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South Africa Travel + Tourism Guide: National Parks - Table Mountain National Park-Wilderness National Park

South African National Parks

South Africa takes conservation of its incredibly rich and variegated natural heritage very seriously in the form of 21 national parks, representing a wide variety of the flora, fauna, and climates of South Africa, many of them within the same park.

Of the country's 9 provinces, only Kwa-Zulu Natal is without a national park. The majestic landscapes of South Africa are preserved in their pristine form here, complete with their unspoiled ecosystems. Most of them provide the opportunity to see big game, such as elephants, lions, buffalo, springbok, zebras, tigers, and the like, but each park has its own special focus, whether animal, aquatic, reptilian, or vegetative. Whether dense forest, grasslands, sea coast, savanna, semi-desert, or floral, South African national parks have what you want.

Some parks are very developed, offering a huge range of accommodation and recreational facilities. At the other extreme are those parks that provide little more than roads for 4x4 vehicles and almost unimproved spots to pitch a tent on. So whether you want the comfort and security of full facilities, guided tours, and cell phone access, or the challenge of what is close to wilderness survival, or any degree of independence that falls in between, there is at least one South African national park - probably several - that cater to your tastes.

The bird life protected on South African national parks makes a visit to them a must for the keen birder. Many parks preserve archeological treasures from the ancient peoples that once inhabited the land, including wall paintings and the like viewable by the tourist. Stargazers are in their element in most of these parks, as most of them are far removed from towns and cities, revealing the full starry wonder of the night sky.

Nearly all of the parks charge the visitor a daily conservation fee, usually more expensive for the tourist than for locals.

Be warned that, if driving, credit cards are not accepted for fuel. Please make sure you have cash with you for this purpose.

Do not remove ANYTHING from a national park, and take EVERYTHING with you that you brought, including litter.

Do not defecate on the ground in a national park, and if you really really have to, do it at least 50m away from paths and streams, and bury it.

To reserve accommodation at a national park, call Central Reservations in Pretoria between the hours of 7.30am and 5pm on weekdays, or 8am and 1pm on Saturdays, Tel. +27 (0)12 428 9111, or mobile +27 (0)82 233 9111.

Table Mountain National Park

Table Mountain National Park, the most visited of South Africa's national parks, is a fairly new park (1998) covering 30,000 hectares, mainly of fynbos bush, in the very south-west of the country, and incorporating the Table Mountain range of peaks. It covers part of the Cape Floristic Region, which became a World Heritage Site in 2004. The two major attractions in this elongated park are Table Mountain itself and the Cape of Good Hope. Table Mountain National Park is unique for being within the city of Cape Town. Being beside the sea gives the park a great degree of ecodiversity, variegated scenery, and a huge selection of activities to choose from. Also, unlike all the other national parks, most of Table Mountain National Park is free, although paid permits are required for several restricted activities.

The Park's biggest attractions are:

the historical Cape of Good Hope, which also offers a wealth of outdoor activities set against dramatic mountain and ocean scenery.

Boulders Penguin Colony near Simons Town for Jackass Penguin watching (so named for their maniacal "laugh.") Wheelchair-friendly access.

Lion's Head, Signal Hill, Silvermine - popular hiking spots.

Table Mountain itself, for spectacular scenery and, if you want, climbing.

Accommodation is offered at three places: Olifantsbos Guest House and Eland and Duiker Cottages, on the Cape of Good Hope, Olifantsbos having access to the beach, and Wood Owl Cottage in the Park's Tokai Pine Plantation.

The park has numerous hiking routes, from the fairly easy (Silvermine - with wheelchair-friendly access around its reservoir, Constantiaberg, and the overnight Cape of Good Hope trails) to the more taxing hikes up Table Mountain (such as Platteklip Gorge on the north face, Skeleton Gorge, and Nursery Ravine. (Although even the "fairly easy" trails have their tougher sections.) Hoerikwaggo Trail (5 nights/6 days) is a 100km guided trail that starts in Cape Town and ends at Cape Point.

