Boosmansbos Wilderness Area
Rugged, captivating and awe inspiring, the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area is one of the best kept secrets of the Western Cape in South Africa. Nestled between the picturesque destinations of Heidelberg and Swellendam, the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area is the ideal location to escape the rush of everyday life. For visitors to the country, this is a breathtaking attraction where they are able to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of nature.
Boosmansbos Wilderness Area forms part of the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve and covers over fourteen thousand hectares of land. With an average rainfall of approximately 1 050 millimeters a year, this spectacular conservation area is blanketed in mysterious forests, with looming mountains as its backdrop. Its landscapes have gone untouched by human development due to it being declared a protected wilderness area in the year 1978, offering a pristine environment for visitors to enjoy.
Hiking enthusiasts frequent the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area as it has over seventy kilometers of exciting trails for nature lovers to take on, with shelters and huts along the way for overnight stops. Hikers are also welcome to sleep under the stars if they prefer, and marvel at the mountains that surround them, such as the Grootberg, which stands at 1 637 meters, and the Langeberg Mountains. The only water supply in the wilderness area is the rivers that run through this vicinity, including the Noukrans River and Duiwenhoks River. Hikers will find challenges and stunning scenery throughout the trails, which are lined with fynbos and lively indigenous forests where the bird life is overwhelming. Approximately 184 bird species have been recorded in the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area and bird watchers can look out for redneck francolin, martial eagle, striped flufftail, booted eagle, and blackrumped buttonquails.
Wildlife enthusiasts will also be able to catch a glimpse of a variety of rare animals, while exploring the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area. Some of these wonderful animals include klipspringers, mongooses, baboons, grey rhebuck and leopards. Discovering the magnificence of the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area is a unique and memorable experience, which is recommended to all visitors to the Western Cape.
