IT might be one of the smallest of the South African National Parks, but Bontebok, in the Bredasdorp area of the Western Cape has plenty to offer, not least its heavenly setting.
We’ve been looking at what makes our each of of our parks unique. What makes this one special is that it is just so pretty.
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The Langeberg Mountains form a stunning backdrop to the attractive camping ground and chalets, situated on the grassy banks of gentle Breede River. The park is just as lovely as you move away from the river and there is plenty to see.
The well maintained network of game viewing roads offers a good selection of game including, as its name suggests, some 200 bontebok. These striking but rare creatures are a joy to see.
They and the much more commonly occurring blesbok are separate and distinct subspecies of Damaliscus dorcass and, like the red hartebeest and the tsessebe they are higher at the shoulder than at the rump.
Their dark, glossy, plummy pelts contrast vividly with their spotless white blazes, rumps and lower legs. Aloft, both male and female bear rather graceful, lyre-shaped horns.
One of the reasons for the existence of the Bontebok National Park is to preserve these stately creatures that were once so close to extinction. Unlike the blesbok, the bontebok has a very limited distribution.
By the time the park was proclaimed in 1931, there were only about 20 of them still alive. Efforts to preserve them have been successful and today there are about 200 in the park.
With the healthy populations in other reserves, including the nearby De Hoop Game Reserve, their numbers have risen to about 3 000.
The national park also provides a safe haven to other interesting species like the Cape grysbok, red hartebees, steenbok and Cape mountain zebra.
One of our most exciting wildlife experiences was watching a pair of cape clawless otters playing in the river, just downstream from the camp. There are also about 200 species on the park’s bird list.
The vegetation is interesting and varied as the reserve falls within the Cape Floral Kingdom. It is also generally low growing, which makes game viewing easier.
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We spent three days in the Bontebok National Park a couple of years ago. The campsite was almost empty when we arrived but it filled up dramatically the next day, which was the start of a long weekend.
Many outdoorsy families from Cape Town and other main centres poured into the camping grounds and set up their tents. Although the camp was pretty full, most the visitors were quiet nature lovers who were there to enjoy their peaceful surrounds and the camp was never very noisy.
We enjoyed the laid back holiday atmosphere and even when the camp was at its fullest, our tucked-away site afforded us plenty of privacy.
We really enjoyed our stay and were not surprised that it was such a popular destination for local families. We had some lovely game drives, good birding and excellent game viewing.
My favourite memory, though, is of an evening we spent at the river. It was a beautiful warm evening and we wandered down to the river swimming area near camp.
The Breede is a clean, wide, inviting river and swimming in it is a joy. Gradually we were joined by more and more families and soon everyone was having great fun.
Then a tour group came down to the swimming spot and it was soon obvious that the newcomers were disabled people. They were accompanied by carers who assisted them into the water.
For some it was quite a struggle but, oh, how they enjoyed their swim. Their laughter and joy was so infectious. They only stayed awhile but when they left, everyone at the swimming hole was smiling.
The swimmers had reminded all of us how we should never take for granted life’s simple pleasures – a view of mountains, lush greenery, dappled reflections on slowly moving water – and a splash in a river at the end of a hot day.
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