Brandwag Buttress Day Hiking Trail

This relatively short, yet scenic trail doesn’t reach the top of the buttress, but enables the hiker to see the entire area’s majestic scenery and geology.

Brandwag Buttress which means ‘Sentinel’ in Afrikaans shows off with some seriously golden sunrise- and sunset views, hence the name ‘Golden Gate’. The route is expertly laid out with a clearly marked path, as well as being supported by fixed chains along the way.

As the Golden Gate National Park houses so many routes to choose from, there are various activities to consider doing whilst there, such as visiting the Basotho Cultural Village, having a meal at Vulture’s Restaurant or exploring the Cathedral Caves.

There are two alternative routes one can take to reach the top; one which starts from the Glen Reenen Rest Camp and the other one from the Golden Gate Hotel. It’s recommended to combine the two, choosing to use one route for the climb, and altering your route for the descent.

Not sure what to pack? Take a look at our comprehensive winter day hikes kit list here.