SANParks.org Forums

The views on the river are lovely

Why have they not built the new recption building in the same style as the chalets, which look rather nice

Hi Stoffel,
We have a lovely time at Bontebok. The camping site are amazing. So peacefull! We were on site 13. We also had a visit in the camp from the Bonteboks. They are lovely. We enjoyed our weekend and wish we could have stayed longer. But next time we will. Two days is to short.

Hi Stoffel

Lovely report by someone appreciating nature (and obviously the beauty of Bontebok! )

Looking forward to your next visit.

(There is always something happening in Bontebok ...)

Thank you to everybody for the kind words on this short report. My aim was to provoke more interest among some of my fellow forumites for this little gem of the Western Cape.

Thanks Stoffel - an awesome tribute to a fantastic Park. (Big to staff at this Park as well) We have also experienced such amazing times at this Park. Have camped at the riverside non power sites (when they were still around) - simply stunning - and also at the main campsite - every site we chose was good.

Was wondering - are all the hikes / walks open? Some were closed due to flooding a while ago.

Just got back from Kruger and SO and I are itching to get away again and the first place that came to mind was Bontebok NP ........ looking forward to a weekend there towards end of Jan next year, after the madness.

Hi Munchkin

All Hiking trails in Bontebok NP is open at present.

This is a great park, and an ideal destination for everybody. We have had a good lambing season and some of our rare plant are in bloom at the moment, wich ones? Come and have a look!

We are geared to make your visit a pleasant one.

I was wondering - is there anybody that want to share memories about the earlier years of Bontebok?

[quote="Bontebok
I was wondering - is there anybody that want to share memories about the earlier years of Bontebok? [/quote]

Bontebok used to have quite a good number of springbok in the earlier years. I am not 100% sure of the reason, but it was decided to "remove" the springbok from the park in 1976 - when the park manager was still Mr Van Zyl. I don't know if it was because of the fact that the springbok did not really belong in that area or whether it had to do with the fact that the park was primarily established to protect the bontebok from extinction and that the springbok competed for available grazing.

Nevertheless, Oom (Uncle) Hampie Lourens from one of the neighbouring farms was asked by Mr Van Zyl to come and give a hand with the "removal" of the springbok. Knowing Oom Hampie's son (Hasie), who is presently farming on the farm, I was offered a springbok (if I was interested). The day following the shooting, Hasie called me and said I have to go and collect my springbok on his father's farm. Knowing the size of springbok carcasses from Namibia, I only realized then how small the springbok of Bontebok were. The carcasses were no more than 60-70% of the weight of Namibian springbok. I still wonder today if that had to do with the fact that the southern Cape is not really suited for springbok.

One of the springbok in the park got off free from the "removal" process and it was decided that he/she (I cannot remember the sex) will be shown clemency. For a number of years only the one springbok roamed the park untill it died of natural causes.

Hi Stoffel

You were right - according to Elton le Roux, Section ranger at Bontebok, Springbok were removed because "They are Extralimital in the area and was putting grazing pressure on the vegetation, whereas without them we could keep more bontebok"

Do you still remember when there were buffaloe and eland in the park?

By the way - that big leopard tortoise with the hole in the back is still arround

I visited Kruger in 1965 as an 11-year old boy for the first time. It was then that my father bought the book "Mammals of the Kruger and other National Parks" at Phalaborwa gate. It was mentioned in that publication that buffalo occurs in Bontebok. It was also the first time I became aware of Bontebok. Shortly after that there was the short article in "Die Burger" (the Western Cape's Afrikaans paper) about the first buffalo colf that was born in the park. And not so long after that I remember reading that the buffaloes are going to be removed because they keep on breaking out of the park.

When you stand at Langelsieskraal and look down to the river - more or less where chalet No 7 is today, you still see remnants of the fence built with railway rails through the Breede River. This was to try and keep the buffalo in the park as an ordinary fence would be washed away to easily when the river is in flood. However, it did not work. They broke the fence regularly on the Buffeljagsrivier side.

The eland, which I saw a few times, were probably removed in the early 70's. I know for a fact that the springbok were shot in 1976 (the year I lived in Swellendam).

Is Oom Jannie still alive? He worked in the park for many years - I think 30+ years. He should be a tremendous source of information (if still healthy and alive). He worked with Mr Van Zyl and Harold Braack.

Oom Jannie is still very much alive - although he is not working for SANParks anymore he is still healthy. He knows a lot about the earlier years of the park, but I would like to try and incorporate his knowledge with the memories of visitors, to create a unique feel to the history of the park.

There is also a lot of material written about the park and Ettiene Fourie, a former Park Manager at Bontebok, currently managing Agulhas NP is also a good source of information.

I am very much interested in the memories this park have created over the years and would really appreciate if people share that.

Hi there!

A visit to Bontebok is surely not to be missed - the true beauty of this park can never be discribed in words - you MUST come and experience it for yourself!