#grootvadersbosch

[herpsandbirds]

Strawberry Rainfrog (Breviceps acutirostris), family Microhylidae, Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa

photograph by Chad Keates

[979512]

Hey, Have you entered Greenpop's awesome I Am Nature Giveaway? Check out these amazing prizes: 1. Two tickets to Reforest Fest 2. A DJI Spark mini-drone from weFix 3. Two night stay for four at Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve from Cape Nature 4. A green living starter pack from Faithful to Nature & a R500 Faithful to Nature voucher If you refer friends you get more chances to win :) https://wn.nr/nPN7h6

[izakvdm]

Man what a #stunning #run at #grootvadersbosch The drop into this #ravine had me gasping and #smiling so many times on this morning run. It was just so #beautiful that we missed our checkout time hehe. If you go there you have to head all the way doen to the bottom and just search a bit on the other side where you will find a #tough but #awesome climb out from the river. Takes away any #negativity and makes you smile and look forward to the day with a #positive attitude! #sunrisemind #asicsfrontrunner2021 #outdoors #trails #trailrunninglife #trailrunning #fitness #happiness #nature #naturelovers (at Grootvaderbosch Nature Reserve) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKgvYgnpzSl/?igshid=1j330se112jqm

[jacquesmarais]

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A post shared by Jacques Marais (@jacqmaraisphoto)

So cool to collaborate with @ozone.africa & @mtbroutes on this new series of regular #mtbroutes #TrailBlogs. This week's post focuses on one of my favourite #backyardrides, the @gvbconservancy 🚲💙 . . | MTBROUTES |#GVBCONSERVANCY . . Go get some #VitaminG(VB)! Here's a huge #High5 to the fabulous #singletrack traversing the @gvbconservancy near #Heidelberg in the untamed #ExplorersGardenRoute. This means less crowds and way more kickass riding; this is why I often head to @strawberryhillfarm on my @giantlivrsa #Anthem to plug into their 140km of purpose-built #MTB trail network 🙌 . . Not many spaces in #SA can compete when it comes to land access, safety & riding stoke, not to mention #acrossthebars views! If you’re not sure where to ride, get in touch with @aileenoutside, a local #mountainbike guide, or just hit the well-marked trails for a solo #adventure of note. . . Easy access to a range of great accommodation establishments – such as #StrawberryHillFarm & Grootvadersbosch Farm – means you can #bikepack, go #XC on shorter cross-country jaunts, or get stuck into a serious mountain #enduro session. Follow the Links in post for more info on #grootvadersbosch & Hessequa. . . #mountainbiking #GiantLivRSA RSA #GiantBikes #RideGiant #LIVGIANT #LivRide #RideLife #oZoneAfrica #AndBreathe (at Grootvadersbosch Conservancy) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGRucqeJT6W/?igshid=1jilmjtnc4h5h

[beedujourblog]

Last week, I was lucky enough to be part of the UNESCO World Heritage Road Trip to the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve. It was a fun collaboration with the popular @instagram_sa, where 4 bloggers from various creative backgrounds came together and went on a road trip to celebrate South Africa’s Heritage Day on 24th September. The aim was to visit some of South Africa’s most beautiful and well-preserved conservation areas.

Accommodation

Grootvadersbosch has really comfortable accommodation. You have to bring your own food before coming, and there are fully equipped kitchens and a braai (barbeque) areas attached to the cottages.

Otherwise, the nearest town is Swellendam, where you can find restaurants and do shopping.

Transport

To get to Grootvadersbosch, you will have to drive there by car. You can travel with one of the inter-city bus liners to Swellendam, but then you will still have to rent a car to reach the reserve.

I strongly recommend driving by car, if you are visiting South Africa then you can rent a one. We spotted a few canola fields along the way and couldn’t resist stopping and taking a few fun pictures amidst these pretty yellow backdrops.

2 Images above taken by Avril Mahraj & Richard Haubrich

The Reserve

Fynbos Flower Power

Grootvadesbosch offers some amazing hikes through the Overberg Mountains, where you can view some of the most unique flower species, known in South Africa as fynbos.

It’s great place to also spot some wildlife such as bush buck, baboons, birdlife and some unique butterfly species. The views out here are amazing, and you can do the Bosmansbos Trail which leads to a two day hike in the valley. The start of the trail leads you to a deep gorge with a big waterfall full of fresh mountain spring water.

The Afromontane Forest

The reserve also has a Afromontane forest, which are unique forests that are found in dry regions amidst mountainous areas within Southern Africa. These forests are very unique in that they are full of lush vegetation and are like an oasis with their own natural habitat and ecosystems. You can walk to a pretty waterfall through the forest trails. We decided to have a picnic and some champagne here at sunset.

Chasing the Milky Way

The air out there is so fresh and clear, that you can spot the Milky Way on a clear night. Some in the group who were professional photographers took some astrophotography shots! I had always wondered how this was done, so I learnt a bit about photography that night.

