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We visited Bontebock on our way from Addo to Cape Town (after a stopover in Moselbay).
It is really a lovely and beautyful park, very quiet, and we saw plenty of game and birds. We loved the river and the walks there.
Unfortunately the weather was not all to pleasing and I could not convince my wife to stay where she might need to stalk thru the dark and wet and cold to the restrooms. So we drove on to Cape Town.
One thing we would have loved is to walk more thru the park. We had been to Karoo NP on our way up and enjoyed walking with the animals. I figure there are no dangerous predators (apart from Ticks) and few enough visitors that game is not really interfered with.

We will defenitely be back!
Jan

Hi Jakop. There are 2 short walking trails in the park. And more activities here. Perhaps next time, if the weather is a bit better?

Why does SANParks persist with the fiction that the Bontebok National Park is 75 years old?
The first Bontebok NP was established in the Limestone Fynbos near Bredasdorp to conserve the last remaining Bontebok that the local farmers had been preserving. However, Bontebok don't eat Fynbos and started showing signs of deficiency diseases!
The new park at Swellendam is only about 50 years old. Fortunately there is a tiny bit of Renosterveld in the park and the translocated Bontebok have thrived.
The history of the saving of the Bontebok is fascinating and the facts should not be hidden under the pretence that the park has always been at its current location.
I think it is a pity than SANParks missed the opportunity to purchase the land to the east of Swellendam before it was converted to agriculture 15 years ago - the park linking up with the Langeberg would have been a superb concept! However - all that Fynbos would not have helped the Bontebok!
Far more exciting is the concept of a conservancy from Bontebok National Park to De Hoop Nature Reserve. It is only a matter of time before the Bontebok will again be found all the way from Bontebok NP to Potberg and Bredasdorp.
Keep up the good work - but please keep us informed of the facts!

Tony Rebelo

Natural and Cultural History of Bontebok National Park.
This is the information given by SANParks on this website. Nothing seems to be hidden to me. Are you perhaps referring to a publication?

A very exciting prospect indeed! Though I have no idea how it's going to happen...

This will happen by members of the conservancy buying Bontebok - either from SANParks or CapeNature or elsewhere -and placing them in their conserved areas. I would be very surprized if some members do not already have plans to do so.

Perhaps even in time, an agreement to remove some fences may be possible, although this is far more problematic, and I dont know if SANParks (Bontebok) or CapeNature (De Hoop) will easily buy into the scheme.

Agree with you Gwen, they clearly tell about the move , and the first 'park' was still the Bontebok NP.

One of Cape Nature's many long-term aims would be to get Bontebok and others, back on to the higher nutrient areas inland of De Hoop. The Stewardship Programme, the CAPE Fine Scale Planning and the Breede River Conservancy will all
contribute to the envisaged corridor along the Breede River from De Hoop to the Langeberg, including and connecting the remaining renosterveld patches in this area. This would then ultimately link with the Marloth, Grootvadersbos, Doornkloof, Warmwaterberg, Sanbona, Anysberg and co. Nice to dream!!

I've read the proposed management plan for Bontebok on the web-site. I am so glad that SANParks is already investing some capital into the upgrading of tourism facilities and also plans to do quite some more in the foreseen future. I always had the impression that Bontebok used to be the "stepchild" of South African National Parks as about everything in the park seemed to be in a process of downgrading during recent years.

Thank you SANParks for the present and future upgrading of the infrastructure in Bontebok - IMHO one of the most underestimated National Parks in our country. I just love the place.

Stoffel wrote:

A fantastic park and great for us to visit from Cape Town, only a couple of hours away. We have spent many, many long weekends caravanning there and look forward to returning soon. One of our family's favouriites.

Snap Dreamer it's also one of our family favourites, a lovely drive from Cape Town. Heres a pic to bring back some good memories :

Lovely photo, leopardspotter! I also have happy memories of Bontebok NP. A charming park!. I especially loved watching the animals and birds in the camp.

I "dropped" into Bontebok yesterday on a quick (unplanned) visit to go and have a swift look at the upgrades taking place in the rest camp, which is presently closed.

After the usual friendly reception I inquired whether I will be allowed to have a quick peep at the upgrading taking place. Fortunately the friendly man standing next to me (buying a cool drink from Jannie Swanepoel at reception) was the park manager, Bongani Mnisi.

After telling him about my long "relationship" with Bontebok (since 1965 I think) and my love for the park, he invited me into his office and showed me some graphics of the new chalets presently under construction and the new proposed road system and entrance gate.

To all other Bontebok lovers - our little Cinderella is in the process of changing into the deserved princess. The new 3-bed chalets (replacing the worn out chalet vans) look great. I have not seen plans of the interior lay-out of the new chalets, but the timber and natural rock outsides look great.

The rest camp will also have Escom power in future and thanks to that some camp sites will have electricity. For those who like to camp the rustic way (no electricity) - you are also catered for. The camping area down at the river will be slightly smaller with no camping allowed on the water's edge. The latter is earmarked for general recreation purposes.

The road system will be changed - some of the present roads to be closed. A new entrance (hoped to be ready by 2008) will be made from the N2 with a new reception area. The present reception area will be transformed to an interpretation centre aimed at (mainly) local youth to be exposed to a variety of ecological aspects. Roads will not be tarred but the gravel surfaces will undergo major upgrades.

One of the nicest things (IMO) is the fact that day visitors will have a separate area (Die Stroom) and not be allowed in the rest camp when it re-opens in May 2007.

I had a quick look at the building activities at the rest camp (unauthorised - naughty hey?) and saw that about all the wooden platforms for the chalets are nearly completed. The old ablution (which will be for campers only) is undergoing a major upgrade.

Personally I can hardly wait for the "new" rest camp to be opened in May.

By the way - I saw a Stanley's Bustard in the park yesterday (a bird I have not seen for many years) and it is lambing season in the park - lots of youngsters to be seen.

WOW! Stoffel, thanks for the excelent info , looks like Bontebok is going to be amazing. We will definetly have to make a plan to visit soon.

I bet you could have said that the forum had authorised you, what authorisation do you need more?

Did you happen to sneak some photo's as well? Or did you not have your spycam ready?