Camdeboo National Park : The Park Today September 19th, 2017
Camdeboo National Park : The Park Today
Camdeboo National Park lies at the base of the Sneeuberg mountain range and surrounds the historically significant and charming town of Graaff-Reinet. The main Park gate is situated approximately 4km out of the town en-route to Middelburg on the N9 national road.
Visitors to Camdeboo National Park are treated to unique landscapes which were formed hundreds of millions of years ago. The Karoo area of South Africa is known to be part of one of the great natural wonders of the world and visitors can experience abundant bird and wildlife. A trip to Camdeboo National Park is not complete without a visit to the majestic Valley of Desolation. Its entrance lies on the R63 road en-route to Murraysburg.
Some interesting facts:
- Camdeboo or !Xamdeboo is a Khoi-khoi word that is thought to mean ‘green valley’
- The Valley of Desolation was declared a National Monument due to its geological and scenic significance
- Graaff-Reinet is home to more national monuments than any other town in South Africa
- The Nqweba Dam (previously Van Ryneveldts Dam) was built between 1921 and 1925
Climate
Camdeboo National Park is located in a semi-desert area that experiences mostly summer rainfall. Summers are very hot and thunderstorms are a common occurrence. Visitors are advised to restrict their activities to early mornings and late afternoons during summer. The winter months are very cold with some snowfall which can occur in the high-lying areas.
Management and Regulations
SANParks commits itself to manage a system of National Parks that represents the indigenous wildlife, vegetation, landscapes and associated cultural assets. All visitors to National Parks are subject to the National Environmental Management Protected Areas, Act 57 of 2003 as amended, together with any Regulations and Internal Rules made in terms of this Act.
- The maximum speed limit on all Park roads is 40km/h
- You may not climb out of your vehicle in the wildlife area, unless you are in designated areas, and then you do so at your own risk
- You may only drive on tourist roads and may not enter roads that are marked No Entry
- You may not injure, feed or disturb any form of wildlife
- You may not uproot, pick, cut, damage or remove any plant or animal material, living or dead, from the Park
- You may not place any name, letter, figure, symbol, mark or picture, on any object
- You may not be in possession of any explosives or of any loaded fire-arms within the Park
- Do not discard any burning object, including cigarettes, anywhere in the Park – it may cause a fire
- No loud music / noise allowed in the Park or at picnic sites and swimming pools
- You may not bring any pets, domestic or other, into the Park
- Please Do Not litter!
- Do not drive or park in such a manner that it is a nuisance, disturbance or an inconvenience to any other person
- You may not cause any noise that is likely to disturb other people after 21h30 and before 06h00
- You may not stay overnight at the Park without the knowledge of the Manager and only designated accommodation areas may be used
- Check closing times of the Park and Wildlife area – you may not travel within the Park outside of the stipulated times
- You may not drive a vehicle in the Park without a valid Driver’s license
- The use of drones inside (and over) national parks is strictly prohibited
Gate and Office Times
Valley of Desolation gate times:
- January - February: 06:00 – 20:00
- March: 06:00 – 19:30
- April: 06:30 – 19:00
- May: 07:00 – 18:30
- June: 07:00 – 18:00
- July - August: 07:00 -18:30
- September: 06:30 – 19:00
- October: 06:00 – 19:30
- November: 06:00 – 20:00
- December: 06: 00 – 20:30
Game viewing area gate times:
- January - February: 06:00 – 19:30
- March: 06:00 – 19:00
- April: 06:30 – 18:30
- May: 07:00 – 18:00
- June: 07:00 – 17:30
- July - August: 07:00 -18:00
- September: 06:30 – 18:30
- October: 06:00 – 19:00
- November: 06:00 – 19:30
- December: 06: 00 – 20:00
Visit SANParks website for more information on this and other Parks