Image taken by Avril Mahraj & Richard Haubrich

It was a fun three days meeting new people and exploring more of my amazing province. A special thanks to Cape Nature Parks for sponsoring this trip. You can find out more about parks like these at: http://www.capenature.co.za

Be sure to follow these amazing South African bloggers and creatives on Instagram for the rest of this trip and more at:

@jaredincpt @instagram_sa @richardhaubrich @avril_m_photography

Travel tips

Be sure to pack a warm jacket for the evenings. This is a semi-desert environment, so its gets really cold at night.

The water used here is direct from the mountain, so it has a brown tinge to it. It’s totally safe, but if you are uncomfortable with that, be sure to stock up on bottled water.

Bring proper hiking/outdoor shoes. The trails here can get flooded overnight and they are full of rocks and stones at some parts.

Bring a plug adaptor! They only have outlets for the South African 3-prong plugs.

Safe travels,

Bee

Pin It!

Experience Grootvadersbosch Reservation #westerncape #southafrica #travel Last week, I was lucky enough to be part of the UNESCO World Heritage Road Trip to the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve.

[stanleysegal]

Honeywood Farm in Grootvadersbosch #honeywoodfarm #grootvadersbosch #overberg #southafrica (at Honeywood Farm - Overberg)

[christymarieonfacebook-blog]

Hey, Have you entered Greenpop's awesome I Am Nature Giveaway? Check out these amazing prizes: 1. Two tickets to Reforest Fest 2. A DJI Spark mini-drone from weFix 3. Two night stay for four at Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve from Cape Nature 4. A green living starter pack from Faithful to Nature & a R500 Faithful to Nature voucher If you refer friends you get more chances to win :) https://wn.nr/B2Z45f

[angieandphil]

Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve

Lovely reserve at the foot of the Langebergs. A few hiking trails and good bird spotting. A bit of a wet stay what has happened to the RSA summer?

[timcarbon-blog]

Hey, Have you entered Greenpop's awesome I Am Nature Giveaway? Check out these amazing prizes: 1. Two tickets to Reforest Fest 2. A DJI Spark mini-drone from weFix 3. Two night stay for four at Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve from Cape Nature 4. A green living starter pack from Faithful to Nature & a R500 Faithful to Nature voucher If you refer friends you get more chances to win :) https://wn.nr/8vBMCV

[herpsandbirds]

Eastern Ghost Frog, Heleophryne orientalis, family Heleophrynidae, Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa

photograph by Chad Keates

[africanofthesouth]

Regrouping on trails. Sunday. Grootvadersbosch, South Africa.

[jacquesmarais]

"And into the Forest I go To lose my Mind and find my Soul" . John Muir . . Trip back in time to 50 000 years ago - to a period when our homo sapiens forebears roamed Planet Earth as hunter-gatherer clans - and imagine a world utterly wild. No roads, no cities, no power lines, and no man-made structures, or the muted roar of planes, trains and automobiles. . . Forests stretched way beyond the range of the human eye, but the spread of #savannah grassland had seen us descend from an arboreal life as human apes living mostly in trees. Over time, we'd perfected our bipedal gait as we hunted small animals to feed the energy needs of our large and ever-growing brains. . . Our anatomy has not changed much since this #paleolithic Period of the Stone Age, but the same cannot be said of our lifestyle. Instead of the constant walking, squatting and clambering, we've become sedentary beings, sitting for up to 14hrs every day, and sleeping for a further 8hrs, leaving preciously little time to move around naturally. . . It is this lack of #naturalmovement and exposure to #nature that is a major contributing factor to backache, obesity and depression, but can so easily be cured by releasing your 'inner animal'. Lumber like a chimpanzee, clamber like a monkey, stretch like a bear, or lay back and lose yourself as you treat yourself to a rejuvenating #forestbathing session. And if you do it regularly, it is sure to benefit your life in untold ways 🍃💙 . . The forests of #Grootvadersbosch is a sanctuary from the rush of city life for us. It is our favourite #junglegym, offering a place where you can #rewild amidst sturdy trunks and spreading branches to return to your #paleo roots. What a privilege to play on the #trails & join @aileenoutside, @lukeonthego & @prainemma for some @baleiawines and a freezing #wimhoff cold-water immersion in a natural pond. One thing is sure, @gvbconservancy is a #trailrun, #mtb, #hiking and #birdwatching paradise, and the perfect way to escape the negativity around #COVID19 💙👌🚲 . . #Grootvadersbosch #Hessequa #strawberryhillfarm #IuzuSA #WithYouForTheLongRun #FrontrunnerZA #BornToRoam #SpotAfrica #GetLostStayFound #oZ (at Grootvadersbosch Conservancy) https://www.instagram.com/p/CB-tML7pXZE/?igshid=2ow16gj0vale

[drivesouthafrica]

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Do you love hiking? Then add Grootvadersbosch to your travel itinerary in 2018. The #TrekSouthAfrica team had the pleasure of staying at Grootvaderbosch Nature Reserve, located in @Langeberg, about 22 kilometers northwest of Heidelberg.  

In South Africa and not sure how to get around? car rental South Africa is a popular choice. 

[stanleysegal]

Hike in Grootvadersbosch #grootvadersbosch #overberg #southafrica #hiking (at Grootvaderbosch Nature Reserve)

[simric]

Grootvadersbosch walk (at Grootvaderbosch Nature Reserve)