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Mountain Zebra National Park

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This page displays all information relevant to this park/camp, except the following:

The craggy heights of the Mountain Zebra National Park's Bankberg embrace rolling plains and deep valleys, and have become an entrancing preserve for the Cape mountain zebra. The proclamation of the park in 1937 saved these animals from extinction, and currently their population stands at 300 where they roam 28 412 hectares of land. Other mammals found here include the cheetah, Cape buffalo, black rhino, eland, black wildebeest, red hartebeest and gemsbok, while mountain reedbuck and grey rhebok frequent the higher areas. Caracal occupies the niche of primary predator.

5 things to seek

  • Black rhinoceros
  • Cape buffalo
  • Cheetah
  • Cape mountain zebra
  • Blue crane
  • Stanley's bustard

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Accommodation

  • All accommodation is serviced daily and provided with bedding, towels and soap.
  • Doornhoek Guest House, a restored Victorian homestead, accommodating 6 persons, three bedrooms, en suite bathrooms (bath), fully equipped kitchen.
  • Four-bed family cottages, each with two bedrooms, bathroom and partially equipped kitchen.

Camping

  • Caravan and camp sites with communal ablution facilities. Camp sites equipped with 220V power points.
  • A maximum of six persons, one caravan with a side tent and one vehicle, or one tent and one vehicle, or one autovilla or one motorised caravan will be permitted per site.
  • The camping area is sited on a mixture of earth and grass. Lawn-type grass struggles to grow in the park conditions.

To view the accommodation prices, refer to Tariffs

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Activities

Please note that all bookings for activities are done at the Park's reception.

  • Game viewing from own vehicle.
  • Guided game drives R110 per adult, R55 per child under 12 years (booking essential).
  • Picnic sites.
  • Impofu 3-day hiking trail: R150 per person (booking essential) with accommodation in two overnight huts.
  • San cave paintings: R90 per adult, R45 per child (booking essential).
  • Short walking trails (There is no extra charge for these walking trails but visitors must inform reception of their starting time and sign an indemnity form):
    • Imbila trail (1km, 20 min) and the Black Eagle trail (3km, 2 hrs) start next to the swimming pool.
    • Idwala hiking trail (10 km) long starts at the Rest Camp and passes the famous Big Rock.

Facilities

  • Fully licensed a la carte restaurant, also serving light refreshments.
  • Shop where curios and basic commodities may be purchased.
  • Barbecue and ablution facilities for day visitors.
  • Swimming pool for resident guests only.
  • Petrol and diesel are available in the restcamp.

Conference Facilities

  • Full conference facilities for a maximum of 20 people
  • Catering facilities available
  • Reservations: Tel: +27 12 426-5025
  • Fax: +27 12 426-5488

Wedding Receptions

  • Facilities available for small wedding receptions, maximum 20 people
  • Venue is adjacent to the Doornhoek Guest Cottage
  • The venue should be booked together with the guest cottage
  • Final arrangements should be confirmed with the park

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Park Map

Click on the maps to enlarge.

Camp Layout

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Park

Map & Design [above]: Robin Frandsen

 

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Tariffs

Members of SANParks’ loyalty programme WILD do not pay conservation fees provided that proof of Identity and their WILD card are shown on arrival.

Daily Conservation Fee for 1 November 2008 to 31 August 2009

South African Citizens and Residents (with ID):

R20 per person, per day

SADC Nationals (with passport):

R40 per adult, per day
R20 per child, per day

Standard Conservation Fee :

R80 per adult, per day
R40 per child, per day

 

Tariffs for 1 November 2008 to 31 August 2009
10% on camping and family cottages from 1 - 13 June and 13 August - 19 September
Unit type
No. of units
Rate
Base
Max. beds
Add. Adult
Add. Child

20

R130

1–2

6 people per site

R42

R21

17

R540

1-2

4 single beds

R124

R62

Family Cottage FA4Z (accessible to the mobility challenged)

2

R540

1-2

4 single beds

R124

R62

Doorhook Guest House tariff in effect until 31 March 2009

1

R875

1-4

2 double and 2 single beds

R216

R108
Doorhook Guest House tariff in effect from 1 April 2009 - 31 August 2009

1

R1 200

1-4

2 double and 2 single beds

R216

R108

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Tips and Hints

  • Remember to bring along a hat, walking shoes, sun block, camera, binoculars and bird and mammal reference books. Hikers on both nature trails and overnight trail must carry sufficient water.
  • Warm clothes are essential for the winter months.
  • Visitors can only alight from vehicles at restcamp, picnic spots and certain marked areas.
  • Pets are not allowed in national parks.
  • Firearms must be declared at the entrance gate where they will be sealed. The seal will be broken upon departure.
  • Motorcycles or bicycles are not allowed.
  • Medical, pharmaceutical, vehicle repair and police services available in Cradock.

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Vital Information

Travel / How to get there

The park is situated 12 km from the picturesque town of Cradock on the Middelburg-Graaff Reinett road, and is 280 km from Port Elizabeth, 800 km from Cape Town, 800 km from Johannesburg and 1 050 km from Durban. The access route to the park entrance and most of the internal tourist routes are gravel, whilst certain sections are tarred or concrete.

