Source: Southern Africa’s top 21 parks taken from the April 2010 Issue of Getaway Magazine.
Author: Don Pinnock.
Up until fairly recently, graceful, cheeky mountain zebras were the undisputed lords of this beautiful Karoo park near Cradock.
Now they have some dangerous opposition – fleetfooted cheetahs.
Four more of the cats were added late last year, bringing the total to 21. And there are lots of wide open spaces for high-speed chases.
The park was established in 1937 to save a species within a hair’s breadth of oblivion. There were a mere six zebras in the park at the time, but a nearby farmer found 11 more and herded them over, probably saving the painted ponies from the fate of the quagga.
Today there are more than 1000 bearing the grand title of Equus zebra zebra and the 400 or so in the park look pretty chuffed about that.
With its domed dolerite hills, riverine thickets and high grass plateau, the park is a moody, confidential place with shady, cricket-sung picnic spots and vast, purple views.
An early visit to the plateau will reward you with bounding springboks, stately red hartebeest, black wildebeest and families of zebras that actually bark qua-gga as you pass.
The Karoo grasses they munch have suggestive names such as thimble, finger, wine, cocksfoot, red oat and carrot seed – fine-sounding ungulate cuisine.
Down in the valleys are the more bower-loving types: black rhinos, eland, kudu and buffaloes.
Now there are cheetahs to keep them all in good shape.
Some 216 bird species have been recorded, including Verreauxs’ eagles, Stanley’s bustards and rare blue cranes. If you’re into the unusual, the park also boasts some of the world’s biggest earthworms: up to 1,8 metres long.
A tough, grade-four 4×4 trail was added to the two existing ones late last year, allowing access to parts of the park not generally open to the public and at no extra cost. For the older trails, high clearance and diff-lock are needed, but the new one demands a 4×4 with low range.
There are self-catering family cottages with two bedrooms and a swimming pool nearby, but the best is the restored, Victorian-style Doornhoek farmhouse which was one of the first homesteads in the area. The park also has camping and caravan sites and a good restaurant.
Travel adviser
Where to book
For general enquiries: tel 048-881-2427, e-mail.
To book, tel 012-428-9111 or 041 -582-2575,
What it costs
Family cottages with four beds cost R620 a night.
Things to do
- Go game viewing in your own vehicle.
- Explore the 4×4 trails.
- Guided game drives, as well as a guided tour to the Bushman cave paintings.
- Hiking trails, including the three-day Impofu Hiking Trail with accommodation in huts.
- Day visitors can picnic or braai in the new picnic area which also has a swimming pool.
This article was taken from the back issue of Getaway. April 2010 Special Edition.
| More info on the town of Cradock | More info on the Karoo Heartland area |
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