GOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK & GOLDEN GATE HOTEL - SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL PARKS & ACCOMMODATION (Maluti Mountains, North Eastern Free State.)

This is the last of our features on our beautiful National Parks in South Africa, but there are way too many to mention, each of which we should at least see once in our lifetime, and hopefully pick a few to visit regularly, they are all incredible features of this majestic place we live in that we still take for granted.

Please meet the gracious...

 

This is seriously the perfect movie set for a film set for a gladiator war, you know that old untouched scenery that is majestic and speaks more than the story, and becomes the main actor in the movie because it takes over with its presence....that, that's what this is, pure perfection. 

Nestled in the rolling foothills of the Maluti Mountains of the north eastern Free State, close to the Kwa-Zulu Natal side of Lesotho,  lies the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. 

The park derives its name from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun on the parks sandstone cliffs, an incredible feature, and especially the imposing Brandwag rock, which keeps vigil over the main rest camp. 

This 11 600 hectares of unique environment is true highland habitat, providing home to a variety of mammals, including Black Wildebeest, Eland, Blesbok, Oribi, Springbok and Burchell's Zebra, as well as many birds, including the rare bearded vulture, and the equally rare bald Ibis. 

Ribbokkop, the highest point in the park, reveals a breathtaking tapestry of red, yellow and purple hues as its warm shades with the cool mountain shadows towards the evenings....this is mesmerising natural beauty.

Special ares of interest are the Van Reenens Family Graveyard, the impressive Brandwag buttress rock formation, the Vulture Restaurant, Cathedral Grave, as well as ZuluHoek viewpoint, Generaalskop viewpoint, Oribi Basin and the Drakensberg view, all very beautiful and interesting. 

And staying here is awesome, there are so many in-park options, and well priced too. 

There is the Glen Reenen Rest Camp, with Rondavels, Longdavels and Guest Cottages, as well as camping. 
Then there is the Basuto Cultural Villge Rest Camp, which closely resembles and 18th century Basuto Village. 

There is also the Highlands Mountain Retreat, which is the luxury camp in Golden Gate, and we also have the Noord Braband Historic Guest House, but we choose to feature the GOLDEN GATE HOTEL. Its perfect for all needs, and its setting is simply stunning. 

The hotel is formerly known as the Brandwag Hotel, and is a luxury accommodation that has always been synonymous with the Golden Gate with a wide spectrum of services and facilities, which is stretched out onto the 34 adjacent fully-equipped chalets. 

Recently renovated, the hotel is nothing short of fabulous luxury. 

To find out ore about the Park please visit them @ GOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK, and to view their extensive accommodation options, go to GOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK ACCOMMODATION...you wont be sorry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Golden Gate Hotel

 

 

 

 #WellnessisEverywhere

THE WELLNESS TRAIL on FACEBOOK

THE WELLNESS TRAIL on TWITTER

SANPARKS on FACEBOOK

SANPARKS on TWITTER

BONTEBOK NATIONAL PARK & BABETTE SOUTH AFRICA - SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL PARKS & ACCOMMODATION (Swellendam, Western Cape.)

So glad we stumbled upon this website of SANPARKS, as we were looking for the best national Park in the Western Cape, and there were 6, their were the obvious choices of the Garden Route National Park in the Tsitsikamma, Knysna, Wilderness, and the incredible, but also obvious, Table Mountain National Park, and then there is also the Karoo, Westcoast,  and Agulhas National Parks, but we settled on a total gem of the best breathing space we never really knew about as we always let the others dominate, and in many ways, this is better.

Please meet.....

This is a vast open pace like no other, it has a long mountain range in the backround that creates dramatic landscape art that the eye might confuse with a perfect life-like painting, it doesn't seem real its so beautiful, but it is and its simply breathtaking. 

Bontebok National Par is a place of simplistic beauty and peaceful charm. The majestic Langeberg Mountains provide a picturesque backdrop for this Park of colorful riches. 

This is the smallest of the South African National Park's stable, set on the banks of the Breede River, and just 5 kms from the gorgeous town of Swellendam, in the Western Cape. 

(That's three more reasons to visit this Park, the Langeberg Mountains, the Breede River and Swellendam.)

Part of the Caper Floral Kingdom, and a World Heritage Site, Bontebok is always boasting something in bloom. Discovering the beauty of this park through a day visit is great, a overnight even better, watching the Bontebok themselves grazing form your chalet window, or you could spy on the many birds that make this place home from the viewing deck and braai area. But we again are just amazed by the landscape, the sheer size and mesmerising beauty of it...this is another breathing space, and one where great life-filling breaths can be taken. 

The Main attractions at Bontebok include picnicking and braaiing at the Die Stroom, Camping n the banks of the Breede River, Game Watching self-drives an Bird Watching. 

Bontebok was originally established to conserve a species, its namesake, the blessed 'Bontebok'.

When the species was approaching extinction in the early 1800's some land owners set aside portions of their properties to form  temporary reserves for the buck, and in 1931 the 1st Bontebok National Park was proclaimed on an area near Bredasdorp but was later moved to to area it is in now. This reserve establishment increased the numbers from less than 18 to over 800 globally. 

There is an incredibly rich and ancient history to the area dating back to over 1 million years, we encourage you t read up on this, its fascinating  @ BOTEBOK HISTORY, but mostly we encourage you just to visit and spend a night or few, its just so peaceful and easy here. 

And when you do stay, there are a few awesome options that you might love, on site and off-site.

The Lang Elsie's Kraal Restcamp, situated on the banks of the Breede River, is the firs rest camp in South African National Parks to be built according to a "Touching the Earth Lightly" design. Named after a Khoe-Khoe Chieftain who lived there with her clan in the18th century, the camp of 10 units provides pristine scenery of the park, Breede River and Langeberg Mountains....a perfect rest stop for visitors.  

Find out more @ BONTEBOK ACCOMODATION, there are also 41 camping and caravan sites located close to the river as well.

 

 

 

 

If that's not your thing, we have found another awesome accommodation option off-site only 4.8kms away in Swellendam.

Meet....

We are loving this awesome spot. Babette is a unique, Provencal-styled home built with three garden cottages and a romantic room with a view in a separate part of the main house. As t has the lovely French styling, the house and rooms are full of lovely details, wooden beams, robust stone floors, all creating a lovely homey and romantic atmosphere. There is a beautiful lush garden with a salt water swimming pool and plenty of quaint corners to relax in. 

Wake up o beautiful breakfasts on the patio, or on you own private patio, the food includes daily homemade surprises as well as a full breakfast made with fresh local produce. You can also grab a pre-ordered picnic basket and enjoy it anywhere you want in the beautiful area...and there are many beautiful places here to enjoy and relax.

Find out more @ babettesouthafrica.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

We really quite like this as a vacation, total breathing space, beauty and un-flawed nature, to find out more about this park go to BONTEBOK NATIONAL PARK, but remember the other 5 parks,

GARDEN ROUTE NATIONAL PARK

TABLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK

KAROO NATIONAL PARK

WEST COAST NATIONAL PARK

AGULHAS NATIONAL PARK.

How beautiful is this place though...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

#WellnessisEverywhere

THE WELLNESS TRAIL on FACEBOOK

THE WELLNESS TRAIL on TWITTER

SANPARKS on FACEBOOK

SANPARKS on TWITTER

BABETTE on FACEBOOK