A national park with a waterfall called the “place of great noise”; a park known for its Kalahari male lions with black manes; a park comprising of the Nama-Karoo and Savanna biomes, combined with rocky hills and sandy plains; a park with more than 3 500 unique plant species; a place where the earth’s vastness is felt; to a surrealistic desert mountain range.
This is just a glimpse into what the six national parks in the Northern Cape have to offer. The vast and arid Northern Cape is the largest and least populous province in South Africa, taking up nearly a third of the country’s land area.
However, regardless of where in the Northern Cape one stays, it is easy enough to visit one of these six national parks, or one of the several nature reserves – whether it is for a few days, or as a day-visitor.
In doing so one is experiencing the neighbourhood, exploring what locals have on offer to the tourism industry, while supporting them.
The Northern Cape Tourism Authority (NCTA) is encouraging locals to travel local.
“There are so many reasons to do so,” says Dianna Martin, general manager of marketing and promotions at the NCTA, emphasing that it is an ideal opportunity to get closer to your family while escaping the draining effect of electronic screens, and getting revitalised in the open spaces of the Northern Cape.
Why not consider a break-away to the Northern Cape coast-line, or whiteriver-rafting on the Orange River, sand-boarding, star-gazing, tackling a 4×4-route, visiting the national parks or nature reserves, or spending time at one of the many road-stalls, museums, or tasting wine?
Even for those who are not so keen on roughing it in the outdoors, the province hosts an array of opportunities for glamping – which is glamorous camping, luxurious game lodges and accommodation establishments.
Some of the national parks even have unique, luxurious accommodation offerings, such as the Tree House in the Mokala National Park, or the Oranjekom Gorge Cottage at the Augrabies Falls National Park.
Go discover these national parks in the Northern Cape
Augrabies Falls National Park – place of great noise
Located around the Augrabies Falls, this park is about 120 km west of Upington, and stretches along the Orange River.
The waterfall is about 60 m high and the gorge below the falls averages about 240 m deep and runs for 18 km. The gorge provides an impressive example of erosion into a granitic basement.
The Khoikhoi people named the waterfall Ankoerebis, meaning the “place of great noise”.
Walking bridges to the falls make it easy accessible, while those with more energy can try some of the shorter hiking-routes along the gorge.
This park is perfect for day-visitors, while overnight accommodation is available.
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – look a black-maned Kalahari lion in the eyes
This park is a vast wildlife preserve in the Kalahari desert region of Botswana and South Africa, bordering Namibia to the west. It is characterised by red dunes and dry rivers. Wildlife includes migrating herds of wildebeest and springbok, predators like raptors and black-maned Kalahari lions.
Various lodges and wildnerness camps offer game-viewing drives and guided walks with park rangers.
Although this park can be visited by day-visitors, it is advised to book your day-trip into the park beforehand as there is a restriction on the number of vehicles allowed in per day.
Mokala National Park – sweeping plains, sprinkled with hills
Only a mere 80 km from Kimberley, this park is dominated by the beautiful and distinct camel thorn tree from which the park derives its name.
Mokala (Tswana for camel thorn tree) is a breeding centre for disease-free buffalo and various antelope that are then fed back into some of the larger South African national parks.
Proclaimed as a new national park as recently as June 2007, Mokala’s landscape varies between koppieveld (hills), sweeping plains sprinkled with isolated dolerite hills and the large, open sandy plains towards the north and west of the park, through which the Riet River flows.
Some of the species to be seen in the park are black rhino, white rhino, giraffe, disease-free buffalo, tsessebe, roan antelope, reedbuck, gemsbok, eland, zebra, red hartebeest, blue and black wildebeest, kudu, ostrich, steenbok, duiker, and springbok.
The three lodges are Mosu, Mofele, and Lilydale. At Haak and Steek, about 10 m from the main lodge, a small rustic cottage and camping area has been established around the waterhole.
This park is ideal for day-visitors.
Namaqua National Park – uninterrupted views in a floral kingdom
During early August and September, a multiplicity of colour weaves across the valley floor and spills over to the sandy coastline of this park.
However, throughout the year, enjoy walking amongst the richest bulb flora of any arid region worldwide on the 5 km, circular Skilpad footpath or explore the park by mountain bike or 4×4 vehicle.
With 3 500 plant species – of which 1 000 are found nowhere else on earth – there is much to appreciate in this rich floral kingdom. Animals found in the park include the leopard, caracal, springbok, porcupine, baboon and jackal. With seals and other sea creatures that pass through the marine reserve section of the park, visitors can enjoy another aspect of the Namaqua.
The chalets at the Skilpad rest camp have uninterrupted views of the park all the way to the distant coastline, while the Luiperdskloof cottage is tucked away beneath a pair of granite domes. For those who prefer to be at the sea, informal camping is allowed while more formal camping facilities are being established.
|Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park – no pampered paradise
Early morning Atlantic fog rolls over the desert mountain range of the Richtersveld, bringing life-sustaining moisture to a myriad of succulent species in this inhospitable environment.
This largest mountain desert park in Southern Africa consists of rugged mountains, rolling hills, undulating plains and the adjacent floodplains of the Orange River.
Formed in August 2003 by the signing of an international treaty between South Africa and Namibia, this park straddles the Orange River border between these two nations.
Though surrealistically harsh as the driest area in Northern Cape, the Richtersveld nurtures some 30% of all of South Africa’s succulent plant life.
Despite receiving less than 50 mm of rain each year, it is also home to a variety of mammals and birds that have adapted to this harsh climate.
Dramatic and beautiful, the Richtersveld park is no pampered paradise, but rather a wilderness retreat for the self-sufficient explorer.
The park, with five camping sites that all have full ablution facilities, is only accessible by a 4×4 vehicle, but vehicles with high clearances such as combis and light duty vehicles (LDV’s) are able to travel within the park. Sedan vehicles are not permitted. Entrance and overnight permits must be obtained at Sendelingsdrift before entering the park.
Tankwa Karoo National Park – where earth’s vastness is felt
Greyish-green foliage merges with the browns of this semi-desert that is the Karoo, as the landscape reaches towards the many table-like mesas and isolated koppies that rise from the dusty earth. A place where earth’s vastness is felt, it is also a place of intricate detail.
Small insects scurry among tiny white paper-like flowers that embellish the landscape and contrast with the towering Klein Roggeveld mountains. Here you will find playful mongooses and other small mammals such as porcupine and duiker, while leopards and black-backed jackals are also present in the park.
Tankwa Karoo National Park is situated on the southern boundary of the Northern Cape with the Roggeveld escarpment in the East, Cederberg in the West and the Klein Roggeveld mountains in the South.
The Elandsberg Wilderness Camp cottages have been with traditional materials of unbaked bricks and clay plastering. Large windows allow one to take in the spectacular landscape and the private splash pools make this place comparable to upmarket private game lodges.
The Farm Cottages of Varschfontein, Paulhoek, and Dezyfer are fully equipped, self-catering, and non-electrified. The Tankwa Guesthouse and the Gannaga Private Lodge offer accommodation for groups of 18 and 20, respectively, and have conference facilities.
The park has six informal campsites, namely Pyper se Boom, Langkloof, Skaapwagterspos, Steenkampshoek, Volmoedsfontein, and Bessiesfontein.
Visit the NCTA’s website at experiencenortherncape.com, or their Facebook page; and also visit the website of the South African National Parks at sanparks.org for more information.
