S1 - Ep 187 - Mountain Zebra National Park - Outside Cradock in the Eastern Cape!

The excitement was wild in the car as we were driving to the Mountain Zebra National Park! It was our first visit to this National Park just outside Cradock in the Eastern Cape and we were very surprised to hear there were lions. Sadly, we never saw any lions but we saw many other different types of animals and birds. After a fair bit of game-spotting, we decided to take a drive through the rest camp to have a peek at the chalets and the campsite. The layout of the rest camp has been beautifully designed to have minimal impact on the natural surroundings. Then it was time to leave, BUT the highlight was yet to come. We spotted a cheetah and we had the privilege of watching it for about five seconds and it was gone! I was lucky enough to have gotten a few seconds of it walking on video. What a way to finish off our visit to this fantastic Park! #DustBugs #adventuretravel #southafrica #southafricavlog #mountainzebranationalpark #cradock #easterncape
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[@Neil1952100]

I love your videos. My all-time favourite is Mountain Zebra National Park. I've watched it several times and still never tire of watching it. Thank You.

[@franspistorius1886]

Curtis and Sonia, another superb delivery that bowled me out. Thank you so much.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you, so glad you enjoyed! We absolutely loved our visit and had such an amazing time in this park which we've never been to before. 🦓 And to see a cheetah as we were driving out, was the crowning glory of our visit. We believe there were only three at the time, which made the sighting extra special. 😍🐆

[@monicaalberts8130]

I cant wait to visit this Park ! Your filming is wonderful..thanks❤

[@CharlesJHin]

We love Mountain Zebra!

[@fireandicewine]

Great episode. This is my favorite show to-date.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you so much! 😊 We're glad to hear you enjoyed this one. 🐆🚗

[@sowyoung4559]

Beautiful videos you guys make. You make me miss home. I travel with you in all the videos. I am watching every episode of your travels...one world, one love, two people ❤

[@DustBugsTravel]

We so appreciate your kind comment, thank you. 😊 It's fantastic that you're joining us on our travels as we explore so many interesting places. The National Parks are always super special to us. 😁🚗

[@infocus-media]

We played Rugby in Cradock and Graaff Reinet many times, very dry, loads of Merino and Angora and loads of Springbok. An uncle of mine farmed at a place called Kendrew not to far from Graaff Reinet. Interesting fact way back some 25 years ago they did some Helicopter Hunting, those guys will shoot 500 springbok in 1 day, all Headshots. I don't want to be on the receiving end of those hunters.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We visited Graaff-Reinet briefly in a recent trip (Episode 162) and also tried to find the Kalkkop Crater close to Kendrew (Episode 168). Our video of our visit to Cradock goes live tomorrow. 😁🚗

[@walterfick157]

Really love the National parks ...we will definitely stay there next time 🇿🇦🇿🇦👍

[@DustBugsTravel]

It's really a fantastic park! 👌🏻 I think it would be awesome to spend a few relaxing days there. 🚗🐆

[@munesumangava9751]

Reminded me of Addo Elephant park…. Vast areas full of wildlife 👏👍

[@keithmatthias4348]

Congratulations on exceeding 4k subscribers. Good to see your channel growing.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you so much! 😎 We so appreciate your good wishes and hope you'll join us on many more trips. 🚗

[@1812nico]

Hi you two! Thank you again for showing us the endless beauty of my beloved country. I couldn't help but laugh at that black ostrich bragging around. Ps. The Transvaal is waiting for you (but we'll be patient!). Keep safe!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Hello there! That ostrich had just the richest black feathers, he was too beautiful and clearly knew it! 😍🦤 Sonia was born in the old Transvaal and spent many years there, so we look forward to seeing that part of the world again! 🤩 We're slowly working our way across the country, there is just so much to see and so many places to visit! 🇿🇦 What a great problem to have! 😁🚗

[@thomashollander752]

Looking really dry there. Love your channel

[@DustBugsTravel]

It was rather dry, they could certainly do with some rain. 🌧️ Thank you for joining us on our travels! 😁🚗

[@annawitter5161]

Yay! Gravel!! Level met die grewwel! Ground squirrels are mega cute! Daai volstruis wil hom wat verbeel!! Arrogant bird! Thats a magnificent koedoebul with his girls. You take the most amazing pictures, such a joy to watch! The cheetah is my favourite. I think the nests may be weaver birds, but I am not an expert. Thanks guys

[@DustBugsTravel]

What a stunning summary of this video, thank you! 😁👌🏻 We're so glad you enjoyed this park too. The five seconds of cheetah was our highlight as well! 🐆 Such a graceful cat. Just goes again to show that's it's all about timing.

