21/06/2026
Among the First Hotels of Gold Rush Kaapsehoop
When gold was discovered on the De Kaap goldfields, thousands of prospectors, traders, transport riders, officials and fortune seekers converged on the mountain.
They all needed somewhere to sleep, eat, meet and exchange news.
The Pilgrim's Rest Hotel was among the earliest hospitality establishments to serve the rapidly growing settlement at Kaapsche Hoop. Like other hotels of the era, it began modestly, evolving from tents and temporary structures into a more permanent presence on the mountain.
Archival records reveal that hotels and canteens required licences to operate, creating a fascinating paper trail that allows us to reconstruct the businesses, proprietors and personalities who shaped life during the gold rush years.
One contemporary visitor wrote in 1888:
"Pilgrim's Rest Tent, on the summit of Duivel's Kantoor, was the first spot where I encountered anything of a sanitary nature, and where I got myself slightly tidy."
Small details like these offer a glimpse into everyday life on a remote frontier where comfort was often in short supply.
This is just one of many hotels, boarding houses and canteens that once served the bustling goldfields of Kaapsche Hoop.
Come and experience Kaapsehoop for yourself.
Explore the stories, people and places that shaped one of South Africa's most remarkable gold rush settlements.
Kaapsehoop is not just a destination.
It is something to be protected.