Office Hours

1 October to 31 March - 07:00 to 19:00
1 April to 30 September - 07:00 to 18:00

Gate Hours

1 October to 31 March: 07:00 - 19:00
1 April to 30 September: 07:00 - 18:00

Day Visitors

For people staying in Cradock, Mountain Zebra offers an excellent day visitor destination. There are a couple of picnic sites in the park to cater for day and overnight visitors.

Contact Information

For enquiries e-mail Mountain Zebra National Park or phone us on the following numbers:

Park: Tel +27 (0)48 881 2427 or 3434
Fax +27 (0)48 881 3943

GPS Coordinates

S320 08.458' , E0250 30.579' Elevation 996m above sea level.

 

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Climate

During summer the average maximum temperature is 23.1ºC – 28.4ºC while the average minimum is 5.6ºC -13.6ºC. The winter average maximum 16.2ºC – 22.7ºC and the average minimum is 0.05ºC -7.8ºC.

The winter months receive occasional snowfall, which falls mostly on the higher peaks - the southern mountain range - of the park. Frost occurs May to October.

Annual rainfall is about 400 mm with the majority (70%) falling in the summer months (December to February).

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Birding in Mountain Zebra National Park

Verreaux’s (Black) and Martial Eagle and Jackal Buz za rd soar impressively over this mountain habitat. Pale-winged Starling is very conspicuous on the mountain plateau, where Ostrich, Secretarybird, Blue Crane and Ludwig’s Bustard are the larger more visible species. Grey-winged Francolin, Ground Woodpecker, Large-billed (Thick-billed) and Eastern Long-billed Lark, Cape and Sentinel Rock-Thrush, Mountain Wheatear (Chat) and Orange-breasted Rockjumper should also be searched for, while Pink-billed Lark and African Rock Pipit are less common.

The wooded kloofs and acacia stands host species such as Red-fronted Tinker Barbet, Lesser Honeyguide, Red-throated Wryneck and Southern Tchagra.

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Mammals

The highlight of the park’s mammalian fauna is obviously the ±300 or so Cape mountain zebra after which the park is named. These zebra differ from the plains or Burchell’s zebra, by having narrower stripes, absence of shadow stripes and orange facial colouration. Other noticeable species of the mountain plateau are the red hartebeest, eland and springbok. In the more wooded valleys visitors should search for kudu, and two of the park’s more recent reintroductions, the African buffalo and the black rhino.

Species list

Common Name

Specie Name

Order INSECTIVORA

Family Macroscelididae

 

Cape rock elephant-shrew

Elephantulus edwardii (?)

Rock elephant-shrew

Elephantulus myurus

Smith's rock elephant-shrew

Elephantulus rupestris

Round-eared elephant-shrew

Macroscelides proboscideus (?)

Family Erinaceidae

 

South African hedgehog

Erinaceus frontalis

Family Soricidae

 

Reddish grey musk shrew

Crocidura cyanea

Forest shrew

Myosorex varius

Family Chrysochloridae

 

Hottentot golden mole

Amblysomus hottentotus

Order INSECTIVORA

ORDER CHIROPTERA

 

Family Molossidae

 

Egyptian free-tailed bat

Tadarida aegyptiaca (?)

Family Vespertilionidae

 

Cape serotine bat

Eptesicus capensis

Schreibers' long-fingered bat

Miniopterus schreibersi (?)

Family Rhinolophidae

 

Geoffroy's horseshoe bat

Rhinolophus clivosus

Order PRIMATES

Family Cercopithecidae

 

Vervet monkey

Cercopithecus pygerythrus

Chacma baboon

Papio ursinus

Order CARNIVORA

Family Hyaenidae

 

Aardwolf

Proteles cristatus

Family Felidae

 

Cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus

Cape wild cat

Felis lybica

Black-footed cat

Felis nigripes

Caracal

Felis caracal

Family Canidae

 

Bat-eared fox

Otocyon megalotis

Silver fox Vulpes chama

 

Blackbacked jackal

Canis mesomelas

Family Mustelidae

 

Cape clawless otter

Aonyx capensis

Striped polecat

Ictonyx striatus

Whitenaped weasel

Poeciligale albinucha

Family Viverridae

 

Small-spotted genet

Genetta genetta

Cape grey mongoose

Galerella pulverulenta

Water mongoose

Atilax paludinosus

Yellow mongoose

Cynictis penicillata

Suricate

Suricata suricatta

Order HYRACOIDEA

Family Procaviidae

 

Rock dassie

Procavia capensis

Order TUBULIDENTATA

Family Orycteropodidae

 

Ant bear

Orycteropus afer

Order LAGOMORPHA

Family Leporidae

 

Scrub hare

Lepus saxatilis

Cape hare

Lepus capensis

Natal red rock rabbit

Pronolagus crassicaudatus (?)

