Another short report - our trip to the Karoo National Park

[Davesg]

Forgive me for not copying and pasting the report that I've posted on our website about our recent trip to the Karoo National Park...much easier to just provide a link for those of you who might be interested! :-)

 

http://stuckinthemud.co.za/short-visit-karoo-national-park/

 

[Treepol]

@Davesg thanks for this report and your gallery photos, I am really looking forward to this arid park when we visit in August this year.

[Elsa Hoffmann]

cool report. I was there about 6 months ago - I didnt enjoy the 4x4 route and neither did we see anything but Gemsbok. We saw a lot more in the first 10km after entering the camp 

[Dave Williams]

I have been avidly following @kittykat23uk's report on her recent(September ) visit to SA as we ( wife and I ) are heading to Cape Town for  a week in mid-July. As I have got @Elsa Hoffmann and yourself on one thread can I post a separate off topic question as between you will have lots of local knowledge?

Karoo won't be an option as it's too far but everything I'm reading about SA suggests I will be back in the future for another visit so thanks for the report..

We will have 3 days to ourselves before we meet up and begin a small group tour of 3 Hillux campers and 12 participants. We are heading off towards Namibia but first we have organised group visits.

Day 1.CapeTown - Hop on/Hop off Bus -Table Mnt

Day 2.Cape of Good Hope / Penguins / Mama Africa

Day 3. Vergenoegd Wine Estate / Duck parade!

 

My other half has agreed to come on the tour as it's not pure safari and there are other places of interest thrown in.

I personally would love to do a pelagic off Cape Town for birds, whales and Great White Sharks in particular. Kittykat booked a tour from Gansbaai  which looked pretty good but are there equally good local options from Cape Town as I might not have transport until the tour begins?

 

For the other two days I thought perhaps the Botanical Gardens and Robben Island tour but open to suggestions!

Thanks in anticipation,Dave.

 

[kittykat23uk]

For birds, I. e. Albatrosses you should look at either Anne albatross or cape Town pelagics. They go from Simonstown on set dates or you can charter the boat like we did. 

 

Details are in my earlier trip report 

 

You will also find information about the shark dives we did and whale watching from Hermanus . Whales can of course be seen from the shore as well as by boat at the right time of year. You might be too early for the southern rights, I'm not sure. .

[Elsa Hoffmann]

@Dave Williams anytime. Sharks are a favourite of mine - we can talk. 

[Davesg]

Thanks for your comments @Treepol, @Elsa Hoffmannand @Dave Williams. 

 

Elsa is far more qualified than I am on the touristy things in and around Cape Town Dave but I would recommend that you spend a few hours at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens if you can fit it in. 

[Dave Williams]

Thanks Dave, it's a must as wife Claire is a keen gardener and I will search for birds! Botanical gardens are considered a good compromise place to visit for both of us.

@kittykat23uk Thanks for the links, they appear to get booked up quickly and Cape Town Pelagics don't run a trip on the weekend we are there either. Great Whites breaching appear to be best mid April and mid September.

@Elsa Hoffmann I'll PM you. thanks.

[kittykat23uk]

Well its worth enquiring about a charter. They do try and advertise the extra space for you to save costs, but obviously no guarantee that you won't be left to foot the entire bill! Also don't underestimate how long you need for each activity and how far apart some of these places are ! 

[kittykat23uk]

8 hours ago, Davesg said:

Forgive me for not copying and pasting the report that I've posted on our website about our recent trip to the Karoo National Park...much easier to just provide a link for those of you who might be interested! :-)

 

http://stuckinthemud.co.za/short-visit-karoo-national-park/

 

 

Nice trip report.  It seems we saw much the same as you did!

[xelas]

Great trip report, and excellent photography, @Davesg! You surely have had much nicer, softer light and more puffy white clouds. Yet it is obvious that wildlife there is like gas stations in Namibia: few and far apart.

[Davesg]

Thank you @xelas! The light does get harsh very quickly in the summer months. You're right about the wildlife...it's certainly not a Kruger Park. The Karoo has a different appeal to us though. 

[Peter Connan]

Read this and enjoyed it so much I had to re-read almost all your older TR's.

 

Wonderful photos and entertaining text.

[Davesg]

Thanks very much @Peter Connan. Your kind comment is much appreciated!