The top of Table Mountain can be accessed by aerial cable car, and Cape Point by the "Flying Dutchman Funicular".

The Park's Dungeons area is famous as the venue for the annual Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing competition, and provides numerous opportunities for surfers, boogyboarders, windsurfers, and kiteboarders. Dungeons and Sunset's are the only places tow in surfing is allowed. Summer is the best time for windsurfing and kiteboarding, further north up the west coast on Blaauberg Strand.

Fishing and diving for fish and other seafood is a strictly regulated option, as is dog-walking (prohibited in all other national parks) that here requires the purchase of a permit, and careful control of your dog.

Scuba diving, while somewhat restricted in that a permit is also required, is freer, and Table Mountain National Park offers great scuba diving experiences.

Table Mountain has been a popular rock climbing destination for more than a century, and is now more popular than ever. Climbers must use existing paths, leave vegetation and wildlife (especially bird life) alone, and refrain from littering.

Forest walks are best experienced in:

Orange Kloof, Hout Bay. It has forest trails going all the way up to the top of Table Mountain, but requires a permit beforehand (Inquire at +27(0) 21 689 4441)

Newlands Forest, that can be gotten to by the M3 near Rhodes Memorial.

the Muizenberg mountains, in particular Echo Valley and Spes Bona, which have boardwalks.

Horse riding is a restricted activity, available in Tokai, Noordhoek Beach and Black Hill, and a few other areas. An annual Horse Riding Wild Card Permit must be purchased.

Paragliding and hang gliding are also possible at the Park. Designated hang gliding and paragliding launch areas include Lion's Head and Silvermine, and an annual Hang/Paragliding Wild Card Permit must be purchased.

The Park is an exhilarating place for mountain biking, but, again, in designated areas and with the purchase either of a day pass in the Tokai and Silvermine areas, or the purchase of an annual Mountain Biking Wild Card Permit.

There are a lot of spots for picnicking/barbecues (AKA braai), but even in these designated spots, dogs and music are prohibited.

Beaches are a big draw card of the Park.

TMNP has a beach for all preferences. Llandudno on the Atlantic seaboard is for the hip beach set, while Kommetjie, Noordhoek, and Scarborough further south are a little more relaxed.

The Cape of Good Hope section offers more wild and secluded beaches with the benefit of beaches on both the Atlantic and False Bay sides.

Be aware that strong rip tides characterize some of the beaches and for the most part life guards are only on duty during high season on the most popular stretches of beach. Swimmers should ensure that they are familiar with the area and should exercise caution at all times.

Prohibited activities

For environmental protection reasons, the following activities are prohibited at Table Mountain National Park: commercial activities, quad-biking, two-wheeled motorcycling, dune boarding, jet skiing, and kite surfing over inland bodies of water. Also, the Park is policed by an anti-poaching team.

There are restaurants at Cape Point, Kirstenbosch, Rhodes Memorial, and Table Mountain, and a coffee shop at Tokai.

When it comes to wildlife, Table Mountain National Park does not offer as much as many of the other national parks, although, of course, wildlife is by no means absent. As well as the Jackass Penguins at Boulders, mentioned above, perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Park's wildlife is its snakes, lizards, frogs and toads. There are over 20 varieties of snake here, about half of which are venomous but shy of humans. Whale watching and dolphin watching is also big here, the whale watching being concentrated in Boyes Drive, Hapmans Peak Drive, Scarborough/Kommetjie Pass, and Rooikrans. Beautiful butterflies can also be found throughout the Park.

The climate of the Park is a generally easy one, with a short dry summer, and a very mild winter. However, it is a region of very changeable microclimates, so be prepared.

In case of emergencies in the park, add these numbers to your mobile contacts beforehand: 021 957 4700 or 021 480 7700.

Times: there are various gates to Table Mountain National Park, and there opening and closing times also vary. Generally they open at 7 or 8am, and close at 5 or 6pm, but please check elsewhere online, or contact the park, for details.

