likely just so that they can keep it their secret!

No matter how many words are used or written to describe this village lying at the foothills of the Maluti Mountains and the Rooiberg Mountain range, they will never come close to the actual experience of spending time in this kind of magic, steeped in history and art.

For lovers of history

If it’s history you’re after, you’ll have it in spades in and around Clarens! From the architecture in the village that reflects the shades that only sandstone can produce, to relics of the Anglo-Boer War, there is something to pique the interest of lovers of history.

Ancient history is represented by the fossils left behind by dinosaurs, while the lives of the hunter-gatherers known as the San people, or Bushmen, are beautifully preserved in the art they left behind in search of peace, when war broke out between the Basotho Nation and the then Boer settlers.

For lovers of nature

Clarens Nature reserve is right on your doorstep if you’ve brought your well-worn hiking boots along for the ride! If you’re lucky enough to be staying at Clarens Eddies, well, you’re in for a real treat, because owner Dawn Trevelyan will take you on a guided mountain walk that will take your breath away, not through exhaustion, but because of the awe-inspiring beauty you’ll find along the way.

If you’ve always dreamed of exploring the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho from the perfect base, then Clarens Eddies is the perfect home away from home from which to start the adventure. The border is just over 40 minutes away from Clarens, and, with the Maluti Mountain range calling you to greater heights, you’ll be absolutely saturated in the beauty of this area.

There’s a lot more than this for nature lovers in Clarens, however, there’d have to be another five pages added to this one to expand on it all! 

Hop into a hot air balloon and you’ll get a really good idea of just why it is that artists and photographers from around the world fall in love with Clarens too!

For lovers of art

Well, there’s absolutely no shortage of art in Clarens. It’s called the Art Mecca of South Africa, and with good reason. The indescribable beauty that has made this village home to so many artists’ means that you can take your pick of galleries to visit for what comes out of this region artistically – it could take a while though, since there are around 18 or 20 art galleries that line what is called the Art Route in Clarens!

For lovers of food

All that fresh air is going to make you very hungry, so, it’s just as well you’ll have the pick of around 30 eateries that cater to everyone from full-on vegans and vegetarians to lovers of Baked Chicken Pesto, Pizza, Oxtail Stew, Beef Curry, Pasta Deluxe and so much more.

Ice-cream and coffee shops rub shoulders with the now famous Clarens Brewery, and you’ll also be able to splurge on cheese and wine along with a visit to Red Stone Craft Gin.

What is mentioned here in terms of food, wine, beer, coffee and gin is simply a tiny taste of what you’ll find in the flesh when you visit Clarens!

Book your stay at Clarens Eddies for the most comfortable home away from home, from which to launch your adventure into all that Clarens has to offer!