[@stanleyrobson4622]

Great video! Enjoyed the trip!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you! We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this park. 🤩🚗

[@sowyoung4559]

"Absolutely, fantastic, 'can't agree more, cute little town, absolutely, nice little town, that's for sure, its gorgeous hey, cute hey..." 🤣🤣🤣🤣 these comments make my day

[@DustBugsTravel]

🤩 We just can't help that we both agree that everything we see is so cute and gorgeous. Thank you for watching! 😁👌🏻

[@flodillon991]

Wow this episode is just awesome do many animals that you saw that was amazing. I just loved it well done, I really enjoyed it . Thank you.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We're so glad that you enjoyed this one! Animals always make our hearts so happy and it was a joy to share with you! 🐆😍

[@robinboyes8749]

Info from S A Online "During the Anglo-Boer War in the 1800s, British soldiers occupied the Saltpeterskop, a high koppie in the park where they would ‘play chess’ - a strategic game to signal warnings to their fellow soldiers who were stationed at an old fort in nearby Cradock. The names of the soldiers are etched onto a flat slab at rock on the koppie. During the Great Trek of 1836, settlers moved into the area and set up farms. One of the first permanent farmhouses was erected on the farm De Doornkloof. It was declared a national monument in 1986. It is still in use today as a guest house in the Park. In 1937, 1 712 ha of land was set aside and proclaimed as the Mountain Zebra National Park. The endangered Cape mountain zebra survived in the area due to the conservation efforts of farmers in the region. The herd in the park has grown substantially and is now over 350 strong. The park slowly expanded over the years and grew rapidly after a joint public-private conservation initiative was launched. Nine surrounding farms were purchased through this process, enabling the Park to expand from 6 536 ha to more than 28 000 ha in size. Following this, black rhino, buffalo and finally cheetah could be introduced to the Park."

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you for sharing the interesting info. 👌🏻🐆

[@hesterrezelman3511]

I came across your channel and absolutely love it. Lots of catching up to do. I would like you please to introduce your lady to us. Always good to put a face to the informative and friendly voice!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Welcome to our channel, I'm so glad to hear that you enjoy our videos. 😁 My wife is super camera-shy and not keen to join me in front of the camera. Hopefully I'll convince her one day, but for now, her voice and laughter will have to do. 😍🚗 Thank you for watching!

[@jamesholland9799]

That was fantastic. Thank you

[@DustBugsTravel]

We appreciate that, thank you! 🚗🐆

[@aginn9506]

Well done on your cheetah spotting, if I,m not mistaken the cheetah may be part of some conservation plan going on with them, inmountain zebra I vaguely remember watching a program on it some time ago. Again great viewing

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yes! We only realised later how incredibly lucky we were to have spotted this cheetah! In April 2021, there were only four in the park! 🐆 Rangers often have to track them in order to find them and we noticed that this one was collared too. It was a very rewarding five seconds! 😎🤩 We're so glad you enjoyed it too!

[@charlietreston4035]

Hi guys amazing video sitting in my man cave in my garden being transported to South Africa I could almost feel I was there the contrast between the Bush and the campsite top class place then on the way out just happened to see a cheetah only in South Africa thanks again

[@DustBugsTravel]

You said it! Only in South Africa! 🤩🇿🇦 We hope our video transported you from your mancave right into one of those beautiful chalets! It's really a fantastic park and we're so glad we got a chance to visit. We were really lucky to have seen that gorgeous cheetah, we believe there were only four in the park about a year-and-a-half ago. Great sighting for us! 🐆😎

[@AndrewJohnClive]

What an awesome spot!

[@DustBugsTravel]

We were over the moon, it was the crowning glory of a wonderful visit to the Park. 🤩🐆

[@infocus-media]

Another place close by is Cookhouse and Bedford, Bedford also being an English town just like most in the area, Adelaide, Fort Beaufort, Alice, King Williams Town, Aberdeen, Somerset East, Alicedale, Pearson. I am a Boer who grew up with South African Scots, the whole are Scots, that's probably why they fought on the Boer side during the 2 wars.

[@DustBugsTravel]

That's interesting! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 We've visited some of the places you mention already and look forward to visiting the others on future trips. 👌🏻I was born in Alice, so I particularly look forward to visiting that area. 🤩🚗

[@kamohelolekeba6857]

💕🙏

[@DustBugsTravel]

🤩🦓🐆

[@TheTwoPutt]

Umm, it’s pronounced ‘Zebra’ and not ‘Zeeebra’!!

[@DustBugsTravel]

🤣🤣 Thank you for the language lesson! 👌

[@stanleyrobson4622]

No, man! It's zeeebra!!🤣🤣

[@HenryGates-vr7fn]

I am still at back looking the sites