Mokala National Park - nr Kimberley, Northern Cape

Mokala is one of SANParks newest parks and it is situated approximately 70km south-southwest of Kimberley, Northern Cape and west of the N12 freeway to Cape Town. The park is nestled in the hills, and its landscape boasts a variety of koppieveld (hills) and large open plains. There is a calming feeling of seclusion brought about by the isolated dolerite hills. A big surprise awaits you when you pass through the hills and are confronted by the large open sandy plains towards the north and west of the Park. Drainage lines from the hills form little tributaries that run into the plains and drain into the Riet River.

The park gets its name from the Setswana name for a Camel Thorn (Kameeldoring), Mokala, the major tree species which occurs in the dry woodland and arid, sandy areas of the semi-desert regions of Southern Africa. This immensely important species has a great range over the Northern Cape and varies from a small, spiny shrub barely 2m high, to a tree up to 16m tall with a wide, spreading crown. The Camel Thorn is an incredible resource to both wildlife and humans who survive in often harsh conditions characteristic of this area. Traditionally, the gum and bark have been used by local tribes to treat coughs, colds and nosebleeds. Some even use the roasted seeds as a coffee substitute.

Mokala National Park is host to a varied spectrum of birds which is located in the transition zone between Kalahari and Karoo biomes. Birds that cane be spotted are the Kalahari species, black-chested prinia and its Karoo equivalent rufous-eared warbler as well as melodious lark. The rocky hillocks that characterise the park attract species such as freckled nightjar (vocal at night), short-toed rock thrush and cinnamon-breasted bunting. And as a newly proclaimed park Mokala National Park will offer an exciting opportunity for birders to explore and help map the birding profile of this unexplored park. As with most rest camps and human dwellings, there are a number of birds making use of the artificial man-made habitat around the accommodation, such as mousebirds, martins, robin-chats, thrushes, canaries and flycatchers.

Mokala National Park is home to seven indigenous plant species namely:
Acacia erioloba - Acacia tortilis open Woodland
Acacia mellifera - Rhigozum obovatum open Shrubland
Acacia mellifera - Acacia tortilis open Woodland
Schmidtia pappophroides - Acacia erioloba sparse Woodland
Acacia mellifera - Acacia erioloba open to closed Woodland
Eragrostis lehmanniana - Schmidtia pappophroides open Grassland
Cynodon dactylon - Ziziphus mucronata open Woodland.

The panoramic landscape is made up of various geological types such as:
Outcrops of the andesitic lavas of the Ventersdorp Supergroup, which is mostly overlain by calcrete and occurs in isolated patches as rocky hills.
Dolerite intrusions mostly occurring as dykes found in the rocky hills.
Outcrops of tillite of the Dwyka formation
Shale of the Prince Albert Formation (Karoo Sequence)

The largest part of park is mainly underlain by aeolian sand of tertiary to recent age covering the Dwyka tillite. The soil type varies from deep red and yellow sands (Hutton- and Clovelly soil forms) to shallow and stony (Mispah- and Kimberley soil forms); while the pans are very clayey (> 30% clay content) with the dominant soil forms Arcadia and Oakleaf.

One of conservation objectives of the park is to conserve the interface of two biomes, (Savanna Biome and the Nama-Karoo Biome). Being a national park, it should serve as a permanent reference area for wider exploration surveys in the Northern Cape region.

The park has a total of 863 animals which were moved from the old Vaalbos to Mokala. The Park is currently 19611ha in size and the following species occur in the park: Black Rhino, White Rhino, Disease-free Buffalo, Tsessebe, Roan Antelope, Mountain Reedbuck, Giraffe, Gemsbok, Eland, Zebra, Red Hartebeest, Blue Wildebeest, Black Wildebeest, Kudu, Ostrich, Steenbok, Duiker and Springbok.

Contact Details for Mokala National Park:
Location: Near Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa
Phone: +27 (53) 204 8000
Email: see website
Website: https://www.sanparks.org

It's recommended to contact the park directly for information about accommodation, activities, and bookings.