Overview–southafrica

Camdeboo National Park

Camdeboo National Park is not primarily a safari destination. Its main attraction is the semi-arid Karoo environment and scenic highpoints such as the spectacular Valley of Desolation, where erosion has left dolerite pillars of more than 100m high. A separate section of the park has a very small wildlife-viewing circuit where some herbivores have been stocked. Of the Big 5, only buffalo is present.

Best Time to Visit

Wildlife viewing in Camdeboo National Park is good the whole year through, but it gets very cold in winter, and the mountains might get covered in snow. The park is mostly about its scenery and antelope species, not about seeing Big 5 animals. Therefore, warmer summer months from October to March are more pleasant and the scenery is greener.

May to September –Dry Season – Winter

Wildlife is easier to spot as waterholes become a popular gathering place for animals and the bush thins out
Bright skies
A chance of snow in the mountains
It is low season, and there are few visitors to the park
It gets very cold as soon as the sun sets and it stays cold until mid-morning

October to April –Wet Season – Summer

Newborn animals are abundant
Green vegetation and spring flowers abound
Excellent birding due to the presence of migratory species
Temperatures are pleasant, and it doesn't rain very much
It is high season, and the park gets busy, especially at sunset
Animals will gather a bit less around predictable water sources

Scenery

Camdeboo National Park is all about the scenery. Its proximity to Graaff Reinet offers amazing views over the town. The park is located in the foothills of the Sneeuberg range. The Valley of Desolation with its dolerite rock formations gives a spectacular insight into the Karoo landscape, formed hundreds of millions of years ago.

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Rates

From: $204 to $1,223 pp/day

Best Time to Go

From: October to March (It is warmer)

High Season

From: October to March (The park gets crowded)

Size

From: 194km² / 72mi²

Wildlife & Animals

Camdeboo is more about its scenery than wildlife viewing. The wildlife presence is mostly comprised of herbivores and small predators. Many of the animals are well-adapted to the arid environment. A typical example of this is the dainty springbok, which doesn't need drinking water. Instead, it derives its liquid from food only. Some of the small predators are yellow mongoose, meerkat and bat-eared fox.

Wildlife Highlights

The Cape mountain zebra, an endangered endemic, is sometimes spotted, although it often retreats to higher slopes inaccessible to visitors. The endemic black wildebeest is a more reliable tick in the game-viewing area. The klipspringer is sometimes encountered in the rocky areas of Desolation Valley. Several grazers are found in the wildlife area of the park including red hartebeest and a herd of buffalo.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Wildlife viewing in Camdeboo National Park is good all of the time, but the best time for a visit is during the warmer summer months from October to March (winter gets very cold).

General Wheather

Classified as semi-arid to arid, Camdeboo National Park receives an average rainfall of less than 350mm/14in per year. Most of the rain falls between October and April. Midwinter brings temperatures down to freezing. The park’s altitude ranges from 751m to 1,447m (2,464ft to 4,747ft), so even within the park, there are climatic variations. However, the upper reaches are on the inaccessible mountain peaks.

Winter –May to September

The winter months experience very low temperatures at night and in the early mornings. It is advisable to bring warm clothes. There is little to no rain, and the skies tend to be clear. Snow can fall, but mainly on the mountain peaks.

May – This is the start of winter. Temperatures begin to drop to an average of 7°C/45°F in the morning and 21°C/70°F in the afternoon.
June & July – The temperatures are the coldest during June and July. The average morning temperature is 4°C/39°F, but it sometimes gets well below freezing point at night. Typical daytime temperatures are around 20°C/68°F.
August & September – Temperatures rise to an average of 22°C/72°F in the afternoon. Morning temperatures increase, with an average of 5°C/41°F.

Summer –October to April

Although the summer is mostly sunny, it can be cloudy and there are occasional rainstorms. The temperatures are very comfortable.

October & November – It warms up. Temperatures range between 10°C/50°F in the morning and 26°C/79°F in the afternoon. Rain is increasing, but it seldom rains for days in a row.
December, January & February – These are the warmest months with afternoon temperatures reaching upward of 30°C/86°F. Mornings are more pleasant at about 15°C/59°F. Some rain is possible.
March & April – It once again begins to cool with an average daytime temperature of 26°C/79°F. Mornings are around 12°C/54°F. Rain peaks in March and decreases again in mid-April.

Prons

Spectacular scenery
Easy day trip from Graaff Reinet
Hiking trails
Malaria-free
Lots of accommodation options in the historical town Graaff Reinet

Cons

Very small wildlife-viewing circuit
The Valley of Desolation gets busy at sunset

How To Get There

O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town are the two most common entry points for visitors to South Africa. From either city you can get to Camdeboo National Park on an organized tour or a self-drive trip. Some people will drive from Cape Town via the Garden Route over a week or two to Graaff Reinet, the gateway city to the park. The most direct route is 670km/416mi and the drive takes about 8 hours*.

Alternatively, it’s possible to take a connecting flight to Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (PLZ) and rent a car there. The distance to the park from Port Elizabeth is just over 250km/155mi and the drive takes about 3 hours*.

*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.

Airlines & Ticket Prices

Please check Skyscanner to see which airlines can take you to O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) or Cape Town International Airport (CPT), and what tickets would cost.