Camdeboo Rest Camp
Camdeboo National Park
Albany Thicket biome · Springbok · Water mongoose
From R 357 a night
Inside park
Where to stay in and near Camdeboo National Park
Valley of Desolation scenic views
Eastern Cape, South Africa
Malaria-free
About Camdeboo National Park
Camdeboo wraps almost completely around the Karoo town of Graaff-Reinet, which means you can walk out of a Victorian guesthouse and be in a national park within minutes. The park's centrepiece is the Valley of Desolation, a cluster of dolerite columns above the plains that is the classic sunset viewpoint of the Karoo. Below it, the Nqweba Dam draws waterbirds, and the plains carry Cape mountain zebra, buffalo, kudu and springbok. It is malaria-free, the drives are short, and Graaff-Reinet itself, with more national monuments than any other town in the country, is the reason to stay a second night.
Things to do: Fishing · Game drives · Hiking · Scenic drives · Stargazing
Where you can stay: Rest camps · Chalets · Camping
Wildlife near Camdeboo National Park
What people record most across Eastern Cape. Past sightings, never a guarantee.
From iNaturalist records across Eastern Cape, not confirmed sightings inside this reserve.
Stay in & near Camdeboo 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 Camdeboo National Park. Tap the pin for the listing.
32.2491° S, 24.4719° E200 km from Cape TownOpen in Maps (opens in a new tab)
Why book here
Your stay helps keep Camdeboo 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
Camdeboo National Park: your questions
Where is Camdeboo National Park?
Camdeboo National Park is in Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Is Camdeboo National Park malaria-free?
Yes. Camdeboo 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 Camdeboo National Park?
In Eastern Cape, commonly recorded species include animals such as Red Hartebeest, Oribi, Yellow Mongoose, Cape Mountain Zebra and birds including Red-necked Spurfowl, Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Cape Parrot, based on iNaturalist occurrence data. These reflect the wider province, not confirmed sightings inside the reserve.
How do you book a stay at Camdeboo 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 Camdeboo 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 Camdeboo 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 Camdeboo National Park?
The best time to visit Camdeboo National Park is Year-round (best Mar-May, Sep-Nov).
What is there to do at Camdeboo National Park?
Popular activities at Camdeboo National Park include fishing, game drives, hiking, scenic drives, stargazing.
Where can you stay in Camdeboo National Park?
Places to stay inside Camdeboo National Park include Camdeboo Rest Camp. Request them here; Spekboom handles the SANParks confirmation. Every booking funds conservation.
Parks near Camdeboo National Park
The closest parks and reserves. Distances run centre to centre, as the crow flies.
Mountain Zebra National Park
Eastern Cape, South Africa
Mountain Zebra National ParkNational Park · 93 km
Cape mountain zebra conservation
Malaria-free
Addo Elephant National Park
Eastern Cape, South Africa
Addo Elephant National ParkNational Park · 127 km
Famous for elephant herds and Big Seven
Big Five · Malaria-free
Garden Route National Park
Western Cape, South Africa
Garden Route National ParkNational Park · 197 km
Coastal forests and marine areas
Malaria-free
Part of
Other parks and reserves that share something with Camdeboo 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 Eastern 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)
