Bontebok Rest Camp
Bontebok National Park
Fynbos biome · Cape clawless otter · Cape cobra
From R 316 a night
Inside park
Where to stay in and near Bontebok National Park
Protects bontebok antelope
Western Cape, South Africa
Malaria-free
About Bontebok National Park
Bontebok is the smallest of South Africa's national parks, created near Swellendam in 1931 to save an antelope that had fallen to around thirty animals. There are now several hundred bontebok in the park and thousands more in the wild, which makes it one of the country's clearer conservation successes. The park is renosterveld and fynbos along the Breede River, with Cape mountain zebra, red hartebeest and good fynbos birding, and it is a relaxed place: short drives, a swim in the river in summer, a rest camp of chalets and campsites. It is malaria-free and an easy addition to a Garden Route or Overberg route.
Things to do: Canoeing · Fishing · Game drives · Hiking · Mountain biking · Scenic drives
Where you can stay: Rest camps · Chalets · Camping
Wildlife near Bontebok National Park
What people record most across Western Cape. Past sightings, never a guarantee.
From iNaturalist records across Western Cape, not confirmed sightings inside this reserve.
Stay in & near Bontebok National Park
Request inside-park camps here. Spekboom confirms with SANParks, then you pay on Spekboom. Mix in a gateway stay from the same list if you want nights outside the fence.
Getting there
One stay we sell in Bontebok National Park. Tap the pin for the listing.
34.0677° S, 20.4656° E50 km from Cape TownOpen in Maps (opens in a new tab)
Why book here
Your stay helps keep Bontebok National Park wild
Wild places survive when the communities around them earn more from protecting wildlife than from anything that would replace it. Every stay you book through Spekboom carries a conservation contribution built into the price, never added on top, so choosing where you sleep becomes a way to fund the people and projects keeping this landscape intact.
- Built into every booking
- A conservation share
- Where it goes
- Local causes & communities
Bontebok National Park: your questions
Where is Bontebok National Park?
Bontebok National Park is in Western Cape, South Africa.
Is Bontebok National Park malaria-free?
Yes. Bontebok National Park is in an area recorded as malaria-free, which is why it is a common choice for families with young children and for a first safari. Malaria risk can shift with the season and the year, so confirm current advice with a travel clinic before you go.
What wildlife can you see near Bontebok National Park?
In Western Cape, commonly recorded species include animals such as Cape Dwarf Chameleon, Cape Fur Seal, Southern Right Whale, Cape Grysbok and birds including Agulhas Long-billed Lark, Red-necked Phalarope, Northern Giant Petrel, based on iNaturalist occurrence data. These reflect the wider province, not confirmed sightings inside the reserve.
How do you book a stay at Bontebok National Park?
Request inside-park rest camps on Spekboom. We confirm the dates with SANParks, then you pay on Spekboom. SANParks assigns the unit after confirmation. Gateway lodges and guesthouses listed here book the same way, so you can mix nights inside the park with a stay outside.
How far in advance should you book accommodation in Bontebok National Park?
SANParks opens rest-camp bookings 11 months in advance, releasing a new month on the first working day of each month, and popular camps sell out within days for school holidays, long weekends and peak season. Request as early as you can on Spekboom for those dates. Stays just outside the park usually have availability much closer to the time, and you can book those here too.
Do you pay conservation fees at Bontebok National Park?
Yes. SANParks charges a daily conservation fee per person on top of accommodation, with lower rates for South African residents and SADC nationals. Wild Card members do not pay the daily fee. Tariffs are revised each year, so check current rates when you book.
When is the best time to visit Bontebok National Park?
The best time to visit Bontebok National Park is Sep-Apr (flowers Aug-Oct).
What is there to do at Bontebok National Park?
Popular activities at Bontebok National Park include canoeing, fishing, game drives, hiking, mountain biking, scenic drives.
Where can you stay in Bontebok National Park?
Places to stay inside Bontebok National Park include Bontebok Rest Camp. Request them here; Spekboom handles the SANParks confirmation. Every booking funds conservation.
Parks near Bontebok National Park
The closest parks and reserves. Distances run centre to centre, as the crow flies.
Marloth Nature Reserve
Western Cape, South Africa
Marloth Nature ReserveProvincial Nature Reserve · 14 km
Swellendam mountains
Malaria-free
De Hoop Nature Reserve
Western Cape, South Africa
De Hoop Nature ReserveProvincial Nature Reserve · 44 km
Whale watching and fynbos
World Heritage · Malaria-free
Mont Eco Private Game Reserve
Western Cape, South Africa
Mont Eco Private Game ReservePrivate Game Reserve · 47 km
Big 5 private game reserve in the Klein Karoo, 2.5hrs from Cape Town
Big Five · Malaria-free
Part of
Other parks and reserves that share something with Bontebok National Park.
Malaria-free parks and game reservesNational parks in Southern and East AfricaNational parks and reserves in South AfricaNature reserves and parks in the Western CapeAll protected areas
Official information
The SANParks website has park rules, maps and daily conservation fees. To book a rest camp or a stay nearby, use the places on this page.
- Park website: www.sanparks.org (opens in a new tab)
