Love camping but not so keen on queuing for the bathroom? These campsites offer the added luxury of your own facilities. Now that’s what we call camping bliss. By Gaynor Siljeur
Motswedi Campsite, Mokala National Park
If you are looking for a more exclusive camping experience, look no further. Motswedi Campsite has just six stands spaced well away from each other in a half moon around a waterhole – ideal for game viewing. Each stand has its own bathroom with a solar geyser for hot showers, and a kitchen with a gas fridge/freezer and two-plate gas burner. What’s more, the kitchen has a built-in preparation nook where you can sit and enjoy breakfast in peace and quiet. If you don’t feel like traditional camping fare (a lekker braai), treat yourself to a meal at Mosu Restaurant – their venison pie is legendary. Since Motswedi is situated some distance away, meals after 18:00 are only offered as part of a dinner and game drive combo for minimum four people; alternatively, book for lunch.
Good to know: There is no electricity available at the campsite, so it would be a good idea to pack portable charging devices for mobile phones and laptops. The camping grounds have a solar-powered electric fence to keep buffalo out.
Cost: R459 base rate for two guests, R152 for an extra adult, R76 for an extra child
Contact: SANParks Central Reservation Offices at +27 (0)12 428 9111 or book online.
Motswedi Campsite in Mokala National Park. Picture by Johan Barnard.
Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve
Lofty trees, birdsong and tranquillity await when you pitch your tent at Grootvadersbosch. While all 12 campsites offer views of the indigenous forest, two of them (stands 11 and 12) boast their own ablution facilities. Each stand has its own braai facilities but there is a thatched communal braai-area if you feel like getting to know your fellow campers. At Grootvadersbosch it’s all about the forest, with a variety of day hikes and two elevated hides that give you a bird’s eye view of the canopy. Look for forest dwellers like Narina trogon and Forest Buzzard, and admire venerable red alder, yellowwood, stinkwood and ironwood trees. Adjoining Boosmansbos Wilderness area is also worth a visit.
Good to know: Bring your own firewood to be safe. Firewood is not always on sale at the campsite and the supply from neighbouring farms is sporadic.
Cost: The stands with their own ablutions cost R260 for one or two people during off-peak season, R55 per additional person (maximum four). During peak season R370 per night for one to four people.
Contact: CapeNature Call Centre at +27 (0)21 483 0190 or book online.
Grootvadersbosch campsite in the magnificent foothills of the Langeberg Mountains.
Also read: Overnight hiking in Boosmansbos Wilderness Area
Langkloof Campsite, Tankwa Karoo National Park
Situated within the scenic upper reaches of Langkloof Gorge, this campsite is priceless if you are looking to camp without the crowds. Langkloof consists of just two stands, each with their own bathroom featuring a gas geyser, kitchenette, braai facilities and carport. Tankwa Karoo National Park is known for its rich bird life, peculiar plants, vast plains, starry nights, and utter peace and quiet. Off-road enthusiasts can get their vehicles dirty on a number of 4×4 tracks.
Good to know: There is no cellular reception within the park, but there is Wi-Fi at Roodewerf reception. You need a high clearance (2×4 or 4×4) vehicle to get to Langkloof. During the rainy season the route to the campsite becomes 4×4 only.
Cost: R354 base rate for two guests, R152 for an extra adult, R76 for an extra child
Contact: SANParks Central Reservation Offices at +27 (0)12 428 9111 or book online.
Langkloof Campsite is situated within the scenic upper reaches of Langkloof Gorge
Also read: Where to camp without the crowds
Grootvaderebos, campsites are small and crowded with cars driving right on top of your tent. No forest nearby and no shade.
When I booked I was under the impression that we would have space and lots of shade. Not the case. Most disappointed.
Left 2 days early and went to Bontebok and had a fantastic stay.
I do agree, but to get to Mokala we have had to survive the most atrocious road that we have ever encountered to the entrance of a park (September 2018). I will advise prudent visitors to include the cost for repairing the damage to your caravan in your budget. I also will consider it appropriate for SANPARKS to inform visitors about the condition of both entrance roads to Mokala – the northern one was slightly less demanding.
SANParks never seem to learn or they’re not on the same page when it comes to planning.
Using gas fridge/freezers in Mokala and Tankwa when a simple 12v solar system would suffice to power electric F/F beggars belief. Have they not learnt a thing from the problems they have had and the visitor complaints wrt the F/F’s in the Kgalagadi, Richtersveld etc. ? In the Kgalagadi they are now replacing the old gas units with 12v solar electric ones so why not use the technology in these two Parks?
Money being wasted, and a greater carbon footprint, on buying & delivering gas to remote places – this is conservation?
I think it would be fair for SanParks to add that the two Langkloof campsites in Tankwa are on top of each other. If you want the experienced as described above, then you must to book both sites.
Goeie Middag
Modswedi by Mokala is n baie baie lekker rustige kamp plek ver vanaf die gedruis van die res ons het al baie daar gekamp
Mens kan nie met karavaan gaan nie lw nie n pad karavaan nie wel n 4×4 karavaan sal daar werk Ons ry met bakkie en gaan slaan tent op by Modswedi Lekker lekker ek verlang na n kamp daar
We camped at Motswedi, Mokala mid February. Directions to park from Jacobsdal non – existant or misleading. Given site 1 with good view of waterhole. Clean ablutions but overflow from geyser dripped onto bricks outside our kitchen. At Langkloof in Tankwa given site 6 so felt alone. Need for fridge of some sort, especially in February, and maybe gas burners as at Mokala.
On the whole we were very happy with our experiences – second visits to both camps!!
Mokala could do with a few more Campsites, we had to miss out on Camping within the Wonderful Park since it was fully booked in March 2019, imagine with June & Dec more People would want to camp, Luckily we found a most wonderful Caravan park on banks of Riet River few Km’s away.
Went to Motswedi at Mokala for the first time at the beginning of April. Wonderful little camp, great views of waterhole. There were other campers, but it’s small enough so that the noise levels don’t bother you. The peace and quiet of this park and campsite is great. All Sanparks employees very friendly and helpful. The only thing that Mokala needs, are predators. I am pretty sure the animals are being culled to keep the numbers down since there are no natural predators to do the job. Very very skittish, they run away immediately when driving up to take photos. And a few predators will also lure more visitors to the park. The road going to the main gate near Mosau camp, was freshly scraped and we could comfortable drive at a speed of 60 – 70km’s p/h all the way.