Table Mountain National Park Tel: +27 (0)21 701 8692

Tankwa Karoo National Park

Tankwa Karoo National Park is 111,000 hectares of largely unimproved, au naturale wilderness located in the south-west of the country covering part of the Succulent Karoo biodiversity hotspot. Designated a Scientific National Park, it is still under development and therefore offers very limited facilities. Its arid, lunar-type terrain is home to many bird species, 18 of them endemic, including the elusive Burchell's courser, the Double-banded courser, and the Karoo long-billed lark. Birding is particularly good from August to October.

The night skies are renowned for offering stunning views of the stars. The Park is accessible from the towns of Calvinia, Ceres, Matjiesfontein, and Sutherland, and is only 2 1/2 hours' drive from Cape Town, making a day trip possible. There are numerous roads through the park good enough for access with a two-wheel drive vehicle. Temperatures are around 6°C in July, and up to 40°C in January. There are no camping facilities, but there are designated areas where fully self-sufficient camping is allowed. There are six accommodation facilities available: DeZyfer Cottage, Elandsberg Wilderness Camp, Gannaga Lodge (+27 (0)79 922 1688), Paulshoek Cottage, Tanqua Guest House, and Varschfontein Cottage.

No cell phone coverage.

Tankwa Karoo National Park Tel. 0273 412 352 or 027 341 1927, fax 027 341 2814

Tsitsikamma National Park

Tsitsikamma National Park, "the place of much water," offers a range of different ecosystems, from the Tsitsikamma Mountains, to the Tsitsikamma Forest, to the Indian Ocean area it covers 5km out to sea. The rock-lined ocean section of the Park is its main attraction, being host to intertidal, reef, and deep sea marine life. Dolphins and porpoises can be seen here playing in the surf, and the southern right whale comes here to breed. The shore is home to the rare and endangered African black oystercatcher bird and to the Cape clawless otter (also found in the rivers), and the forests to the Knysna lourie bird and blue duiker miniature antelope.

Storms River Mouth Rest Camp has a shop, restaurant, and other facilities for the traveler and is where many of the following attractions start from.

The Otter Trail (5 days/4 nights) is a 42km trail going west along the coast from Storm's River Mouth to Nature's Valley. (Reservations: tel: +27 12 426 5111, fax: +27 12 343 0905)

Tsitsikamma Hiking Trail (6 days) is about a 60km hike starting at Natures Valley and ending at the Storms River Bridge stopping off at 5 huts. (Reservations: Tel: +27 44 874 4363 fax +27 44 874 6397). It can be combined with the Otter Trail.

The Dolphin Trail (2 days/3 nights) is a luxury alternative to the above trails taking the hiker 17km west along the coast from Storms River Mouth to the Sandrift River at The Fernery. Includes swimming and snorkeling opportunities. 4,000-5,000 Rand per person. (Reservations: tel. 042 2803588, fax. 042 2803577)

Three other hikes, doable in a day, are the:

Mouth Trail (2km, 1 hour) from the restaurant in Sandy Bay through indigenous forest to the mouth of the Storm River, over a suspension bridge, the Stormsriver Mouth Cave (Khoisan Heritage Site) and to the Spirit of Tsitsikamma boat jetty. About 40 minutes.

Lourie Trail (1 km, 1 hour) an easy walk through forest to the Agulhas lookout point, then through some fynbos bush, and down to the coastal forest.

Blue Duiker Trail (3.7km, 2hrs), similar to the Lourie Trail but longer, going deeper into the forest for sights of the really massive trees there, and ends where the Otter Trail starts.

Waterfall Trail (6km, 3 hrs), basically the first 3km of the Otter Trail: rugged coast, a huge waterfall. Tough climbs at times.

Marine activities consist of a 11⁄2-hour guided inter-tidal excursion, scuba diving and snorkelling, kayaking and tubing (tel: +27 (0) 73 130 0689 for all these activities)

Stormsriver Adventures offers the unique Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour (2 1⁄2-3 hours), where participants ride a steel cable in a full body harness up to 30m above the forest between 10 platforms for R395.

