Glamping in the Little Karoo: Gamkaberg Nature Reserve

Halfway between the towns of Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn off the popular R62 is a delightful provincial nature reserve called Gamkaberg. Here you can experience the drama of the Cape fold mountains, an ancient geological process caused by the uplift of the earth's crust millions of years ago which has left behind deep kloofs carving their way into the mountains that flank the Little Karoo in South Africa.

Solar power is the order of the day

Gamkaberg has excellent facilities in the form of tented camps where you can do a bit of "glamping", a style of camping where all work has been done for you. You sleep between real sheets, but under canvas, close to the stars and where you can hear the owl calling at night and the Cape robin chat at dawn, without any sweat or arguments over putting up a tent. And because each of these tented camps is small, you can book one as a group for the weekend and it will be just you and your friends enjoying the outdoors together.

Tent at Fossil Ridge

We stayed at Fossil Ridge Eco Lodge which has two comfortably appointed tents, a separate ablution facility with two bathrooms, including a shower and composting or "dry" toilet (because this is a water scarce area). The fully equipped kitchen hut with outdoor braai area is where we spent our evenings around the fire. There was meant to be an eco pool but it wasn't ready yet (and in fact we were told that technically our camp wasn't open to the public because of it). The other camps in the reserve (Tierkloof and Soetdoring) had beautiful eco pools which looked very inviting, although it was still a bit too chilly in early August for swimming. In summer, though, the pool might just be the place where you spend most of your day and possibly part of the night.

Eco pool at Tierkloof. This camp sleeps eight and is right at the mouth of the kloof making for a dramatic setting. The reeds to the right cleanse the water which gets pumped back through the main pool area.

Close up of the rocky cliffs from inside the kloof.

Pelargonium

Platanna

The real reason for visiting this reserve is to delight in nature's detail: the rich fynbos, the birdlife and the striking views you can enjoy on one of many well signposted trails, one of which takes you deep into the kloof.

Exploring the ridge behind Fossil Ridge and Soetdoring camps

A commanding and precipitous view towards Calitzdorp on the way up the mountain

The road into the reserve is strictly 4x4

Iris flowering

A deceptively steep pass takes you up and down the mountain into the reserve proper

A labyrinth for those who have things to work out

TIP Double check with CapeNature that Fossil Ridge Eco Lodge is open when you make a booking. Even though we had booked, we were told upon our arrival that this camp was closed because there was still some outstanding work to be done on the eco pool. Fortunately, aside from the pool, it was all set up so we were allowed to stay on or else our 400km drive from Cape Town might have ended in disappointment. Tierkloof, closer to the mouth of the kloof, is also a delightful camp but takes eight people so we'll make up a larger group and test its facilities next time we visit. 

The road back to camp

Walking on the wild side: Nyalaland Wilderness Trail

I think we all have a primeval need to put ourselves in harm's way sometimes just to feel that little bit more alive. Why else would one choose to go walking in the Kruger National Park? And then keep going back again and again...

The view from the fly camp on the Luvuvhu River

This was my fourth trail in the park and the second time doing the Nyalaland Wilderness Trail in the far north. Not that any trail is really the same twice even though the drill is roughly the same. You spend three nights in the bush with two rangers looking after you and a cook who keeps you well fed. You sleep in tents or huts in proper beds with sheets and blankets. Ablutions might be basic but you'll get a hot shower after your exertions. 

Our tent was between an appleleaf and leadwood tree.

Each morning, you set off early for a walk of several hours (in this instance we were out for about five hours at a time) but the rangers spend a lot of time talking to you about what you're seeing and hearing. 

There is a chance of encountering dangerous animals, but for the most part it's about the little things - the birds, the bugs, the bush. We learnt about the intricacies of dung beetles, termite mounds and what a civet's midden looks like, among other things.

The previous time I'd been on the Nyalaland Trail, the camp was located away from the river around a giant baobab. A few years ago, this camp was flooded and so the present camp is a fly camp on the bank of the Luvuvhu River, west of Punda Maria. You know it's awesome when everyone on the back of the game vehicle bursts into spontaneous applause as you arrive at your destination. And for that extra little frisson, this camp was unfenced.

Our first night out we were treated to a display of fireflies flitting over the river. One even landed on my arm as we ate our dinner.

Leopard spoor was a regular sighting.

