Gondwana Private Game Reserve. December 2023.
1 . The Camp and Reserve.
The Eco Tented Camp.
I booked the eco tented camp which only consists of 7 tents spaced out along a narrow valley about 30 minutes drive from the main lodge. The tents have a bedroom and en-suite bathroom with a covered deck ouside overlooking the valley. There's a lounge, dining area, boma, bar and pool nearby. Accommodation, all meals and 2 games drives a day are included in the price.
The tents were comfortable and very private. There was a boardwalk to the lounge/dining area and to the area where the game vehicles were parked. I enjoyed sitting on the deck during the day watching birds, insects and a solitary buck.
Four of the tents along the valley.
The dining and lounge area. All the meals were excellent.
Our view from the deck outside our tent.
I watched this grysbok make its way along the valley and then up the opposite hillside.
On Christmas Day our evening meal was outide in the boma around a fire.
The Reserve
The Reserve is located in the Fynbos (fine bush) area of the Western Cape which does not exist anywhere else in the world. It grows on sandy, infertile soils, poor in nutrients, that are not suitable for agricultural crops. Fynbos is dominated by restios, ericas, proteas and bulbs. Much of the Reserve is covered in the low shrubs of fynbos but there are some areas of trees, primarily black wattle which was in forestry plantations before it became a game reserve. This is now considered an alien invasive species as it spreads very quickly and uses up a lot of water. The Reserve is gradually removing the wattle trees and shrubs.
Much of the Reserve is hilly with some beautiful views.
Late afternoon sun and clouds over the Reserve.
Sunset as we drove back to our camp.
Last updated: April 2024