Summertide Diary: Exploring Bontebok

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19 December 2020

Our first morning in the Bontebok National Park started with a visit from a VERY big Rain Spider in the kitchen. Despite their large size these spiders aren’t deadly to humans (though a bite would be very painful), but considering that other visitors might overreact if they encounter this one and kill it I decided to catch it and relocate it to a suitable spot outside (and had to keep a curious Cape Bulbul at bay while the spider hid in an aloe). After all this excitement we could enjoy breakfast overlooking the Breede River as morning broke over the Lang Elsie’s Kraal Rest Camp feeling very pleased with ourselves.

Rain Spider escaping the Tupperware at Bontebok National Park
Rain Spider trying to hide among dead aloe leaves at Bontebok National Park
Very curious Cape Bulbul
Breede River at sunrise

The previous time we visited Bontebok it rained for most of the two days we spent in the Park, and so we didn’t get to explore much. This beautiful morning presented an opportunity to rectify that, so we got an early start to our first drive through the reserve.

Common Waxbill
The view from Aloe Hill towards Lang Elsie’s Kraal Rest Camp, with the Langeberg in the distance
Grey-backed Cisticola
Cape Mountain Zebras on a hillside in the Bontebok National Park
Denham’s Bustard
Spotted Thick-knee
Yellow Bush cones (Leucadendron salignum) in Bontebok National Park
Koppie Foam Grasshopper
Grey-winged Francolin
Cape Grassbird
Karoo Scrub Robin
Bontebok is a stronghold for the endangered Renosterveld vegetation
Red Hartebeest
Speckled Pigeon
Four-striped Grass Mouse

We wanted to go check out the local picnic spot, known as Die Stroom (“The Stream”) before it got too busy with day visitors. It does seem a lovely spot to enjoy a relaxed picnic while also taking pleasure in all the Park’s other attractions.

Die Stroom Picnic Area
Die Stroom Picnic Area

When we got back to camp one of the star attractions of the Park, a Bontebok, was waiting for us at our chalet, together with an Angulate Tortoise and lots of birds.

Bontebok outside our chalet at Bontebok National Park (photo by Joubert)
Angulate Tortoise
Greater Striped Swallow

Another one of the things we missed out on during our previous visit to Bontebok was most of the walking trails available to visitors, so before lunch (and before it got too hot) I got going on the Acacia and Bushbuck Trails, which follow the course of the Breede River. Along the way a few viewing decks have been built overlooking peaceful stretches of the river.

Viewing deck on the Bushbuck Trail
The Breede River seen from a viewing deck on the Bushbuck Trail
Toktokkie
Sombre Greenbul
Rain Spider egg sac
Egyptian Geese and Yellow-billed Ducks sharing a section of the Breede River
Walking trail in Bontebok National Park
Toktokkie
One of the decks along the Bushbuck Trail overlooking the Breede River
Ants exploding from their nest in a wooden bench
Bontebok National Park’s fishing spot along the Breede River
Breede River panorama
An as yet unidentified grasshopper
Common Meadow White
Sour Fig
Karoo Scrub Robin

After lunch there was time to walk around the camp.

Breede River rapids at Lang Elsie’s Kraal
Southern Masked Weaver female
Namaqua Dove
Angulate Tortoise
Fiscal Flycatcher
Thick-billed Lark
Cape Robin-Chat

And then another circuit of the Park’s game viewing drives saw us through till sunset.

Bontebok
Spotted Thick-knee
Denham’s Bustard
Denham’s Bustard
Grey-winged Francolin
Grey-winged Francolin
Cape Grassbird
Bontebok running across our way (photograph by Joubert)
Grey Rhebok
Grey Rhebok
Grey Rhebok
Steppe Buzzard
Bontebok National Park protects the threatened renosterveld vegetation-type

After dinner and with the camp now clothed in darkness I went down to the river to look for frogs at the water’s edge. Thrilled to find a few of three different species, though even more exciting to see was the Sharp-toothed Catfish actually jumping onto the river banks to catch any frogs sitting too close to the water!

Cape River Frog
Clicking Stream Frog
Bronze Caco
Sharptooth Catfish patrolling the water of the Breede River after dark

While away from our chalet our little “camera trap” caught this Large-spotted Genet patrolling outside.

Large-spotted Genet caught by our camera-trap outside our chalet at Bontebok National Park

If you’d like to learn more about the Bontebok National Park, have a read through this special feature we published after a previous visit. For more about the beautiful Bontebok antelope, read here.

Map of Bontebok National Park, from a brochure published by SANParks

13 thoughts on “Summertide Diary: Exploring Bontebok”

  1. naturebackin

    It looks great – lovely to be able to do trail walks. The vegetation is beautiful and how interesting to see a grey rhebok so clearly. I have only seen them relatively fleetingly in the Berg and am always struck by their long ears and delicate-looking build.

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Thanks, Anne! I so wish I could get one of the barbels jumping onto the bank to catch a frog, but in the darkness my camera’s not quick enough to keep up with the action.

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  6. sustainabilitea

    Wow, that is a rather large spider. I’m glad you could relocate it. What a plethora of interesting animals you saw and the spots along the river look like places I’d love to sit and relax although I’d probably also be chomping at the bit to see more sights. Such fun!

    janet

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