Camdeboo National Park

Activities & Facilities

Activities

Daily Conservation Fee for 1 November 2011 to 31 October 2012
South African citizens & Residents (with ID)	R22 per person, per day R11 per child per day
SADC Nationals (with passport)	R44 per adult, per day R22 per child per day
Standard Conservation Fee (Foreign Visitors):	R64 per adult, per day R32 per child, per day

Once you have paid entry fees at one point of entry into the park, you will not be charged when visiting other park attractions. Please note, this does not include activities.

Valley of Desolation

With an estimated 60 to 100 000 people who visit this site each year, the Valley of Desolation is a premier tourist attraction.

The road to the top of the valley was tarred in 1978 and today provides tourists with easy access to the viewpoints with their panoramic views of the landscape.

The original road to the Valley of Desolation was constructed by labourers using picks, shovels and barrows. The road to the top of the valley was tarred in 1978 and today provides tourists with easy access to the viewpoints with their panoramic views of the landscape.

Game Viewing and Birding

Presently, approximately 19km of gravel roadways provide visitors with the opportunity to view the entire range of indigenous species in their preferred habitats. For birding enthusiasts, at least 225 bird species have been recorded in the Park.

Trails and walks

The Crag Lizard Trail (45 minutes) starts at the Valley parking area and extends for about 1.5 km via the Valley viewpoints. It is marked with the Crag Lizard logo.

The Eerstefontein Day Walk starts and ends at the Spandaukop gate. There are three route options of 5km; 11km and 14km with good rest spots at Eerstefontein and Agtersfontein.

The Gideon Scheepers Trail is an hour long walk, starting at the Gideon Scheepers Monument, which commemorates a historic figure, and ending at Barbergat on the R63 to Murraysburg.

There is no charge for Hiking Trails in the park, apart from conservation fees.

4x4 Trails

Koedoeskloof 4x4 trail (grade 3 to 4 )

This trail provides a drive to the top of the mountain, providing unique and spectacular views of the landscape. The trail can be completed with a return journey following the same track in about 3 hours but the Karoo tranquility and scenic vistas beg for a full day outing. The turning point of the trail, which lies on top of the mountain in the Winterhoek area of the Park, is the perfect place for a picnic lunch or tea break and a picnic table is provided here. Koedoeskloof 4x4 trail is accessed via the Valley of Desolation gate, with turn off to the trail well signposted about 3 kilometres after entering the park. No booking is necessary for those who wish to complete the trail and no fee is payable, apart from the Park conservation fee. Visitors can only attempt the trail in a 4x4 vehicle (no 2x4's with diff lock)

Driekoppe 4x4 Trail

This is a scenic grade 2 trail. Wildlife that may be seen in this section of the park includes Cape mountain zebra (an endangered species), kudu, mountain reedbuck,klipspringer and baboons. The flatter bottom-lands support populations of springbok, black wildebeest and ostrich. Duiker and steenbok are also common. You can follow the track past the water supply pump, to the top of Hanglip with its panoramic view of the Camdeboo plains or follow the stream bed down Wolfkloof to the waterfall. You can also walk a circular route by following the left hand turn off. 2x4's and 4x4's can make use of the trail.

There is no charge for Hiking Trails in the park, apart from conservation fees.

Watersports

The Nqweba Dam, which covers over 1 000 hectares, provides cool relief during hot summer days and a base for a variety of water activities. Boating, canoeing, fishing and windsurfing are allowed on the dam (permit fees apply).
Nqweba Dam attracts a wide variety of birds as well as wildlife such as buffalo, gemsbok, springbok and black wildebeest which come to drink from the waters. Fish species which occur in the dam include moggel (Labeo umbratus), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), mullet (Mugil cephalus), round herring (Gilchristella aestuaria), mosquitofish (Gambusia affinus) and river goby (Glossogobius callidus).

***No Conservation Fees will be charged for use of the Education Centre only***

Other Tariffs for 1 November 2011 to 31 October 2012
Boating Area (Nqweba Dam) entry permit:	Season	Day
Motor vehicle	R80	R40
Powerboat	R80	R40
Jetski	R80	R40
Sailboat	R50	R30
Windsurfer	R40	R25
Canoe	R40	R25
Paddleski	R40	R25
Angling:Permit	R10 per month

Facilities

Picnic Areas

Camdeboo National Park has six picnic areas with braai and ablution facilities:

• Impunzi picnic area in the Game Viewing Area has 4 sites.
• Ribbokberg picnic area on the way to Valley of Desolation has 4 sites.
• Mountain Drive picnic area has 7 widely-spaced sites in the Mountain Drive area.
• Babergat picnic area has 2 sites adjacent to the Nqweba Dam wall.
• Piekniekbos picnic area has 12 sites on the western shore of the Nqweba Dam
• The Boat Club picnic area has 4 sites (for exclusive use of boat club members).

Facilities such as fuel stations, ATMs, banks, shops and restaurants are available in the nearby town of Graaff-Reinet. Camdeboo National Park surrounds the town of Graaff-Reinet. For more information on Graaff-Reinet, contact the Tourism Office on info@graaffreinet.co.za or tel: +27(0)49 892 4248.

Camdeboo Environmental Education Centre

The centre and staff offer programmes to any formal group to promote awareness of and sensitivity towards the natural environment. Courses are tailored to meet visitors' needs up to a maximum of 40 people and may extend from one to four days. A nominal tariff is payable. This centre may also be booked for a team building or conference purpose.

Environmental Education Fees for 1 November 2011 to 31 October 2012
Camdeboo Education Centre	Education Groups from Camdeboo District: Education groups outside Camdeboo District: Day Visits Overnight visitors	R5 per child & R10 per adult per night. R15 per child & R25 per adult per night. No charge (no conservation fee will be charged) R70 per person, per night
Camdeboo Education Centre (own educational purposes)	Day visitors	R35 per person
Conference Facility	Day fee	R500 per day