Our guides, Christopher Muthathi and David Nemukula, warned us that we shouldn't stray too far - they created an imaginary fence for us, pointing out a couple of bushes. Beyond that, we were not allowed to walk, nor were we to go down to the river unaccompanied, although some among our party swam in the rapids to cool off after the morning walk, under Christopher's watchful eye. That we had nocturnal visitors nearby was evidenced by the spoor we found in the mornings, the whooping calls of the hyenas at night and the telltale sawing of wood that is the leopard's bark.

One of our party quickly rustled up a water colour of the view from our camp.

On one evening walk, we were lucky enough to observe a herd of buffalo coming down to the river to drink.

The buffalo were on the far side of the river but nevertheless pretty nervous of us and soon pushed off in a cloud of dust.

One of our sundowners was from a view site high above the river. We could see the hippos below getting ready to leave the water to go grazing for the night. Some of the hippos had large fish nibbling around them.

In the afternoon, you go out again, but usually for a shorter outing with a sundowner. Here Christopher urged us to observe a moment of silence at sunset, just like our brethren the baboons would, I guess.

We were served a hearty brunches and even heartier suppers by Winston Hlungwani, son of the late Thomas Hlungwani who was the chef when I last did the Nyalaland trail.

Because you are on a wilderness trail, your rangers can take you on roads that are otherwise not open to the public. The Punda Maria area is known for its spectacular trees.

Among the magnificent trees of the area are many baobabs.

Early morning, and Christopher rallies us around. The idea is you walk in silence and you whistle if you want to stop to ask a question. While one ranger talks, the other goes ahead to scout for animals.

A golden orb spider with her elaborate larder was another opportunity to learn about the intricacies of nature.

And perhaps the most dangerous encounter of all, a puffadder quietly shared our picnic spot with us one morning - and was only discovered as we were packing up to leave. Fortunately, it chose to keep its peace, but it was a salutory reminder that we were truly in the wild and help was not immediately to hand.

Book a trail

There are eight wilderness trails in the Kruger, each as different as the next, and some more popular than others. Nyalaland is in a really scenic part of the park but is not known for its lions. This is rather elephant and buffalo country. For more information on the trails, visit the Kruger's activity link on the SANParks website.

Weekend Away: Boesmanskloof near McGregor

Berg Rosie cottage at Onverwacht near McGregor.

This weekend past we managed to get away from the daily grind to a beautiful spot at the top of Boesmanskloof, courtesy of Robertson Wine Valley tourism. (I won a competition by answering an email question, which just goes to show it's worth answering these things.)

The kloof is a popular 14km hiking trail (described as 'reasonably strenuous') between the little towns of Greyton and McGregor on either side of the Riviersonderend Mountains. We weren't there to hike, but to chill with good friends, good food, good wine and good books.  

We stayed at Onverwacht Cottages which are 16km outside of McGregor up the mountain at the start of the trail. It's about a three-hour drive from Cape Town if you can miss the rush-hour traffic. 

There are seven cottages here, three self-standing and the other four attached. None has electricity (just paraffin lamps and gas for cooking and hot water) but otherwise they have everything you need. The best views are from Berg Rosie (above) and Bergtrein (which consists of the four interlinked cottages, ideal for a group).

We stayed in Waboom cottage (with the green roof) which has two bedrooms. Blushing Bride (left) is a cosy spot for a couple with a view of the McGregor Valley, while Berg Rosie (to the right) also has two bedrooms and a dramatic view of the kloof from its stoep. Next time...

A fynbos special, the orange-breasted sunbird came to chill on the stoep for a bit.

Looked like a pelargonium but I wasn't sure. There were lovely flowers all along our drive to McGregor with spring in full swing.

The cottages are up a steep hill with views on either side - this down towards Robertson

As the song says: “Suikerbossie, ek wil jou hê.” (Sugerbush, I want you.)

On the Saturday morning, the men went for a stiff walk up the mountain, while the women ventured into the deep kloof to swim in a mountain pool called Bobbejaansgat ('baboon's hole'). The water was so cold it knocked the breath out of me. It was wonderful to be back in the mountains, even if we had to climb back out of the kloof again up a precipitous path (and hardly enough exercise to offset all that good food and wine). 

Nevertheless, at the end of the weekend we felt as if we'd won the jackpot!

The swimming hole is at the bottom of the kloof in the bottom right of this picture.