Tag Archives: vacation

More snaps from our summer days in the Karoo National Park

The Karoo National Park, a perennial favourite of ours, was the first major destination on our recent “summer trek” through the national parks and nature reserves of the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces. The Karoo’s landscapes may be harsh, and its inhabitants equally tough, but there’s no denying that having so much open space around you has a very special allure.

During our visit I posted a few photographs on a daily basis to give those following along on our travels a glimpse of what we were experiencing. Let’s start this recap with those.

The Karoo National Park has two major game-viewing loops accessible to visitors without a 4×4. The shortest of those is the route through the Lammertjiesleegte between the rest camp and the entrance gate. Along the way, the Bulkraal Picnic Site is a nice place to stretch your legs and look for habituated birds to photograph.

Karoo National Park’s Rest Camp is a delightful oasis in this thirstland, and besides being a safe and comfortable place for humans to spend the night it is also a magnet for a range of wildlife!

The longer of the Karoo National Park’s all-access game-viewing loops is called Potlekkertjie, and incorporates the ingeniously constructed Klipspringer Pass. This beautiful drive has something to offer driven at any time of day, but is best enjoyed slowly early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the sunlight catches the surrounding mountains and glades so beautifully. Halfway along visitors can have a picnic at secluded Doornhoek.

DeWetsWild is proud to be a contracted reservations agent for the Karoo National Park, so whether you’d like us to assist you with a reservation to visit on your own or would like us to include the Park in a guided tour arranged specifically for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Summer Trek – Mountain Zebra, 9 January 2025

Our final full day at Mountain Zebra National Park started with great excitement when we found two lionesses following a very nervous herd of buffalo. As per usual the Park delivered the goods all day long. We’re undertaking a guided night drive later tonight and looking forward to even more special encounters to conclude our visits to the national parks and nature reserves of the Western and Eastern Cape. Thank you to all those who joined us on our travels – I promise to respond to all your kind comments in the next few days.

Summer Trek – Mountain Zebra, 8 January 2025

The Mountain Zebra National Park is still delivering wonderful wildlife encounters! This is just a tiny selection of Joubert’s pictures taken today.

Summer Trek – Mountain Zebra, 7 January 2025

Mountain Zebra National Park is treating us to some very memorable sightings!

Summer Trek – Mountain Zebra, 6 January 2025

We arrived safely at the final stop on our Summer Trek itinerary: Mountain Zebra National Park.

Summer Trek – Addo, 5 January 2025

Our final full day at Addo Elephant National Park was cool and overcast – a massive change in weather from the extreme heat we experienced two days ago. With the cooler weather there was also much less activity at the waterholes.

Summer Trek – Addo, 4 January 2025

We’re still having a wonderful time exploring the Addo Elephant National Park!

Summer Trek – Addo, 3 January 2025

The 3rd day of the new year was very, very hot and the animals – especially the elephants – congregated in enormous numbers around Addo’s waterholes to quench their thirst and cool off in the mud.

 

Summer Trek – Addo, 2 January 2025

Happy New Year, everyone!

We’ve resumed our summer travels through the national parks and reserves of the Western and Eastern Cape and find ourselves at the Addo Elephant National Park this evening. In the little time we’ve spent here already today the Park has certainly lived up to its name!

Our 2024 in Pictures

Join us as we reminisce about the places DeWetsWild visited while exploring Southern Africa’s wild places in 2024!

May 2025 be a year to remember for all the best reasons. Happy New Year, everyone!