From stargazing to wildflowers, Namaqua National Park provides an idyllic escape for those seeking their next digital detox along the West Coast of South Africa.
Zoom in with your camera lens and you’ll realise that Namaqua National Park is brimming with animals and birds. From pint-sized prowling predators like the African wildcat, caracal, and the bat-eared fox to those oh-so-gorgeous little dassies, duikers, and families of meerkats. Although harder to spot than your larger game like elephants and lions found in other heavy hitting parks like the Kruger and Hluhluwe, Namaqua offers a wonderland of wildlife if you really take the time to look.
Namaqualand boasts some of the richest bulb flora of any arid region in the world, and Namaqua National Park is one of the most important (and spectacular!) areas to appreciate them. For the majority of the year, it remains a dry, semi-desert, but the months of July to September sees the landscape burst into colour after the rains. Just imagine it, a wondrous carpet of millions of flowers as far as the eye can see. Nature photographers, you’re up!
If you’re heading into Namaqua National Park with your 4x4, there are some great trails to tackle, including the Caracal route which will take you through varied valleys and unfolding layers of mountains. If you’d prefer to head out on foot, the 3km Korhaan and 5km Skilpad trails should tick the right box. These are particularly good during flower season. There is also a 6km coastal hike where you can add in some dolphin and whale watching along the way. And, although there are no dedicated MTB trails, you can still bring your bike with you just in case.
There’s a stellar variety of birds to see at Namaqua National Park, including the Verreaux’s Eagle, Kori Bustard, Namaqua Sandgrouse, and the Spotted Eagle Owl. The grand drawcard for most bird-lovers is, however, the African Black Oystercatcher, listed as ‘threatened’ on the Red Data list. Despite its name, this red-billed (and red-eyed) bird rarely eats oysters and can be seen along the coastal stretch of the park between the Groen and Spoeg Rivers.