Smith's red rock rabbit

Pronolagus rupestris

Order RODENTIA

Family Bathyergidae

 

Common mole-rat

Cryptomys hottentotus

Family Hystricidae

 

Porcupine

Hystrix africaeaustralis

Family Sciuridae

 

Ground squirrel

Xerus inauris

Family Pedetidae

 

Springhare

Pedetes capensis

Family Gliridae

 

Spectacled dormouse

Graphiurus ocularis

Woodland dormouse

Graphiurus murinus

Family Cricetidae

 

Pouched mouse

Saccostomus campestris

Bush karoo rat

Otomys unisulcatus

Short-tailed gerbil

Desmodillus auricularis

Hairy-footed gerbil

Gerbillurus paeba

Family Muridae

 

Grant's rock mouse

Aethomys granti

Namaqua rock mouse

Aethomys namaquensis

Multimammate mouse

Praomys natalensis

House rat

Rattus rattus

Striped mouse

Rhabdomys pumilio

Order PERISSODACTYLA

Family Equidae

 

Cape mountain zebra

Equus zebra zebra

Order ARTIODACTYLA

Family Suidae

 

Bushpig

Potamochoerus porcus

Family Bovidae

 

Eland

Taurotragus oryx

Kudu

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Mountain reedbuck

Redunca fulvorufula

Red hartebeest

Redunca fulvorufula

Black wildebeest

Connochaetes gnou

Blesbok

Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi

Springbok

Antidorcas marsupialis

Grey duiker

Sylvicapra grimmia

Steenbok

Raphicerus campestris

Klipspringer

Oreotragus oreotragus

Grey rhebuck

Pelea capreolus

Cape Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

Order PERISSODACTYLA

Family Rhinocerotidae

 

Black Rhinoceros

Diceros bicornis

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Vegetation

Mountain Zebra National Park has three vegetation types (Mucina et al. 2005): the Eastern Upper Karoo, Karoo Escarpment Grassland and Eastern Cape Escarpment Thicket making up 37%, 53% and 10%, respectively of the park. The park thus incorporates elements of three biomes: the Nama-Karoo, Grassland and Thicket.

The Karoo Escarpment Grassland is dominated by the grass species Merxmuellera disticha, with shrubs such as Euryops annuus, and Elytropappus rhinocerotis. The Eastern Upper Karoo is a mix of grass and shrub dominated vegetation types that are subject to dynamic changes in species composition depending upon rainfall. Shrubs such as Pentzia incana, Eriocephalus ericoides dominate, while grasses such as Aristida spp. Eragrostis spp. and Themeda triandra are common. Fires are fairly common in the Karoo Escarpment Grassland and may also occur occasionally in the Eastern Upper Karoo. The vegetation types in the Mountain Zebra National Park are poorly or hardly protected elsewhere in South Africa (Driver et al. 2005).

The combination of different vegetation types is important from the point of view of preserving biodiversity, as well as from an aesthetic viewpoint. The area is one of transition between biomes allowing for an interesting mix of flora and fauna, as well as preserving important ecological and landscape processes. The warm north-facing slopes (which characterise the park) with a wide diversity of habitats ranging from mountaintops to valley bottoms provide suitable habitat ideal to cater for the seasonal requirements of the large herbivores (Novellie et al. 1988). In addition the north aspect provides for productive land capable of supporting relatively high densities of game, with greater proportions of the more productive Karoo veld types allowing the carrying of large herbivores.

Herbivore densities within the rocky grassland areas are likely to be low. Importantly, all of the major vegetation types in the park are currently very poorly conserved elsewhere in South Africa: South Eastern Mountain Grassland (0.3% conserved), Eastern Mixed Nama Karoo (1.08%), Valley Thicket (2.2%) and Central Lower Karoo (0.05%). Hence, the park will play a critical role in the long-term preservation of biodiversity.

The interface between biomes promotes a rich flora, as well as preserving important ecological and landscape processes. An analysis of the flora (Pond et al. 2002) revealed 680 plant species in the park, thirteen of which are Red Data species. At 5.05 plant species per 100 ha, the density of plant species in the Mountain Zebra National Park is very high compared to other protected areas in the arid and semi-arid areas of South Africa, a feature which can be ascribed to the wide habitat and substrate diversity of the park (Pond et al. 2002).

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People with disabilities

Wheelchair Access

Accommodation

The park has 18 4-bed cottages and one 6-bed guesthouse. None of these have specific adaptations, such as roll-in showers and grab rails adjacent the toilet. All the cottages have steps at their entrances, although in a couple of these units the step is low enough for a strong wheelchair user to get in unassisted. There is also a 6-bed guesthouse, which has no steps or uneven surface prohibiting entry. All the units have baths which will only be appropriate for some people. In time the park will be able to upgrade selected units into properly accessible ones.

Main Complex

Access into and within the main complex is ramped. Accessible ablution facilities could be provided and access to the shop improved.

Other facilities and activities

The park has limited facilities and activities. Game viewing is done from the comfort of one's own vehicle. The picnic sites and walking trails are fairly rustic, with no formal adaptation provided for persons with mobility or sensory impairment.

(Please see additional information on Wheelchair Accessibility)

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