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Timeshare is going to expire. Nothing near KTP, perhaps around Kruger....

Then the floods came.....having experienced KNP shortly after the 2000 floods, we had the park to ourselves.......so started looking at Eastern Cape around Addo.....

What I found SO was not keen on.....what SO liked...no availablity....

With a week to go from when I wanted to be on leave....Sanparks online...and 2 weeks covering 6 parks was booked

A short leg away was the Bontebok National Park for 2 nights.

We have driven past it many times and at last we would pull in and relax.

Shopping done at Swellendam's new Checkers where everything is amply available. A definite recommendation. Even found Ecojunkie's Idahohan (?) mashed potatoes (first time eaten) which is also recommended.

The entrance to the park is poorly sign posted...drove by gut feel and then had confirmation of a sign post well off the main road.

Pity about the refuse dump on the approach to the park.

11 Feb 2012 Bontebok

The first animals seen were some distant Mountain Zebra as we entered the park. Then some Bontebok and a Red Hartebeest before getting to reception.

Put our yellow ribbons on both rear view mirrors. They stayed on for the next 2 weeks untill we left KNP.
Sadly we did not see any other yellow ribbons in this time. Only one enquiry, by a guide, in Addo.

Settled in to our chalet, small but perfectly adequate and comfortable.



explored the river in front of us.



Sunset

12 Feb 2012 Bontebok

Morning drive, just around the corner from the camp, a youngster



View overlooking the camp



Very distant Mountain Zebra

Hi Dreamer
It is a pleasant park esp. for camping...weekend get away etc

KNP = Karoo National Park

(Hence my spelling Kruger in full earlier)

This old guy was going no where, hanging around reception ...next to the road

A couple of Bontebok poses

All the parks presented plenty of flowers

Some more..

We went up to the look out over the 'race track' and found a family of Grey Rhebok

In the dry culvert just after the split from the main road heading towards the day visitor section we found this pair of Spotted Thick-knees





on the way back my camera battery died...each parent had a tiny chick below them in the shade...very cute...sorry

At the look out water hyacinth ? in the river



For the first time I changed lenses and tried some macro photography

Hmmmm...yes there are also Bontebok in the park




A view of the camp from the day visitor side



the swimming pool at the day visitor centre



another flower



a friendly fiscal shrike came hopping into our unit

13 Feb 2012 Bontebok to Wilderness

Moving along the east coast on a fairly short trip to Widerness, Ebb and Flow.
George mall offered plenty of shopping experiences....

As we were leaving the park this black shouldered kite? kept guard



This bird we saw plenty of along our travells (Steppe Buzzard?)

our home for 2 nights..



overlooking the Serpentine... with plenty of bird life around