If you lie on Cederberg and look up at the stars, you can imagine the surrounding earth as the reflection of the sky.

Almost countless flower species are waiting for the sun to rise in sandbags scattered among the boulders stacked on top of each other at impossible angles. Every crack and every koppie contains a very unique tiny ecosystem, and they may only be found in that place.

If you light a candle under one of the boulders, you might see paintings by Khoi-Khoi and San, who were the first to set foot on this ancient and relatively unchanged land.

As early as 8,000 years ago, the Khoi-Khoi and San people lived here, unlocking the secrets of a large number of natural medicines in local plants, such as buchu (Agathosma betulina) and kankerbossie (Sutherlandia frutescensthe).

They were also the first to pluck needle-like leaves from the thin wild rooibos (Aspalathus linearis). They would wet and grind between two stones, then mix with animal fat and rub it on the body As a natural anti-aging and anti-inflammatory ointment.

They were also the first to drink rooibos tea.

Although they have disappeared from this land, their ancient remedies have spread all over the world, whether children, the modern world like ancient remedies.

The rooibos plant is part of the flower kingdom of the Cape Province, commonly known as "fynbos", which is not found anywhere else in the world. However, for many years, its farmers had to fight foreign merchants who tried to make money quickly by selling "Rooibos", "Red Bush" or "Honey Tree Tea" globally, even though their products hardly resemble Louis. Boss products.

Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the Rooibos tea industry and the Western Cape Government, the recent long struggle for this proud South African heritage has finally paid off, the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom last month.

This means that only leaves grown in the southeast of Seidelberg can be sold as "Rooibos" in EU countries and several other countries outside the EU. Therefore, Louis Boss now has a similar status to Champagne, and only those grown in the Champagne region of France can be labeled Champagne.

Rooibos is not the only plant in Seidberg that cannot be grown anywhere else in the world. There is also the extremely rare Protea cryophilla (Protea cryophilla), with flowers and cones the size of Wang Begonia; the ancient Clanwilliam cedar (Widdringtonia cederbergensis) used to grow in large numbers here, so it is named after the mountain. Today, it is classified as a critically endangered species.

This rarity makes the area a magnet for nature lovers, especially popular during the wildflower season from August to September. Of course, you can enjoy its surreal mountain landscape throughout the year, and now the region is also brewing tourism centered on "nectar of nature"-Louis Boss-and other local plants.

Skimmelberg is an organic farm located on the slopes of Skimmelberg, which sustainably grows Butcher and Rooibos. It provides tourism services so that visitors can learn more about these fascinating plants and their characteristics and how they are grown. Both buchu and rooibos are only grown in South Australia. Attempts to grow crops in Australia, the United States and other places have failed.

The farm agrees with the goals of the Greater Seidelberg Biodiversity Corridor, namely the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources.

In fact, Skimmelberg has used more than 90% of its Waterval farms (the property is a combination of two farms, Witelskloof and Waterval) for protection, and the management agreement signed with CapeNature means that agricultural operations are carried out at the gate of the Skimmelberg Nature Reserve.

Standing in the center of the Buchu plantation is a sensory treat, with wild bees, beetles and butterflies pollinating long rows of purple and white Buchu flowers. Their smell-an intoxicating mixture of black stream and mint-hung in the air, and the sheep chewed on the wild flowers that sprouted between the rows of buchus, apparently not frightened by the fact that there were raptors, wolves and leopards around here. fall.

Our guide Carika Fourie said that you can eat Buchu from the stem. It has a powerful medicinal value and has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and natural diuretic effects. It is good for stomach problems and high blood pressure.

With the rise of natural life culture in Europe, this plant has become more and more known.

As for Louis Boss, Fourie explained how farmers must wait for the seeds to fall off the plants themselves-otherwise, they would not germinate. For farmers, ants are an unlikely hero here. She said that natural collectors collect seeds and store them in their nests-even if they cannot eat them, the seeds will not germinate there.

“The easy way to get Rooibos seeds is to open the ant nests and put them together well.” However, she quickly added that since Skimmelberg is a nature reserve, “we will not touch Any animal on the farm, including ants".

The Rooibos as we know it is actually different from the wild Rooibos used by Khoi-Khoi and San, which are still in the wild today. This is a spliced ​​plant of wild Louis Boss and another plant of 19th century Russian immigrant Benjamin Ginsberg (Benjamin Ginsberg), designed to provide farmers with larger bushes and more leaves .

About 30 kilometers north of Skemerberg is the charming town of Clanwilliam, also known as the "Rooibos Capital of the World".

Clanwilliam is surrounded by mountains, and the untamed wilderness always feels close.

Here, you can taste anything grown or made in the area at the Veldskoendraai restaurant and farm stall, including Rooibos tea, and even some specialty gins such as First Principle Rooibos Gin and Carmién Floral Berry Rooibos. Cinnamon.

Fans will also love the Rooibos House, which not only sells a wide range of products-from tea to lip balm to shampoo-but also provides tastings and introductions about the history and production process.

The rich heritage of this community is preserved in the Clanwilliam’s Museum, and because it is an old prison, it is called the Ou Tronk Museum.

The tour guide Herschil Pieterse introduced us to the interesting origins of the town and returned to the first group of people who made the area their home.

But to be fully immersed in the true wonders of this land, it is best to follow in the footsteps of those who discover its secrets and live in harmony with it.

Traveller's Rest Farm is 34 kilometers from Clanwilliam, on the Wuppertal Highway, across the spectacular Pakhuis Pass. It has self-catering accommodations and restaurants, but its Sevilla Rock Art Trail-paintings estimated to date back from 1,600 to 8,000 years-will give you an idea of ​​Khoi-Khoi and San people Life.

This 5-km trail winds along the Brandwyn River and visits nine petroglyph sites. Here, you can really feel that the first people living in this area have experienced a world given and given by nature.

On the overhanging wall of the rock, a special painting jumped out to me. This is a vision of a group of mysterious people who look like dinosaurs among elephants, lions and antelopes.

This painting is called "Monster", but the unlikely mysterious creature is one of the many mysteries in this place, and now the world has lost its earliest man.

At least some of their heritage exists in plants and teas—especially the "Champagne of Seidelberg"—that is now enjoyed by the world.

Location: Clanwilliam is a small town in the Olifants Valley in the Western Cape, about 200 kilometers north of Cape Town.

Skimmelberg: 75 Rand per person for tea tasting; R220 per person for two-hour farm tour plus tea tasting. To make a reservation, please send an email to tours@skimmelberg.co.za (reservation must be made in advance). For more information, please visit skimmelberg.co.za.

Seville Rock Art Trail: The permit for Traveller's Rest farm stall is R40 per person (children under 12 are free). They also have a free booklet with information on nine rock art sites, or you can buy the first book of Western Cape Rock Art: Peter Slingsby’s Seville Trail-which contains information about art and Information about plants on the trail — from the booth of R95.

Where to stay: Ndedema Lodge is a four-star bed and breakfast hotel with excellent staff. The guest rooms are reminiscent of the ample space when it was built. See ndedemalodge.co.za

Where to eat: A variety of flavors can be found on the grassland, a treasure trove of a brave and creative chef. Enter Christiaan Amon at Cederberg Ridge Wilderness Lodge, which offers a unique culinary experience.

Located at the foot of the mountain, this luxurious hotel welcomes guests to enjoy dishes such as grass-fed beef steak and wild mushroom salad, as well as wines from world-famous Seidberg wine winemaker David Nieuwoudt. Watching the mountains dissipate and the sky turns into a tapestry of stars .

• Hyman is a guest of the South African Louis Boss Committee

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