Camdeboo National Park

Great scenery in the Karoo.

Desolution Valley, a wonderful landscape.

Away from the crowds -

The rock formations in the Camdeboo National Park are awe-inspiring. The well managed trails make it easy to get up close and appreciate this natural spectacle. The nearby town of Graaff-Reinet is a sleepy throwback with some beautiful architecture that makes a pleasant base for exploring. In October, the temperature was perfect, the sights were quiet, and we got some spectacular storms thrown in too.

A leisurely drive through stunning landscapes.

I have visited Camdeboo National Park thrice in the past four years and each time the visit has offered something new and different which is why I keep returning.

Cambdeboo is not a heavily frequented park - you will not find many other cars on the roads in the park. This offers the unique opportunity to take as much time as you like with each instance of game or birds you spot.

I have visited the park in both summer and winter. Summers in the Karoo are very hot, and thunderstorms are frequent. The storms themselves are a sight to behold, with towering thunderclouds, lightning and incredible amounts of rain. In winter, the days are incredibly warm and nights freezing cold - great for stargazing.

Cambdeboo has quite a diverse range of game in the park - I've seen kudu, red hartebeest, eland, duiker, steenbok, zebra, vervet monkeys, yellow mongoose and several different bird species. One of the great things about the park is that it's quite small - the drives are easy enough to fit into an afternoon after lunch, which is what I do most often. The light in the late afternoon is beautiful for photography.

The first time I went to Cambdeboo, the park had not yet completed signposting their roads sufficiently and we got lost a couple of times and had to backtrack. The signposting as since been completed and the roads are now a breeze to use.

There is no restaurant or accommodation in the park as it is situated very close to the town of Graaff-Reinet which provides ample options for both.

I have only self-driven through the park, but it's a simple enough park in which to do this. The reception offers a list of animals which may be seen in the park and off you go on a mini-safari.

There's a wonderful bird hide not very far from where you enter the park, which is a great place to set up with a pair of binoculars, a sandwich and a flask of coffee to see the birds around the lake. The most exciting sighting I've had here was seeing a Goliath heron.

Small park but lots of animals to see - antelope and monkeys in particular on my visit. Across the road is the spectacular Valley of Desolation ... Breathtaking views of Graaff-Reinet from the top. Have been to this park twice ... Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. Great camping facilities too.

The view over looking the Valley of Desolation is magnificent. The wildlife and birding around the dam is an extra bonus.

The scenic beaty is incredible

At Camdeboo we especially loved the scenery. Did not see many birds there.