Christmas in South-African National Parks
January 2017
Turn of the year 2016-2017
During the African summer holidays over Christmas and New Years the national parks and campsites in South Africa and Namibia are packed. The South Africans book their favourite camping spots up to one year in advance. Campsites are thus mostly booked out.
We acted anti-cyclically and spent one months on our home spot Camping Country Park in Johannesburg.
The Swiss Schami and Rita ...
with their Landy www.niggs.ch, whom we met for the first time in Windhoek in September, also arrived there just before Christmas. They are travelling the world in stages.
On the 19th December both Schami and I celebrated our birthday. The festive days flew by with our get-together. At the beginning of January we had to bid farewell and wished us both many positive travel experiences in 2017.
Golden Gate National Park
Scenic rocky landscapes of colourful sand stone and mountains covered in green invited for a stroll. Heavy rains and the many different species of grass (Edy reacted with a strong hay fever...) made us continue earlier than planned.
Oberammergau Camping spot
On route from Harrismith to Bloemfontein we found a classy campsite in Senekal. After a good nights’ sleep we were able to continue our journey towards the Cape
Camdeboo National Park
This national park in the Karoo – a semi-dessert landscape - only exists since 2005. There is not much sense in visiting this park because of its wildlife, but the Valley of Desolation with its impressive rock formations invites to walks and leaves the wanderer in awe.
Wilderness National Park along the Garden Route
Lagoons, lakes, ponds, rivers, the ocean, long dream beaches, dunes, lots of tourists, lots of emigrants, good restaurants, lots of sun, lots of wind.
In the centre of the Garden Route we found a superb Ebb & Flow campsite within the National Park directly at the Tow River.
After three days, we were eventually able to pay by credit card. The receptionist explained: the fibre optic cables in the National Park headquarters had been stolen. Her colleague asked us where we were from. We replied that we were from Switzerland. The lady reacted that that was very far away – just outside South Africa.
A German couple in a VW camper left the campsite. That same day they met „Mantocos“ and told them about us. We immediately received an e-mail and decided to meet the day after tomorrow.
Conny and Tommy on the road with their MAN Action Mobil
Finally it worked out and we got to meet the two likable globe trotters. The two of them have travelled from Europe along the African west coast and are planning to continue via the east coast in 2018. Their travel experiences can be followed on: www.mantoco.com
Robertson winelands
Breede River Valley – valley of vines and roses – stands for good wines and a well-known and successful horse breeding farm. More than 50 cellars can be visited. We didn’t make all of them! In the afternoon, we recovered from all the fine wine tasting close to Robertson, directly at the river.
We visited the little town of Montagu on a day trip. The region is known for fruit cultivation and its production of dried fruit. Here we replenished our snack stock.
Photos
South Africa: January 2017
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2017 01 South Africa 001 Campingsite near Johannesburg
Campsite near Johannesburg
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2017 01 South Africa 002 visitor at the campsite
visitor at the campsite
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2017 01 South Africa 003 summer in Africa
summer in Africa
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2017 01 South Africa 004 world traveler Schami and Rita
world traveler Schami und Rita www.niggs.ch
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2017 01 South Africa 006 Golden Gate National Park
Golden Gate National Park
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2017 01 South Africa 007 Golden Gate National Park
Golden Gate National Park
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2017 01 South Africa 008 Golden Gate National Park
Golden Gate National Park
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2017 01 South Africa 009 Campsite Golden Gate National Park
Golden Gate National Park campsite
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2017 01 South Africa 010 Golden Gate National Park
Golden Gate National Park
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2017 01 South Africa 011 Golden Gate National Park
Golden Gate National Park
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2017 01 South Africa 012 Golden Gate National Park
Golden Gate National Park
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2017 01 South Africa 013 driving to Cathedral Peak Drakensberge
driving to Cathedral Peak Drakensberge
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2017 01 South Africa 014 driving to Drakensberge
driving to Drakensberge
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2017 01 South Africa 015 washing clothes in Africa
washing clothes in Africa
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2017 01 South Africa 016 living in the countryside
living in the countryside
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2017 01 South Africa 017 Free State province
Free State province
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2017 01 South Africa 018
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2017 01 South Africa 019
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2017 01 South Africa 020
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2017 01 South Africa 021 Oberammergau Campinsite
Oberammergau campsite
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2017 01 South Africa 022 Camdeboo National Park
Camdeboo National Park
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2017 01 South Africa 023 Graaff Reinet
Graaff-Reinet
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2017 01 South Africa 024 grasshopper colourful
colourful grasshopper
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2017 01 South Africa 025 Desolation Valley
Desolation Valley
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2017 01 South Africa 026 viewpoint Desolation Valley
viewpoint Desolation Valley
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2017 01 South Africa 027 viewpoint Desolation Valley
viewpoint Desolation Valley
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2017 01 South Africa 028 rock formation Desolation Valley
rock formation Desolation Valley
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2017 01 South Africa 029 lizard beautiful couloured
beautiful coloured lizard
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2017 01 South Africa 030 Calizdorp
Calizdorp
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2017 01 South Africa 031 outlook from Knysna Head
outlook from Knysna Head
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2017 01 South Africa 032 Knysna
Knysna
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2017 01 South Africa 033 railway bridge over the Kaimaans River
railway bridge over the Kaimaans River
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2017 01 South Africa 034 Wilderness beach
Wilderness beach
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2017 01 South Africa 035 Ebb and Flow Rest Camp
Ebb and Flow Rest Camp
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2017 01 South Africa 036 Ebb and Flow Rest Camp with strong wind
Ebb and Flow Rest Camp with strong wind
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2017 01 South Africa 037
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2017 01 South Africa 038
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2017 01 South Africa 039 ostrich farm
ostrich farm
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2017 01 South Africa 040 Campsite Calizdorp Spa
Campsite Calizdorp Spa
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2017 01 South Africa 041 world traveler Conny and Tommy
world traveler Conny and Tommy with their MAN Action Mobil www.mantoco.com
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2017 01 South Africa 042 Robertson wine valley
Robertson Wine Valley
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2017 01 South Africa 043 Robertson wine valley
Robertson Wine Valley
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2017 01 South Africa 044
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2017 01 South Africa 045 Barrydale church
Barrydale church
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2017 01 South Africa 046 Tradouw mountain pass
Tradouw mountain pass
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2017 01 South Africa 047 Botsolano Game Reserve
Botsolano Game Reserve
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2017 01 South Africa 048 Botsolano Game Reserve
Botsolano Game Reserve
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2017 01 South Africa 049 wine tasting Van Loveren Wines
Van Loveren wine tasting
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2017 01 South Africa 050 Rooiberg Winery
Rooiberg Winery
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2017 01 South Africa 051 Rooiberg Winery
Rooiberg Winery
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2017 01 South Africa 052 Rooiberg Winery
Rooiberg Winery
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2017 01 South Africa 053 Graham Beck Wines
Graham Beck Wines
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2017 01 South Africa 054 Graham Beck Wines with art
Graham Beck Wines with art
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2017 01 South Africa 055 Campinsite Silwerstrand Robertson
Campsite Silwerstrand Robertson
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2017 01 South Africa 056 dried fruits Montagu
Montagu dried fruits
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2017 01 South Africa 057 horse breeding Robertson
horse breeding Robertson
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2017 01 South Africa 058 De Wetshof Estate
De Wetshof Estate
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2017 01 South Africa 059 Edy at the wine tasting
Edy at the wine tasting
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2017 01 S dafrika 060 Klipdrift Distillery
Klipdrift Distillery