Cape Grey Mongoose

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Galerella pulverulenta

The Cape, or Small, Grey Mongoose is a commonly encountered small carnivore, thanks to its diurnal habits, They occupy a wide variety of habitats, ranging from semi-desert scrub to mountains and coastal thickets, and subsist on a diet of rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, carrion and wild fruits.

Weighing in at between 500 and 1,250g, with a length of up to 75cm (excluding the tail), the Cape Grey Mongoose is usually solitary, and moves through their small home range along well used pathways. At night they lie up in thickets, piles of rocks or in tunnels dug by other animals. These sites are also used as dens where females give birth to litters of 1-3 young, mostly between August and December. They have a natural life expectancy of about 8 years.

The Cape Grey Mongoose occurs only in South Africa (Kwazulu-Natal. Free State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape), and marginally into Lesotho and Namibia. Thanks to a common, stable population the IUCN evaluates it as being of least concern.

Cape Grey Mongoose
Cape Grey Mongoose
Cape Grey Mongoose
Cape Grey Mongoose
Cape Grey Mongoose
Cape Grey Mongoose
Cape Grey Mongoose
Cape Grey Mongoose
Cape Grey Mongoose
Cape Grey Mongoose
Cape Grey Mongoose
Cape Grey Mongoose visiting us at the chalet in Lilydale (photo by Joubert)
Cape Grey Mongoose

Cape Sugarbird

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The Cape Sugarbird is endemic to the fynbos regions of the Western and Eastern Cape, where it feeds mainly on nectar, especially of Protea-species (and as such is a major pollinator of these plants), and insects. It is also seen in gardens, especially in the summer. With its long-tail, the male Cape Sugarbird can grow to up to 44cm in length, weighing up to 50g.

Cape Sugarbirds breed mainly in autumn and winter, to coincide with the Protea flowering season. Pairs are monogamous, with the male aggressively defending the nesting site while the female builds the cup-shaped nest of dead leaves and dry grass, usually among the leaves of a Protea-bush. The female incubates the clutch of 1 or 2 eggs alone, for a period of up to 3 weeks. Chicks leave the nest at about 18 days old, and then stay with their parents for only another 3 weeks before attaining independence.

While the IUCN considers the Cape Sugarbird to be of least concern, they are at long term risk due to habitat loss brought on by development and invasion of their habitat by alien plants.

Cape Sugarbird
Cape Sugarbird
Cape Sugarbird
Cape Sugarbird (photo by Joubert)
Cape Sugarbird
Cape Sugarbird
Cape Sugarbird on a Pincushion bush
Cape Sugarbird
Cape Sugarbird
Cape Sugarbird (photo by Joubert)
Cape Sugarbird (photo by Joubert)
Cape Sugarbird on a Pincushion flower
Cape Sugarbird

Hartlaub’s Gull

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Chroicocephalus hartlaubii

Hartlaub’s Gull is a gregarious species that forages, roosts and nests in large flocks. They occur in coastal areas – inshore waters less than 50m deep, estuaries, lagoons, beaches and harbours, and rarely venture further than 20km from land. Their natural diet relies in a large part on marine invertebrates associated with beached kelp, supplemented with fruits, eggs and small fish.  They also frequent sewerage works, rubbish dumps and abattoirs for easy pickings.

Breeding takes place at anytime of the year, though some localities show distinct peaks in nesting activity at varying times of the year. Breeding colonies are established on flat, rocky islands, coastal pans, in harbours and even on top of buildings, where the nests are small hollows of matted plant material. Pairs are monogamous and aggressively defend a small patch around their nest. Clutches of one to three eggs are incubated by both parents for just short of 4 weeks. Chicks attain adulthood at around two years of age. Hartlaub’s Gull is closely related to the Grey-headed Gull, with which it sometimes interbreeds.

Hartlaub’s Gull occurs only in Namibia and South Africa (Northern, Western and Eastern Cape), where they are considered to be common and increasing their population. With about half of the estimated 30,000 adults in the population occurring in and around the Cape Peninsula, Table Mountain National Park is a good place to look for Hartlaub’s Gull. The IUCN lists the species as being of least concern, despite noting threats to their breeding success rate.

Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gulls
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
a Hartlaub’s Gull in the crystal clear water of the Langebaan Lagoon
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull

Black Girdled Lizard

20 Replies

Cordylus niger

Black Girdled Lizards occur only on Table Mountain, the Cape Peninsula and around Saldanha Bay, where they inhabit rocky outcrops in the fynbos and shelter in small cracks and crevices. When threatened they will use their prickly tail to cover the rest of their body and inflate themselves so that it should be very difficult to extract them from their hiding place. Black Girdled Lizards grow to between 7 and 9cm in length and are usually seen alone, except when mating. They are diurnal and do not hibernate, although they are much less active in cold weather. Black Girdled Lizards feed primarily on insects. This is an ovoviviparous species, meaning that the female keeps the fertilized eggs inside her body and then gives birth to live young when the eggs hatch inside her. One to three young are born during autumn and must be immediately self-sufficient, as there is no parental care.

The IUCN classifies the Black Girdled Lizard as “Near Threatened” due to their extremely limited distribution and threats from development and the pet trade, despite an apparently numerous population.

Black Girdled Lizard
Black Girdled Lizard
Black Girdled Lizard
Black Girdled Lizard
Black Girdled Lizard
Black Girdled Lizard (photo by Joubert)
Black Girdled Lizard (photo by Joubert)
Black Girdled Lizard
Black Girdled Lizard
Black Girdled Lizard
Black Girdled Lizard
Black Girdled Lizard
Black Girdled Lizard
Black Girdled Lizard

African Penguin

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Spheniscus demersus

One of our most endearing birds and the only one of its kind resident on the continent, the African Penguin was previously known as the Jackass Penguin, thanks to its donkey-like braying. Adults weigh as much as 3.5kg and stand up to 70cm tall.

Penguins forage in the open ocean, either alone, in pairs or in small groups, and usually within 40km from their colony. When not caring for chicks at the colony, adults can stay out at sea for up to 5 days. They feed primarily on shoaling fish (like sardine and anchovy) and squid. African Penguins swim at speeds of around 7km/h, and can remain submerged for up to 2 minutes at a time.

African Penguins usually breed in tightly packed colonies, often at any time of the year with specific peak periods in different colonies. Pairs are monogamous and form lifelong bonds, with the male advertising and defending their small territory around the nest. Most colonies are on islands well out of reach of mammalian predators, while a handful are in safe and sheltered areas on the mainland. African Penguins prefer to breed in burrows dug in guano (seabird excrement valued as fertilizer) or sand, but as this has become very rare at some nesting colonies authorities have resorted to making artificial structures available for the purpose. When burrows (natural or artificial) is unavailable, they will nest on open ground but usually these attempts are far less successful in raising chicks. Clutches consist of one to three eggs, incubated for around 40 days by both parents. Chicks leave the nest at between 2 and 3 months old, but remain dependent on their parents for another two months or so thereafter. Newly independent juveniles often disperse as far as 2,000km away from the colonies where they hatched, but most return to their natal colonies again when they reach breeding age at about 4 years old. It is estimated that African Penguins can live to about 27 years in the wild.

African Penguins are restricted to the coasts of Namibia and South Africa. The IUCN classifies it as endangered, owing to a plummeting population as a result of depleting fish stocks (through overfishing and warming oceans) and pollution (most notable from oil spills). Scraping of guano, which destroyed the penguins’ nesting sites, and collection of eggs caused major declines in the population at the start of the 20th century. From a population counted in the millions in the early 1900’s, the total estimated population in 2015 stood at around 80,000 mature birds  (probably even fewer now) distributed at 29 breeding colonies (with an estimated 87% of the population breeding at just 8 localities). Boulders Beach, south of Cape Town and managed as part of the Table Mountain National Park, offers probably the most accessible viewing of the species.

