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Sign in with FacebookLatest Pilgrim's Rest hotel reviews
Pro
Beautiful scenery, interesting, reliving an exciting past.
Con
They've recently allowed hawkers to sell African wares - the goods arent even Southern African though! They're mostly North African, which I don't think is right - they should be encouraging local...
In a nutshell
Perfect historical village
CatherineReichardt Says: First time visitors may be a little confused that Pilgrim's Rest is divided into two sections - the upper and lower town.The upper town has better developed tourist infrastructure, including the iconic Royal Hotel (see my travel tip on the Church Bar) and the museum. Many of...
Have a beer at the historic Royal Hotel!
CatherineReichardt Says: The Royal Hotel in Pilgrim's Rest is an iconic location. Made entirely of corrugated iron, it evokes the harsh but vibrant era of the 1870s gold rush when successful diggers wanted to celebrate their success and the unsuccessful needed to drown their sorrows!The most famous...
Historic paraphernalia of lower Pilgrim's Rest
CatherineReichardt Says: First time visitors may be a little confused by the fact that Pilgrim's Rest is split into two sections - the upper and lower town. The upper town has more developed tourist infrastructure (such as the Royal Hotel and the museum), whilst the lower town is more low key, but...
Even the petrol pumps are in period!
CatherineReichardt Says: The whole of Pilgrim's Rest was declared a national monument in 1986 in recognition of its unique ability to reflect life in South Africa during the gold rush of the late 19th century. And, of course with the honour of national monument status come regulations and...
mikelisaanna Says: The Central Garage is exactly what its name sounds like - the town garage of Pilgrim's Rest. It now serves as a transportation museum that features antique cars and trucks, as well as horse-drawn wagons and carriages. It was one of our favorite sights in Pilgrim's Rest....
mikelisaanna Says: The Information Center serves two purposes. First, it is the place where tourists can get information about Pilgrim's Rest, including brochures, maps, and tickets for tours. It also doubles as a small museum, with a number of interesting exhibits about the town's history. It...
mikelisaanna Says: The House Museum is a well-preserved Victorian-era home that is open to the public. The rooms that you can tour include a living room, dining room, bedroom and kitchen, all of which contain period furniture and decorations. It is open every day. There is a small admission...
Acirfa Says: There is a monument in remembrance of the 1938 Great Trek. It is found on the banks of the Blyde /river, across the Joubert Bridge (this bridge was named after the Commandant Piet Jobert, it was built in 1896 over the Blyde River to ling the town to Lydenberg).Louis...
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Church Bar: The BAR by the Royal Hotel
MarioPortugal Says: I enjoyed a lot to see Royal-Hotel's BAR from the inside. Its decoration is really cool :)This historical Church Bar got its name because it is a former relocated school chapel.Titus Sibuyi, 54, was the bartender on duty when I was there.Food may be served at the Bar and...
Ash59 Says: We were on a group tour so we were herded into this place and thought "this looks pretty basic. What are we going to end up with here?" We shouldn't have worried, the tour operator knew what he was doing. The food was good and wholesome and a lot of it but the best part of...
Helpfulness
Most of the shops have a variety of products. This one had great homemade nougat and relatively cheap clothing items. Shops are aimed at tourists and prices are quite high.
What to buy: Nougat and hand-knitted scarfs. There are other clothing items and sweets and a lot of other small items as well. Lots of handmad African jewellery but I found these cheaper at the informal stands at waterfalls and the potholes in Bourke's luck.
What to pay: Scarf - R40 - about $7.
Nougat - big - R12 $2
Written Dec 27, 2005
Address: Upper town
MarioPortugal Says: Rosie & Martha, and myself assisting for some while, were selling Macadamia Nuts on the main street of Pilgrim's Rest.One pack costs R20. Two packs cost R35 and Three packs R50.About the Macadamia itself (from wikipedia):Macadamia is a genus of eight species of flowering...
The Royal Hotel's BAR - Rules of the Bar
MarioPortugal Says: Rules of this BAR1. ONLY 2 to a stole.2. No talk of RELIGION OR POLITICS.3. No pinching, petting or patting of any part of the anatomy of the tender gender without their expressed permission.4. NO CHECKS, CHITS, CHARGE-O-PLATES or ARMENIAN money accepted.5. Thoes drinking...
Along the central street of Pilgrim's Rest, there are a number of teenagers who try various creative ways to get your money. Some do dances, some offer to wash your car or windshield, and some try to sell you souvenirs. They are not violent and are not thiefs - just aspiring capitalists. However, after a while, they get annoying. Just be firm and keep telling them no.
Updated Nov 1, 2009
Helpfulness
This is not really a tourist trap but useful to know. Pelgrim's Rest is very expensive. You can buy many of the articles that you find in the shops from the stalls at the waterfalls, Bourke's Luck potholes etc. They are normally half the price that you will pay at Pelgrim's Rest.
Updated Jan 17, 2007
Helpfulness
Luggage and bags: Luggage with wheels is always a good idea, wherever you are travelling.
Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Some ideas:
Light coloured clothing that doesnt absorb the sun as much as dark clothing.
Long-sleeved shirts and trousers will help protect you against the sun and possible insect bites.
A cap/hat that covers your head and neck.
Sunglasses.
Comfortable sandals and tackies/trainers/sneakers.
Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Take your recommended Malaria tablets if in a malaria zone, sun screen (at LEAST Factor 35 I would say), headache tablets (from being in the car during the sun all day, may bring on a headache), and usual little things like some plasters for blisters, Tabard for the mossies (mosquitos), cotton wool, germolene etc.
Photo Equipment: Your camera, with charger, and an appropriate plug extension/adaptor.
Bring along the best lens you can - a zoom lens will be needed as the animals are often in the distance and may only look like tiny specks in your photos when they are developed.
Miscellaneous: Have a map of the area handy, plus a local bird, flower and tree book. For this you also need a pair of good quality binoculars. Take a torch and some bog roll if you are doing outdoorsy things (just in case!).
Written Jun 9, 2007
Ash59 Says: Not quite off the beaten track but you have to follow a sometimes narrow and sometimes steep path to get to the cemetary from the main road. Dating from the 1800's, many of the graves are of those people who did not do so well in the fever of the short lived gold rush of the...
cleocat Says: If you travel from Johannesburg instead of taking the highway to Lydenburg take the Dullstroom road. A picturesque little town between the mountains. It is popular for trout-fishing with lots of arts and craft shops, restaurants and coffee shops. It's peaceful and beautiful.
ATLC Says: A funny sign with this old rusty car.Funny detail is that the word "rust" in Dutch means "rest" but the word "rust" in English would be "roest" in Dutch!
ATLC Says: The origin of the old cemetry is closely connected to the legend of the Robbers Grave.The grave is of an unknown man who was caught and convicted of tent robbing on the diggings (1873-1876), and subsequently banished. A few days later the thief was spotted on a hill, now...
The entire little town has been declared a national monument. From the 1870's onwards it was bustling with people from all over after gold was found there. There are lots of shops (expensive) and...
There's gold in them there hills....
It all started with a man and a wheelbarrow.... A prospector called Alec Patterson carried all his belongings in wheelbarrow, hence his nickname of "Wheelbarrow" Alec. In 1873, he discovered the...
In Afrikaans they're called Koekepannen (pancake pans)... On the left is our guide from the Kruger Park. We invited him to come along the day after he was our guide during the safari in Kruger Park He...
It was when a few insignificant gold deposits were found here, in the Northern parts of South Africa between 1840 and 1870, that the rush to get rich began. By 1873, when gold was discovered on the......
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