CAPE ROAD TRIP FULL CIRCLE Bontebok has something for IN 7 DAYS everyone: great bird-watching, excellent carp fishing and There’s a small pocket of the southwestern Cape shaded riverside walks. incorporating five diverseWild Card properties. The swimming is epic. Measuring only 120 km from end to end, it makes PHOTOS BY NICK DALL for a fun, week-long road trip. By Nick Dall Boosmansbos Marloth Wilderness area ROBERTSON Nature Vrolijkheid Reserve CAPE Nature Reserve TOWN SWELLENDAM Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve Bontebok National Park WITSAND DISTANCES BETWEEN PARKS • Vrolijkheid to Bontebok: AGULHAS 80 km, just over an hour. CHOOSE YOUR • Bontebok to Grootvadersbosch: OWN ADVENTURE 45 km, just under an hour. Simply looking for peace and quiet? Yearning • Grootvadersbosch to Vrolijkheid: to pitch your tent? No matter what your inter- 120 km, just under two hours. ests or stage of life, there’s more than enough here to fill a week-long holiday. Use our sugges- VERY FAMILIES HIKERS MOUNTAIN BIRDERS tion of nights per park to plan your perfect trip. YOUNG WITH BIKERS FAMILIES TEENAGERS (but ride Bontebok & Marloth 4 3 1 2 in Marloth) 2 Vrolijkheid 1 2 3 1 2 Grootvadersbosch & 2 2 3 4 3 PLAY TIME Boosmansbos (and Boos- Kids and adults mansbos) alike will fall in SCOTT RAMSAY SCOTT love with Bon- tebok’s range www.wildcard.co.za AUTUMN 2014 WILD 69 of activities. CAPE ROAD TRIP S33.9176 VROLIJKHEID NATURE RESERVE E19.8775 This reserve is an arid contrast to the vineyards between the picturesque towns of Robertson and McGregor. The rugged and striking sandstone BONTEBOK NATIONAL PARK & landscape is adorned with succulents, shrubs and sweet-thorn trees, while S34.0557 two dams act as oases for animal and birdlife. The bird hides are extremely MARLOTH NATURE RESERVE E20.4729 productive and, if you’re patient, you should see a fish eagle. If you’re not, you almost can’t help but spot a pale chanting goshawk. ontebok is the smallest, most intimate national park in the country, located outside the quaint historical town of Swellendam. With its Get out there Little ones The cottages campsite on the aloe-scattered banks of the languid Breede River, Vrolijkheid is the kind of place The cottages are baby and child at Vrolijk- BBontebok has something for everyone including great bird-watching, ex- that needs to be explored on foot. friendly, all on one level, with a safe heid are cellent carp fishing and shaded riverside walks. A good thing, then, there are no grassy courtyard in the middle. The beautifully roads in the reserve. The Heron Heron Trail is great for kids. turned out Get out there Rates: Campsite with power R220 Trail is an easy 3 km walk taking and well You’re guaranteed to see the an- a night for one or two people, R68 you to the bird hides and mean- Nearby with a Wild Card equipped. telope the park is named after, but an extra person, R34 a child. Chalet dering through lovely riverine The Boesmanskloof Hiking trail is also expect to see grey rhebok and R900 for one or two people, R200 woodland. The much longer 19 km managed from the reserve offices. red hartebeest, as well as tortoises an extra person, R100 a child. Rooikat Trail is another prospect This fairly strenuous 14 km trail in the warmer months. Because the entirely, but the effort is rewarded passes some fabulous swimming game is fairly low key, birds come to Little ones with fantastic views and, with a spots as it meanders through the the fore. Denham’s bustards are a Bontebok is the ultimate kids’ park. bit of luck, a sighting of shy klip- pristine Riviersonderend Moun- common sight on the Eastern Loop The campsite is perfect for hide- springers. For mountain bikers tains. The trail connects the pic- and hoopoes, woodpeckers and and-seek, the river provides hours there’s an 8 km route often incor- turesque towns of McGregor and malachite sunbirds abound in the of entertainment and the trails porated into the legendary Cape Greyton, lending itself to a there- riverine forest. Wherever you are around the koppies are fantastic for Epic. Don’t forget your helmet. and-back route with an overnight Bontebok’s in Bontebok, the mountains on the budding birders. stay in either town. Be warned At Vrolijkheid a wooden chalets Staying over though, the trailhead on the Mc- boardwalk leads have a pictur- northern horizon provide a spec- SHANE SAUNDERS to a spacious Two recently refurbished self- Gregor side is 14 km south of town, esque setting. tacular backdrop. Nearby with a Wild Card bird hide. Several walking trails pass It’s hard to believe that moun- catering