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Clarens is a village located in the on The Eastern side of the Free State in South Africa. It is part of the scenic Highlands Route and is nestled in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains. It is also ideally situated being close to both the Golden Gate National Park and the Kingdom of Lesotho.


The village has become known as the "Jewel of the Free State", not only for its beauty but also for its quaint history. It was established in 1912 and a decision was made to name the village “Clarens” in honour of President Paul Kruger’s influence in the area. This came about in the following ways - During the Basotho war of 1865 - 1866, five “burghers” from the Transvaal were murdered in the Eastern Free State; a direct consequence was the official declaration of war by the Transvaal against the Basotho leader Moshoeshoe. Paul Kruger together with a commando of burghers defeated the Basotho at the Battle of Naauwpoortnek. President Paul Kruger spent his last days as a voluntary exile in the attractive village of Clarens in Switzerland and Clarens was thus a very apt name for the mountainous village in the Eastern Free State.

There are little art galleries littered around the village full of local landscape paintings, Clarens is ideal for artists wanting to get outdoors to paint. There is also a Museum in the square Qwa Qwa National Park and Basotho Cultural village. Other attractions include the famous Titanic Rock and Dinosaur trail.

Clarens is great value for money with many types of accommodation on offer; self-catering, hotels, B&B’s, Game Farm, Guest Houses and Lodges. The village also hosts a wealth of activities such as hiking, archery, horse riding and white water rafting.