"Spirit of Tsitsikamma" boat rides are available up the Storms River every 45 minutes for R60 per person, offering close up experience of the river's prolific natural beauty and massive caverns (and the bats that live in there!)

Also available are abseiling, bungee jumping, kloofing (canyoneering), mountain biking, rock climbing, and tractor-trailer rides.

Monkeyland is a primate sanctuary for the eco-adventurer at The Crags, 16km east from Plettenberg Bay. Free entry, but tours charged for. Tel: +27 (0)44 5348906, Fax: +27 (0)44 534 8907.
Tsitsikamma National Park, Tel. (042) 28 11 607

West Coast National Park

West Coast National Park is on the golden-sand south-west (Atlantic) coast of South Africa, centered on the Langebaan Lagoon a little inland south from Saldanha Bay. The lagoon features numerous islands where seabirds roost. Also, waders that migrate from the northern hemisphere come to the Park's salt marshes. The Park's Postberg area is home to antelope and is a picture in spring (Aug-Sep: the only time it is accessible to the public) with the myriad and vivid flowers that bloom there.

Of the Park's three recreational zones, only the water sports zone and the non-motorized water recreation zone (sailboats, board sailing) are open to the public. Except for springtime, the wilderness zone is out of bounds.

Accommodation is available with the Abrahamskraal self-catering cottage near the Abrahamskraal waterhole, the 11 Duinepos Chalets, the fully-equipped Jo Anne's Beach Cottage near Churchaven, and houseboats on the Langebaan Lagoon.

The Geelbek Visitors' Center has the very highly-rated Geelbek Restaurant (9am – 5pm 7 days a week, tel. +27(0) 22 772 2134) in a National Monument Cape Dutch building, and has a renowned wine list. It also has an information center.

Bakoor Trail (4.6km) from the Langebaan Gate to the Seeberg outlook, for possible sightings of bat-eared foxes, eland, and ostriches, to name a few. Enjoy also the spectacular scenery of the Langebaan lagoon.

Strandveld Trail (2 days/1 night) a tough 28km trail starting and finishing at Tsaarsbank, with the night spent at Plankiesbaai, over a landscape of sandy plains, dunes and limestone and granite ridges (beautiful in spring with blombo, erica, gonna, and waxberry) and, on the second day, a 16-mile beach.

Steenbok One-Day Trail (August-September only), a 1-day 14km hike starting and finishing at Tsaarsbank, partly overlapping the Strandveld Trail.

Birding hides are available at Abrahamskraal, Geelbek (wheelchair-friendly), and Seeburg.

The Park provides cycling and mountain bike opportunities. All cycling starts from the Langebaan Gate and cyclists must pay the conservation fees at the gate or buy a wild card. There are two cycling trails, the Green Cycling Trail (13km) and the Red Cycling Trail (17km), marked out by green and red signs respectively.

There are picnic sites at Kraalbaai and Tsaarsbank.

Whale watching can be done from August to November in Tsaarsbak.

Water sports such as canoeing, kayaking and kiteboarding are possible at Kraalbaai.

The Park is about 100km north of Cape Town on route 27.

Hours 7am-6pm (1 April - 31 August), 7am-5pm (1 September - 31 March)

West Coast National Park, Tel: +27 22 772-2144/5, Fax: +27 22 772-2607

Wilderness National Park

Wilderness National Park is an oceanside park on the southern coast of South Africa's south-west, in the middle of the country's famous Garden Route. It goes from the mouth of the Touw River to the Swartvlei Estuary, and then on to the Goukamma Nature Reserve. The wilderness the park preserves is multifarious: beaches, estuaries, lakes and rivers. As well as its five lakes, it also includes the curling body of water known as the Serpentine that, at the Ebb-and-Flow Restcamp, links Island Lake and the Touw River. The types of land it includes are indigenous forests, plantations and coastal fynbos. The Park is a birder's paradise, with hides at Langvlei and Rondevlei.

