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District of Northern Cape, South Africa
Photo: Tjeerd Wiersma from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Karoo is a district in the Northern Cape of South Africa. The Karoo - “Place of Thirst” - is a boundless and mysterious area covered by vast sheep and game farms, where broad plains roll away toward distant koppies and multilayered mountains that seem to touch the indigo sky.
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Situated in the delightful plains of Camdeboo, Aberdeen was founded in 1856 and is a declared architectural conservation town and a veritable repository of styles including Victorian, Georgian, Karoo, German, Gothic Revival, Russian, Art Nouveau and Flemish Revival.
The little town of Jansenville owes its origins to the Dutch Reformed Church that formed a parish there in 1854, named after the last Dutch Governor of the Cape. Jansenville is game country with many game farms and hunting concessions in the area. The restored Sid Fourie House serves as the local museum and has a surprising variety of interesting collections relating to both the lifestyles of the past and the locality in particular. It offers travellers a welcome break in their journey through the Karoo Heartland.
The village of Nieu-Bethesda lies at the foot of the Sneeuberge, approximately 55 km from Graaff-Reinet. The town came about after having been established as a mission station in 1875. It is known for its sacred Bushman rock art sites, fossils and the Owl House, which is a museum dedicated to the eccentric artist Helen Martins.
The Karoo offers 4x4 trails for every type of off-road vehicle, quads and mountain bikes, from a casual drive in the mountains, to more challenging adventures to undertake.
The diverse nature of the vegetation and typography of the area creates a landscape that is well suited to the interest of hikers. There are one and two day hikes available on the mountain.
This 1½-km walk starts at the parking area of the Valley of Desolation and is clearly marked with the Crag Lizard logo.
Hikers have a choice of three route options ranging from 5 to 16 km. A number of good picnic sites can be found at Eerstefontein and Agterstefontein. The trail starts and ends at Spandaukop Gate (Berg-en-dal).
This overnight hiking trail through the mountains of the eastern section of the Camdeboo National Park can either be attempted by foot or by 4x4 vehicles.
Compassberg (2502 m) is the 2nd highest in the Eastern Cape and highest peak in the Sneeuberg range. To climb to the top and descend, it takes approximately five hours, while the base of the mountain is a forty minute drive from Nieu Bethesda. There are different degrees of difficulty, depending on the route you choose to follow.
Located 7 km from Nieu-Bethesda, Ganora is a working sheep farm that offers excursions to rock art, Anglo-Boer War engravings, a fossil museum and a fossil walk. Picnic baskets are available on request.
This park is most famous for the awe-inspiring Valley of Desolation, as well as the peak called Uitkyk from which paragliding enthusiasts from all over the world come to share the thermals of the vast Karoo skies with the resident Verreaux Eagles. Kudu and Cape Mountain Zebra are among the list of animals that can be seen in the Camdeboo National Park. It is an absolute Mecca for hikers, photographers and those interested in flora and fauna.
Fly fishing in the Karoo is very much out of the ordinary as one does not expect the variety or quality of fishing in what is perceived as an arid area. Indigenous Yellowfish are abundant in the river systems and trout fishing is wild. There are dams that are open to the public, but many more if accompanied by a guide.
In the Karoo, game is plentiful, making it the perfect destination for hunting enthusiasts or for a camera safari. Prime hunting is offered on the rugged Karoo terrain with Blesbuck, Duiker, Gemsbok, Kudu, Mountain Reedbuck, Springbuck, Steenbok and Wildebeest.
The highly-rated 9-hole (18-tee) golf course in Somerset East is said to be one of the most beautiful in the country. There’s also the Graaff-Reinet Golf Club, with magnificent views of Spandau`s Kop.
Although the level of the Nqweba dam fluctuates widely as a result of unreliable rainfall, the dam is periodically used for a variety of water sports such as power boating, skiing, yachting, canoeing and windsurfing.
This urban guest house offers accommodation in the main guest house and in various historical cottages. All the luxury suites have extra-long king-sized beds, and the guest house features rooms with en suite rooms opening onto Victorian verandas.
This inn is situated between the Addo Elephant National Park and the Mountain Zebra National Park in the Karoo Heartland. They offer 13 rooms, 6 of which have en suites. Two of the en suite rooms are family rooms.
The lodge has 14 bedrooms, spread between three luxury safari tents, 3 luxury rooms at the hunting lodge, a self-catering bush camp with 2 permanent tents, and the farm house which has two 2-bedroomed self-catering bedrooms with two single beds.
This cosy cottage sleeps 5 people and is ideal for families or couples. The main room has a double bed and the family room has a double bunk and a single bed. There is also a kitchenette and braai area. The cottage is equipped for self catering, however meals can be arranged.
They offer both self catering and guest house accommodation. The guest house consists of 7 rooms and is a four-star graded accommodation establishment. The self catering accommodation is a three bedroomed house which can accommodate up to 6 guests.
By car
The Karoo is easily accessible by motorways from Cape Town (717 km), Durban (815 km), and Bloemfontein (453 km). You could also drive in from Johannesburg (1014 km) or Port Elizabeth (250 km).
By bus
All major South African coach companies offer regular schedules to and from destinations like Addo.
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George · International · GRJ
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