African Penguins swimming at Boulders Beach
Colony of African Penguins at Boulders Beach
Colony of African Penguins at Boulders Beach
African Penguin at Boulders Beach
African Penguin emerging from the surf
African Penguin gathering nesting material
African Penguin pair greeting
African Penguin calling
African Penguin
Artificial nest boxes for the penguins at Boulders
African Penguin egg in artificial nest
African Penguin
African Penguin moulting
African Penguin at nest burrow
African Penguin at nest burrow
African Penguins moulting
African Penguin calling
African Penguin emerging from the surf
African Penguin juvenile
African Penguin tracks
African Penguins at Boulders beach
African Penguins at Boulders beach
African Penguins at Boulders beach
African Penguin at Boulders beach
African Penguin at Boulders beach
African Penguin under water
African Penguins (photo by Joubert)
African Penguin (photo by Joubert)
African Penguin chick
African Penguin
African Penguins
African Penguins
African Penguin chick moulting
African Penguins on the boardwalk at Betty’s Bay
African Penguin chick moulting
African Penguins
African Penguin

Boulders Beach and Penguin Colony (Table Mountain National Park)

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Boulders, a sheltered cove in the naval town of Simon’s Town, comprises a few small bays and beaches protected by enormous granite rocks, 540-million years old, from the pounding surf of the Atlantic Ocean in False Bay. It is one of the most popular attractions in the Table Mountain National Park.

Boulders scenery, Table Mountain National Park
Boulders scenery, Table Mountain National Park

In 1982, two pairs of African Penguins took the unusual step of settling and breeding on the mainland here at Boulders. Today, the colony has grown to number over 2,000 birds and offers probably the most accessible views of penguins to be had anywhere in the world. Visitors are urged not to get too close to the penguins and not to try and touch them, as they’ll not hesitate to nip a finger or nose with their razor sharp beaks if they feel threatened.

African Penguins swimming at Boulders Beach
African Penguin
African Penguin calling
African Penguin pair greeting
African Penguin gathering nesting material
African Penguin emerging from the surf
Penguin down on the beach
Artificial nest boxes for the penguins at Boulders
African Penguin tracks

While pride of place obviously goes the the penguins, there’s a multitude of other wildlife – birds and mammals especially – that find a safe refuge at Boulders.

Cape Bulbul
Cape Cormorant
Cape Grey Mongoose
Grey-headed Gull
Hartlaub’s Gull
Kelp Gull
Red-winged Starling
Rock hyrax, or dassie, baby
Female Southern Double-collared Sunbird

Wheelchair-friendly boardwalks erected at Foxy Beach allows visitors to get up close to the penguins, while swimming and sunbathing is popular at Boulders Beach. The two beaches are connected by a lovely walkway through indigenous bush known as Willis’ Walk. There is a curio shop at the visitor centre, and several restaurants, cafes and coffee shops nearby in Simon’s Town.

Welcome to Boulders
View over False Bay
Boardwalk leading to the penguins
Penguin Information
Willis’ Walk
Welcome to Boulders
Welcome to Boulders

Boulders Beach and Penguin Colony is located in Simon’s Town, base of the South African navy south of Cape Town. Parking is available in Seaforth Road and Bellevue Road, both of which turn off the main Milner’s Point Road (M4) leading through town.

Cape of Good Hope (Table Mountain National Park)

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Archaeological investigations indicate that the Cape Peninsula, the mountainous promontory that stretches for over 50km from Table Mountain in the north to Cape Point in the south at Africa’s south-westernmost extremity, has been inhabited intermittently by humans since the Early Stone Age, roughly 600,000 years ago. First described as the “Cape of Storms” by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, the first known European to navigate around the southern tip of Africa in March 1488, and then given the moniker “Cape of Good Hope” by King João II of Portugal as Dias’s “discovery” opened the possibility of an oceanic trade route to India and the Far East, the most flattering description for this stretch of rugged coastline came from English Admiral Sir Francis Drake in 1580, when he referred to it as “a most stately thing and the fairest cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth“. Today, two “padrãos” – replicas of the limestone pillars erected by Portuguese explorers on their voyages to signify Portuguese and Christian sovereignty and erected in 1965, commemorate two of those erstwhile explorers: Dias and Vasco da Gama, the first to reach India from Europe around the African coast.

Dias Cross
Da Gama Cross with Cape Point in the background

In 1939, the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve was established on the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula. In 1998, the reserve’s 7,750ha was incorporated into the Cape Peninsula National Park, which was renamed the Table Mountain National Park in 2004. The land area of the Park covers a total of almost 300km², with a further 975km² of the ocean protected in a marine reserve. Managing this National Park with Cape Town and its suburbs, a city of 3,7-million people, right on the doorstep must be a daunting task and with over 4-million visitors annually, the Table Mountain National Park is one of South Africa’s top tourist attractions.

