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As promised:
Not a good pic, but your view from the stoep of your bungalow



Not from a plane, you HIKE up there. Bungalows from Brandwag



We walked past this one behind the bungalows - Eland



Another view of the bungalows



To get up there......



.....you do this!



Another rewarding end to a climb



The Vulture Restaurant up close - as said before - NOT FOR KIDS I think



Not for a sensitive backside, but HUGE fun!





Ponies for the kids!

The Free State Honorary Rangers are running a fundraising golf day at Clarens Country Club on the 15th of October. Funds will be channeled into the creation of a revolutionary new vulture hide at Golden Gate Highlands National Park. This is a joint initiative between the park, the Free State and KZN Honorary Rangers, Birdlife SA, and the Vulture Study Group. The hide when completed will be a wonderful opportunity for the birding public to observe the endangered Bearded and Cape Vultures feeding in their mountain heartland. Any birder/golfers in the Free State region are encouraged to support their efforts. Details of the day can be seen on the SANParks website www.sanparks.org. Birder/Golfers from further away can also attend and make a weekend of it staying in the nearby park.



Regards,

Owl

From the front page, A White Winter at Golden Gate National Park

They had an insert on the SABC news about 15 fynbos species in the Free State province and named Golden Gate as one of the places where one can find it.
According to the broadcast, it is in bloom this time of year in white, pink and purple.
I'm searching for more info, but not much luck yet...

The Golden Gate NP 2006.

In the 80's my wife & I camped at Ladybrand in winter.

It was a bit cold, so we ended up with both of us in a single sleeping bag for a cuddly night.

The sunny morning revealed 3 inches of snow on the tent.

Our VW didn't mind at all.

Thanks for the memories.

Just a few pics from our hike to the Top of Angel's Wing, on a farm bordering Golden Gate, literally!

View from Hiking Hut, Angel's Wing is in the farthest background

At the top, 2 705m above sea level

7 April 2007

Good Morning all,
just thought I would tell you about the nice sightings I had yesterday while visiting our vulture restaurant here at GGHNP. It seems that someone struck an eland with thier car and the eland died so the nature conservation team put a new carcass out for the enjoyment and pleasure of the vultures!!

After sitting at the restaurant for only about 20 minutes I saw two bearded vultures circling overhead...quite magnificent birds and I have been lucky enough to see quite a few here at the park. They didn't land but right after a Cape Vulture came in for a tasty snack. After a stand off with a pied crow the cape went and got some nice eland meat before barely making it to the cliff's edge and flying away. Also spotted a black-backed jackal running around in the distance and a secretary bird on the horizon!! Good day at Vulture Retaurant!!

Cheers,
Ben

Hey all,
I am pleased to tell you that winter has now officially arrived here in GGHNP. Two days ago we got our first major snowfall of the winter season coating the sandstone hills and grasslands with a nice white snow! It has been very cold but nonetheless the animals are still out and have come down from the mountains in search of food in the cold months. The hiking trails are absolutly gorgeous whilst covered in snow and hopefully we will be getting some more soon! Check out some pictures here :
Snow pics and story about GGHNP

Cheers,
Ben

Should be awesome to see
Thanks

Try to get picture of a wildebeest in the snow

Ben, we're coming to find the snow! Close enough for gautengers to make a weekend of it...

It was so nice waking up to snow the other day...had a nice snow ball fight with some of the staff and in clarens everyone had built snowmen...unfortunately it is almost all melted now but we are hoping to get some more this weekend!!

Cheers

Here in the Cape we were lashed by wind & rain so you guys could get the snow. The least you could do is post us a pic or 2 of snowy animals?

Will do bush....once we get our next coating of snow I'll be hiking around trying to get a snowy wildebeest or jackal or zebra....even a vulture in snow would be wonderful

More snow!

That'll look good! Zebra in snow... Black and white?