units sleep four people at Die Galg (S34.0063, E19.7153). through the flat forested areas tainous Marloth Nature Reserve each. Designed in a U-shape Booking is essential, R40 a person. next to the river, making them ideal (S33.9985, E20.4422) is only 5 km around a central courtyard and for the whole family. Fishing in the from Bontebok, on the other side of braai area, the units are perfect What’s in a name Breede River is excellent, with big Swellendam. If mountains are your for families travelling together. The name Riviersonderend was carp often caught. Buy a permit at thing, you’ll find what you want There’s no swimming pool, but if a translation of the name used reception for R45. Mountain biking here from relatively easy walks you ask nicely you can join the for the river by the Hessequa, a is allowed on park roads; great for through the indigenous forest to frogs in the firefighters’ water- Khoi-Khoi tribe, kanna-kam-kanna scenery and game-viewing but not straight-up-and-down assaults on retention pond. It’s decidedly meaning water, never ending water. much of an adrenalin rush. Canoe- the summits of Ten, Eleven and refreshing. ing on the river is fantastic, but Twelve O’Clock peaks. Marloth’s Rates: Cottage R630 for one or Bookings you’ll have to bring your own equip- a mountain biker’s paradise, with two people, R110 an extra person. CapeNature 021-483-0190 ment. If you don’t have a boat, the trails that range from short and swimming is epic. easy to long, hard and technical. Staying over What’s in a name? Ten one-bedroomed self-catering Bontebok National Park was es- chalets overlook the river. Made tablished in 1931 to rescue the from wood and locally gathered bontebok from extinction. Only 17 stone, they all have wooden decks animals remained! It moved to its and excellent built-in braais. The current location in 1969 and today campsite at Bontebok is lovely too: is home to over 220 bontebok. many of the stands are literally carved into the forest, and shade, Bookings grass and braais are plentiful. SANParks 012-428-9111 NICK DALL 70 WILD AUTUMN 201414 www.wildcard.co.za AUTUMN 2014 WILD 71 CAPE ROAD TRIP Pristine mountain streams burble through Groot- GROOTVADERSBOSCH NATURE RESERVE vadersbosch. S33.9841 & BOOSMANSBOS WILDERNESS AREA E20.8226 ittle-known Grootvadersbosch is home to a magnificent indigenous forest teeming with birds and inquisitive bushbuck. Set in a cool mi- croclimate with great river swimming, it’s less than half an hour from Lthe N2. Maybe those who’re in on the secret want to keep it for themselves and who could blame them? Get out there There’s also a self-catering cottage Cars are not allowed in Grootva- called Scolopia that sleeps six. It’s dersbosch, so once you’ve parked a delightful log cabin, hidden in at your cabin or campsite, it’s all the forest fringes, which feels like about hiking. There are extensive a hiker’s hut but has all the mod- paths and tracks in the forest and ern conveniences. it’s worth exploring every inch. Rates: Camping R270 a night for Sit in one of the bird hides and one to six people. Cabin R790 for soak up the serenity. If you’re one to four people, R175 an extra lucky your reverie may even be person, maximum six. interrupted by a splendid narina trogon as ours was. Hike down Little ones to the gorgeous Duiwenhoks Grootvadersbosch is fantastic for River to swim in its cola-coloured kids. They’ll love the forest, the Keep your eyes waters, but only if you’re up for a playground and the horses and and ears open on There are extensive paths and tracks in the forest scramble. And all the while marvel geese around the office area. forest walks. and it’s worth exploring every inch. All the while at the beauty of the centuries-old Scolopia is baby friendly, but keep marvel at the beauty of the centuries-old stink- stinkwood, yellowwood and iron- the door to the deck closed. wood, yellowwood and ironwood trees. wood trees. The longer Bushbuck and Grys- Nearby with a Wild Card bok trails take you into the fynbos The adjoining Boosmansbos on the slopes above the forest. The Wilderness Area (S33.9380, Grootvadersbosch Conservancy E20.8790) is accessible only on Cycle Trail is a must for all pedal- foot from Grootvadersbosch. It’s heads. The full two-day, 58 km a 13 km hike to the edge of Boos- route that passes through the mansbos and once you’re in the reserve and surrounding farmlands wilderness area, you’ll be on your is very challenging, but shorter own. Paths are unmarked, terrain permutations are possible for less- is rugged and although there is a experienced riders.