Scenery on the circular drive at the Cape of Good Hope – the white flowers are known as Cape Snow (Syncarpha vestita)
De Wets at the Cape of Good Hope
8 Years old: December 2017. Sunset over the Atlantic
Cape of Good Hope
These Monterrey Cyprus trees were planted in the 1940s to commemorate South African soldiers lost in WWII
Scenery at Cape Point, Table Mountain National Park
Cloudy sunrise over False Bay
Olifantsbos Bay
Shells on the beach
Scenery at the Cape of Good Hope
Scenery at the Cape of Good Hope

Cape Point consists of dramatic sea cliffs, among the highest in the world, jutting into the Atlantic Ocean at the tip of the Peninsula. On a clear day the view from the top is nothing short of spectacular. The “Flying Dutchman” Funicular (named for Captain Hendrick van der Decken’s ghost ship still plying these waters in stormy seas) is available to take visitors up to the old lighthouse and viewpoints and back down, though there’s always the option of hiking the 800m distance.

Flying Dutchman Funicular
Cape of Good Hope seen from Cape Point
The Old Lighthouse at Cape Point
A rugged coast far below Cape Point
Majestic Cape Point

Commonly described as Fynbos, the natural vegetation of the Table MountaIn National Park is an integral component of the Cape Floral Kingdom, which, with an amazing 9,004 plant species is the smallest of only 6 plant kingdoms recognized in the world and a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. There are over 2,285 indigenous flowering plant species on the Cape Peninsula – compare that to fewer than 1,500 species indigenous to the entire British Isles! Inside the Cape of Good Hope section of the Park alone, over 1,200 plant species have been identified.

Rich floral dversity at the Cape of Good Hope
Pincushion
Pincushion
Rich floral diversity at the Cape of Good Hope
Rich floral diversity at the Cape of Good Hope – these white flowers are known as Cape Snow (Syncarpha vestita)
Rich floral diversity at the Cape of Good Hope – these white flowers are known as Cape Snow (Syncarpha vestita)
Rich floral diversity at the Cape of Good Hope – these white flowers are known as Cape Snow (Syncarpha vestita)
A flower among the flowers at the Cape of Good Hope – these white flowers are known as Cape Snow (Syncarpha vestita)

The Cape Peninsula may be world renowned for its awesome scenery, but it is also home to a wide variety of birds (303 species on land and sea), mammals (58 terrestrial and 36 marine species) , reptiles (64 species), amphibians (17 species) and fish (including the Great White Shark), not to mention countless invertebrates.

African Oystercatcher
Angulate Tortoise
Chacma Baboon
You stuck what in there!?
Black Girdled Lizard
Bontebok
Cape Bulbul
Cape Bunting
Cape Cormorant
Cape Spurfowl
Cape Sugarbird
Eland
Familiar Chat
Grey Heron
Grey rhebok
Grey-winged francolin
Hartlaub’s Gull
Bladder Grasshopper
Kelp Gull
Malachite Sunbird
Cape Mountain Zebra
Orange-breasted Sunbird on a Pincushion flower
Ostrich male
Red-winged Starling
African Sacred Ibis
Sandwich Tern
Sea Lice
Swift Tern
Yellow Bishop
Steppe Buzzard

Visitors may overnight inside the Cape of Good Hope section of the National Park at one of three cottages (Olifantsbos, Eland & Duiker) or on the Hoerikwaggo Cape of Good Hope Trail. An extensive network of tarred roads lead to several viewpoints and picnic sites, two of which have tidal pools as swimming in the sea at many of the beaches here is considered rather risky, while a restaurant and curio shops can be found at Cape Point.

We spent two nights at Eland Cottage at the Cape of Good Hope during our epic December holidays in eight of South Africa’s national parks.

Entrance gate into the Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park
Eland Cottage, Table Mountain NP, December 2017

The Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park lies to the south of the city of Cape Town, and can be approached either from the town of Kommetjie along the Atlantic seaboard (road M65), or through Simon’s Town on the False Bay coast (road M4 / M66).

