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Bontebok National Park


Bontebok National Park is a place of simplistic beauty and peaceful charm. The majestic Langeberg Mountains provide a picturesque backdrop for this Park of colorful riches. A part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, now heralded as a world heritage site, Bontebok National Park always offers something in bloom.

The Park is proud to promote its achievements in biodiversity conservation, from the endangered fynbos veld type, coastal Renosterveld to the namesake bontebok! Once these colorful antelope numbered a mere 17, and through effective management we are proud to affirm that the present world population amounts to around 3000. The Park offers much more for nature lovers, from a diversity of indigenous animal life to over 200 remarkable bird species.

The Breede River provides an idyllic western border to the park and offers guests scenery, bird watching, fishing, and a refreshing swimming spot. Visitors can also get a profound familiarity of the Park’s endless sights and sounds while on one of the various hiking trails or on a winding bike trip. Furthermore, Bontebok provides its guests with an experience of South African culture.

Connect to the people of the past and learn about how the Khoisan lived and changed through local history. Come and enjoy all we have to offer, from adventure or a lazy day braai to a relaxing stay in a Park of natural and cultural tranquility.

Latest News

  • Swellendam Canola WAF Mountain Bike Race

    Date: 2008-08-07

    We would like to inform all visitors to Bontebok National Park, that on Saturday, 9 August 2008, the Swellendam Canola WAF Mountain Bike race will be passing through the Park as part of the 55km race being hosted on the day. The cyclists will utilize the tourist roads and should be traveling through the Park between 11h00 and 14h00.

Areas of Special Interest

Bontebok is an excellent place to use as a home base to visit:

  • The wine routes and historic buildings of Swellendam, Robertson, Montagu, Ashton and Bonnievale.
  • The hot springs in Montagu.
  • A six-day hiking trail that winds through the Langeberg Mountains in Marloth Nature Reserve and is rated amongst the top hiking trails in Southern Africa.
  • The Drostdy Museum that will transport you back through the history of the Swellendam area.

5 Things to seek

  • Bontebok
  • Cape Mountain Zebra
  • Stanley’s Bustard
  • Breede River
  • Lang Elsie’s Kraal

Did you know that...

  • The park was proclaimed in 1931 to protect the last 30 Bontebok left in the wild?
  • It is also one of the largest remaining 'renosterveld islands' containing several plant species found nowhere else in the world?
  • It is also the smallest of South Africa's 20 National Parks?
  • It has a high density of rare and endangered bird life, fynbos species and animal life?
  • The Breede River runs through it?
  • The rest camp is named after the 'Hessekwa' khoi-khoi chieftainess called 'Lang Elsie'?
  • The Hessekwa traded with the first Dutch settlers who landed in Cape Town in 1652?
  • The park has a spectacular view of the Langeberg mountains?



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