West Coast National Park: Langebaan Lagoon Featured Hot

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Picturesque landscapes, diverse waterbird species, rare migrant waders and vast fields of spring flowers make the West Coast National Park and Langebaan Lagoon a must see destination.

The 27 600 hectare West Coast National Park is one of South Africa’s Important Bird Areas and the Langebaan Lagoon, which forms the centre of this ecologically diverse area, proudly and rightfully holds Ramsar wetland status, which is only allocated to sites of international importance. The park is a hotspot for endemism and is probably best known for its vast fields of spring flowers and for the huge numbers of Palearctic waders that it attracts during the northern hemispheres winter.

Photography

Best Time to Photograph

Early mornings and late afternoons generally provide the best light for photography but mid morning and mid afternoon are often best for photographing spring flowers.

Type of Photography

Flowers
Landscapes
Birding
Game

Best Time of Year

Spring
Throughout the year

Photographic Tips

Timing visits to the various hides with incoming high tides is the best manner to photograph the various wading waterbirds. Posberg Flower Reserve is only open during the spring months and driving slowly through this section provides excellent opportunities for floral, bird and game photography.

Recommended Gear

500mm or 600mm telephoto lenses are best for photographing the waterbirds and in particular the Palearctic waders. Telescopes are also useful for identifying the many rare waders that can be seen on the lagoon. Macro lenses and wide-angled lenses are required for photographing the flowers and landscapes.

Highlights

Site Highlights

Seeberg Hide.
Seeberg View Point.
Geelbek.
Abrahamskraal.
Tsaarsbank.
Posberg Flower Reserve.

Top Species

Footnotes

Season and Weather

The climate is Mediterranean with warm summers and mild winters. Wind is present throughout the year with rain falling mainly in the winter months. Always be prepared for sudden changes in the weather. The summers are the dry and dusty months, whilst winter is the time when the fynbos is lush, green and in flower. The best months to visit are April and September.

Habitats

Other Activities

Bird Watching
Hiking
Game Viewing
Flowers
Beach activities
Water sports

Location

Closest Town

Langebaan

Getting There

The West Coast National Park is situated approximately 90km’s north from Cape Town along the R27.

Address

West Coast National Park

Map

Swap Start/End Start Address

End

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Author: Peter ChadwickWebsite: http://www.peterchadwick.co.zaEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About

As a dedicated conservationist, Peter Chadwick has 30 years strategic and operational conservation experience in terrestrial and marine protected area management. He has worked within all of the major biomes in southern Africa as well as having provided expert conservation advice at a global level. His conservation and wildlife photography is a natural extension to his conservation work where he has numerous opportunities to capture photographs that showcase the beauty and complexity of the outdoors. Peter’s photography is internationally recognized, with this work appearing globally in a wide range of print and electronic media.