Another quick nature fix at Rietvlei

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Just as we were starting to experience withdrawal symptoms after spending almost a month exploring eight of our country’s beautiful national parks we were saved from the agony by a good friend who organised his birthday party at our local Rietvlei Nature Reserve yesterday.

Ostrich and zebra in the Rietvlei landscape
White rhino bull (dehorned to protect against poaching)
Blowing a massive cloud of dust (photo by Joubert)
African Wattled Lapwing
African Wattled Lapwing (immature)
African Darter in flight
White-breasted Cormorant in flight
White-throated Swallow
Plains zebra
Long-tailed Widowbird (female)
Rufous-naped Lark
Blacksmith Lapwing
Crab holding on for dear life at the weir (photo by Joubert)
Yellow-crowned Bishop (female)
Eland bull
Eland herd

Karoo Long-billed Lark

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Certhilauda subcoronata

Karoo Long-billed Larks are usually encountered singly or in pairs. As their name suggest, these birds inhabit sparsely vegetated, rocky plains and hill slopes in the arid Karoo, and feed primarily on insects and seeds.

These rather large Larks (weighing 31-55g) breed mostly in spring and summer. Their nests are cups built of roots and twigs in hollows at the bases of shrubs and rocks in which 2-3 eggs are laid.

The Karoo Long-billed Lark occurs commonly in the drier western half of South Africa, specifically in the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape Provinces, extending into Namibia. The Karoo National Park is one of the best places to go looking for this species. With a a large and stable population, the IUCN considers the Karoo Long-billed Lark to be of least concern.

Karoo Long-billed Lark
Karoo Long-billed Lark
Karoo Long-billed Lark
Karoo Long-billed Lark
Karoo Long-billed Lark
Karoo Long-billed Lark
Karoo Long-billed Lark
Karoo Long-billed Lark
Karoo Long-billed Lark
Karoo Long-billed Lark

Karoo National Park

20 Replies

The Great Karoo, which covers much of South Africa’s western and central interior, is an arid region, rich in drought resistant plant and animal life. Since being settled by European stock farmers in the early 1700’s, large game was systematically eradicated from the area; the last lions for instance disappearing from the region in the 1820’s. In what is today the Karoo National Park, visitors will notice the rock-traps built to catch predators like brown hyena and leopard, with an easily accessible example right inside the rest camp, between the camping area and chalets. The Park came about when, in the 1970’s, the National Parks Board (today SANParks) and interested NGO’s realised that there was very little of the Karoo being formally protected and started looking for a suitable area to be proclaimed a National Park. Eventually a site just outside the town of Beaufort-West was decided upon, and officially proclaimed the Karoo National Park, 17,706 hectares in extent, in September 1979.

Old predator trap in Karoo National Park’s Rest Camp
Old predator trap in Karoo National Park’s Rest Camp
Old predator trap in Karoo National Park’s Rest Camp
Graveyard dating back to the farming days
Plaque commemorating the proclamation of the Park

The Karoo’s history goes back much further than that though. Around 255-million years ago, the area was lush and covered in swamps, and sediments laid down then are today a rich source of fossils. This fascinating world is made accessible to the park’s visitors along the short (400m), paved Fossil Trail near the reception complex.

Karoo National Park’s Fossil Trail
Karoo National Park’s Fossil Trail
Karoo National Park’s Fossil Trail
Karoo National Park’s Fossil Trail
Karoo National Park’s Fossil Trail
Karoo National Park’s Fossil Trail
Karoo National Park’s Fossil Trail

Since its proclamation, additional land was acquired and incorporated, and today the Karoo National Park covers an extensive area of 88,133 hectares. The peaks of the Nuweveld Mountains rise to over 1,900m above sea level, though most of the plains lie at and average of 850m above sea level. This is a harsh environment, with an average annual rainfall of just over 200mm (most of which falls in summer), winter temperatures dropping as low as -15°C (with frost and snowfall a common occurence) and summer temperatures soaring to over 40°C. Most of the vegetation consists of hardy grasses and woody shrubs, with extensive stands of thorny trees along the dry river courses, and about 864 recorded plant species!

