Golden Gate Highlands National Park is one of our favourite destinations, as many of you will already know (because we tell you that so regularly ;-)). Our last visit there was in December and we were starting to really miss the spectacular mountain scenery, so we decided on the spur of the moment to pay Golden Gate a quick weekend visit last week.
Mountain stream
Lichens Pass snaking its way up into the mountains
Golden Gate Dam
Resting in peace at the foot of the Golden Gate
Mushroom Rocks
One of the self-catering chalets at the Golden Gate Hotel, operated by SANParks, would be our accommodations for the night. Our well-appointed unit had a unobstructed view of the iconic Brandwag buttress, which is illuminated at night.
Golden Gate Chalet
A room with a view
Brandwag illuminated at night
Another view of Brandwag
The Golden Gate Hotel
Birdlife abounds around the chalets at the Golden Gate Hotel
Birdlife abounds around the chalets at the Golden Gate Hotel
The vulture hide is a very welcome recent addition to the Park’s facilities and we had a fantastic sighting of jackal / vulture interaction there on the Saturday afternoon – have a look at our “Bowling for Buzzards” post for pictures from that episode.
The Cape Griffon is an endangered species
The Cape Griffon is an endangered species
The vulture “restaurant” has a stunning view!
Black-backed jackal
Setting out at first light on Sunday morning it was clear that winter had a firm hold on this mountainous landscape. At the top of Lichens Pass our temperature gauge was showing 5 degrees below freezing at 07:00am! Despite the bitter cold we were able to enjoy a couple of good game sightings and beautiful scenery.
Zebra sunrise
Plains zebra
A herd of blesbok making their way through the frosty landscape
Sunrise over the Eastern Free State
Black wildebeest
After a leisurely picnic lunch beneath a protea-bush in the Basotho Village, we had to head for home. One night simply wasn’t enough, and we will be returning soon!
Beautiful mountain vistas at the eastern entrance to Golden Gate Highlands National Park
The Golden Gate Highlands National Park will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary in September this year, and to mark the event SANParks is offering a half-price promotion – have a look if you also need to escape to the mountains in a hurry!
DeWetsWild 
Pingback: Golden Gate Highlands National Park, August 2013 | de Wets Wild
What a place! 🙂
LikeLike
It certainly is Restlessjo! Thanks for visiting!
LikeLike
Good post the de Wet’s. Thanks
LikeLike
Great to have you visit us again Derek, and thanks again for another kind comment!
LikeLike
Very interesting and beautiful photos. I love the shot illuminated at night. Mysterious and just plain awesome. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you very much Elizabeth for joining us here at de Wets Wild and giving us such positive feedback!
LikeLike
The scenery reminds me a bit of the American South West, the rock formations and semi-desert landscape….
LikeLike
In winter much of South Africa’s interior is very drab Annette, in summer the Golden Gate area is lush and green – have a look at the photographs we took in December for comparison: https://dewetswild.com/2013/01/12/golden-gate-highlands-national-park-december-2012/
LikeLike
Oh yes, I see… I’ll make sure I visit during your summer (our winter) 🙂
LikeLike
The photos are beautiful.
LikeLike
Glad to hear that you like them, thanks Imelda!
LikeLike
Breath taking. Should there be a Safari Group trip that will head your way, I would definitely would love to see the wild.
LikeLike
You’ll definitely not leave disappointed Seeker! Thanks for visiting us again!
LikeLike