The Park has remnants of ancient human habitation, the most famous being the Oakhurst Shelter, a cave where Stone Age skeletons and implements were excavated.

Black rhino can be spotted in the early evening, and lions and spotted hyenas morning and evening.

There are 5 trails in the Park:

Half Collared Kingfisher Trail (2km), through dense forest to view birds like the fish eagle, giant kingfisher, and knyzna lorie, and yellowwood trees.

Giant Kingfisher Trail (3.5km) taking you down an (initially) somewhat tough trail to a waterfall for optional swimming and/or picnicking.

Pied Kingfisher Trail (10km) a dedicated birding trail on an even track through the Serpentine's fynbos bush and, at some parts, over beach. It is an open trail with no shade. There is a section of the trail which combines with the beach. You'll be able to walk along the beach to Wilderness Village and back to the camp.

Brown Hooded Kingfisher Trail (5km), a forest trail to the river that also offers birding opportunities.

Cape Dune Molerat Trail (3km), a sandy trail through fynbos and renowned for its protea viewing.

Eden Adventures (tel. 044 877 0179), which also offers mountain bikes for hire, abseiling and kloofing, canoeing (for hire) on the Touw River or Wilderness Lagoon.

Wilderness Eco Tourism (tel. 044 877 0045) offers paragliding opportunities.

Fishing is possible at Eilandvlei, Gericke's Point, Kleinkrans, Leentjiesklip, Sandhoogte, and Swartvlei.

Wilderness National Park is 410km from Port Elizabeth and 450km from Cape Town. The closest airport is at the town of George, where cars can also be hired.

The steam train, the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, used to run through the Park on its way between Knysna and George.

Wilderness National Park has a temperate climate and rainfall throughout the year - most of it conveniently falling at night.

Wilderness National Park, tel. +27 (0)44 877 1197, fax. +27 (0)44 877 0366.

Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park

Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is a remote desert park of plains, kloofs and mountains in the very north-west of South Africa, on the border with Namibia, jointly run by the local Nama people and South African National Parks. It boasts the second-largest canyon in the world, the Fish River Canyon, and is divided into its South African and Namibian portions by the Orange (Garib) River, which can be crossed on a ferry at Sendelingsdrift. The Park's daytime temperatures are extreme, sometimes reaching over 50 degrees in summer, so activities here are limited to early morning and late afternoon/evening. Nights, on the other hand, are cool, and chilly in winter. The only moisture available is that brought in by morning fogs that come in from the Atlantic Ocean - enough to support the very large array of plant and animal species here. The Park is one of the world’s richest succulent areas and is home to hundreds of species of succulents, including the strange halfmens (Afrikaans for 'semi-human') tree (Pachypodium namaquanum), a branchless tree of about 2m (but up to 4m) that can appear human from a distance. Almost 900 bird species have been recorded here. Needless to say, this is a superb place for stargazing.

Accommodation

Sendelingsdrif Rest Camp (10 chalets with full facilities), Potjiespram Rest Camp, De Hoop Camp Site, Richtersburg Camp Site, Kokerboomkloof Camp Site, Tatasberg Wilderness Camp (recommended), Ganakouriep and Hakkiesdoring Wilderness Camps (open only when the hiking trails are open, i.e., in the cooler months), and the Hiking Trails Base Camp.

Activities

June to October is the time to be in the Park to see the flowers. And with over 200 species of birds in the Park, it is a highly recommended destination for birders.

Guided trails are open only between 1 April and 30 September and comprise the following:

Vensterval Trail (4 days/3 nights)
Lelieshoek-Oemsberg Trail (3 days/2 nights)
Kodaspiek Trail (2 days/1 night)
If you are staying overnight, you must enter by 4pm in order to make it to the camping sites by nighttime, as driving at night is not permitted. Sedan vehicles are not admitted to the park. Admission must first be paid and and an overnight permit obtained at the Sendelingsdrift Park Office before entering. No generators. No taking anything out of the Park.

Hours 8am-4.15pm (weather permitting)
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, tel. 027 831 1506

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