Karoo panorama
Wide open spaces in the Karoo
Gemsbok melting into the landscape
Gemsbok melting into the landscape
Karoo Landscape
Karoo Landscape
Rooivalle, along the Klipspringer Pass
Karoo Landscape
Karoo National Park Landscape
The Karoo is rich in hardy flowering plants
The Karoo is rich in hardy flowering plants. This is the Botterblom (“Butter Flower”)
The Karoo is rich in hardy flowering plants
Grass flowers swaying in the breeze
The Karoo is rich in hardy flowering plants
The Karoo is rich in hardy flowering plants
The Karoo is rich in hardy flowering plants

After it was proclaimed, several species of animals that occurred here naturally were reintroduced, the most notable of which are over 700 Cape Mountain Zebra, Buffalo, Black Rhino and Lion. Today, the Park protects 62 species of mammal, 63 reptile species (including 5 kinds of tortoise), 10 kinds of amphibians and even a single species of indigenous fish, the Chubbyhead Barb.

Baboon clutching an ornamental ostrich egg stolen from the camp
Black Rhinoceros
Cape Grey Mongoose playing swingball
Cape Mountain Zebra
Eland
Gemsbok in the Karoo
Grey Rhebuck
Grasshopper among the rocks
Stick insect clinging to a tree trunk
Klipspringer pair
Kudu Bull
Plains Zebra
Red Hartebeest
Scrub Hare
Springbok
Steenbok Ewe
Steenbok Ram
Leopard Tortoise

More than 200 bird species have been recorded inside the Karoo National Park, several of which are endemic to this arid landscape.

Karoo Long-billed Lark
Bokmakierie
Cape Wagtail
Cape White-eye
Capped Wheatear
Cardinal Woodpecker
Double-banded Courser
Fairy Flycatcher
Familiar Chat
Fiscal Flycatcher
Grey-backed Cisticola
Helmeted Guineafowl
Tractrac Chat
Karoo Korhaan
Karoo Prinia
Karoo Scrub Robin
Karoo Thrush
Lark-like Bunting
Ludwig’s Bustard
Female Malachite Sunbird
Mountain Wheatear
Common Ostrich Pair
Pale-winged Starling
Pin-tailed Whydah
Rock Kestrel
White-backed Mousebird
Female Yellow Canary
Yellow Canary
Pale Chanting Goshawk

For birdwatchers especially, the birdhide situated on the edge of the camp overlooking a reed-fringed waterhole is a real boon.

View from the birdhide
Common Moorhen at Karoo National Park’s birdhide
Egyptian Geese at Karoo National Park’s birdhide
Lesser Swamp Warblers
Red Bishop at the Birdhide in the camp at Karoo National Park
Male Southern Masked Weaver at the Karoo National Park’s birdhide
Marsh Terrapins at the hide in Karoo National Park

Overnight visitors have a choice of camping and accommodation (with breakfast included) available in the award-winning rest camp, which was opened in 1989. The camp also has a restaurant and little shop, as well as a very popular swimming pool. Near the campsite an old barn has been converted into an information centre, with interesting displays on the history of the Karoo and the National Park that carries its name. Two picnic sites, at Bulkraal and Doornhoek, cater to the needs of day visitors. Afsaal and Embizweni are more rustic cottages located along the Park’s extensive network of 4×4 trails. Visitors with less rugged vehicles are able to drive in comfort along the delightfully named Potlekkertjie and Lammertjiesleegte Loops, and the spectacular Klipspringer Pass.

Entrance gate into the Karoo National Park
Camping in Karoo National Park, December 2017
Several large Leopard Tortoises are right at home in the camping area at Karoo National Park
Leopard Tortoise in the camping area at Karoo National Park
Accommodation in the Karoo National Park
Wide open spaces surround the Karoo National Park’s accommodation units
Swimming pool at Bulkraal Picnic Site
Picnic facilities at at Bulkraal Picnic Site
Not only the human visitors enjoy Bulkraal Picnic Site
Vervet Monkey drinking from the swimming pool at Bulkraal Picnic Site
Doornhoek Picnic Site
Karoo’s Interpretive Centre
Karoo’s Interpretive Centre
Be careful not to drive over the smaller wildlife!

The Karoo National Park was the first destination of our recent December 2017 holidays. It is a drive of roughly 1,000 km from our home in Pretoria to the Park’s entrance gate, conveniently located along the N1 highway about 6km south of Beaufort-West. The nearest international airport is in Cape Town, about 500km to the southwest.