CENTRAL, KAROO HEARTLAND & LITTLE KAROO (KLEIN KAROO) - SOUTH AFRICA
TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATION GUIDE

TRAVEL READING ON THE KAROO IN SOUTH AFRICA:

Central Karoo

Many people consider the Karoo something to be endured in order to get from Johannesburg to Cape Town, or vice versa but it really is an attraction in its own right. The two national parks, the Karoo National Park near Beaufort West and the Mountain Zebra National Park near Cradock are nothing like the bushveld reserves around the Kruger National Park. The vegetation is much more sparse but, strangely, far more interesting, as it's characterised by low-growing succulents and aromatic shrubs which, upon closer inspection are very beautiful and many of which flower spectacularly for a short season.

There are black rhinos in the Karoo National Park and, not surprisingly, many of the beautiful, endangered and rather rare Cape Mountain Zebra in the Mountain Zebra National Park.

Although midday can be over-bright and washed out, the quality of light in the Karoo is magnificent. Sunrises and sunsets are awe-inspiring with pastel shades of purple, blue, pink and gold filling the entire horizon. The sky before a storm is particularly dramatic, with shafts of light burning down through indigo clouds and rainbows dancing merrily just behind the thunder and lightning.

And the clear skies and freedom from light pollution makes for wonderful stargazing - the recently built Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) is in the small, rather remote Karoo town of Sutherland.

As well as showcasing some very pretty Victorian houses, the many small towns reflect a sort of sleepiness, which is appropriate to their status as urban centres in a large sheep farming area.

On the edges of these vast plains lie lovely, almost unexplored mountains, with deep gullies, pretty streams and overhangs filled with rock art. And even the older buildings - one-roomed stone cottages, corbelled huts and old stone sheds are coming into their own as they are renovated as tourist or hikers accommodation.

Graaff-Reinet and Cradock offer a wealth of cultural attractions as well as some great accommodation Nieu Bethesda is the site of South Africa's best known outsider art - the Owl House, created by Helen Martins. Nothing happens very fast in the Karoo. It's a place to go to relax, to sit back and watch time move gently over the purple hills.

The Great Karoo stretches over part of the Eastern Cape, the Western Cape and the Northern Cape.

Planning a trip to the Northern Cape or the Eastern / Western Cape Karoo? A useful and inspirational book to have on the road is the  Getaway Guide to the Karoo, Namaqualand & Kalahari - Out and About in the Northern Cape by Brent Naudé-Moseley & Steve Moseley, who are also the proprietors of Karoo Cottage in Loxton.

Karoo, Namaqualand and Kalahari represents not only some of the most remote areas in southern Africa, but also the most scenic and rustic on the subcontinent – a region framed by a stark beauty that provides an ideal getaway from well-trodden tourist paths. This fascinating guide provides a unique exploration of its hidden treasures, national parks and wildlife reserves. Find out where to go and what to see, sound advice on finding your way through the Karoo, Namaqualand and Kalahari as well as alphabetical accounts of all the towns, villages and stopovers, maps and the what, where and how of adventure activities.

Authors Steve Moseley & Brent Naudé-Moseley live in the Karoo where they’ve spent the past ten years writing and photographing this and neighbouring regions. During this time they have developed a great love and respect for its natural and historical heritage, people and culture - all of which have opened their eyes to a simpler lifestyle and different values. Their travel articles and images appear in local and international publications and, after years of travel and research, they have launched a unique photo library (www.karooimages.co.za) specialising in the Great Karoo, Kalahari and Namaqualand.

Little Karoo (Klein Karoo)

The well marketed Route 62 extends further than the actual R62, including parts of the Breede River Valley. It's a lovely, quiet alternative to the rather more goal-oriented N2, passing through some interesting little towns and winds its way past loads of wineries and guest farms that specialise in rugged activities like 4x4 trails and quad bike trails. The major part of Route 62 runs straight through the Little Karoo towns of Ashton, Montagu, Barrydale, Ladysmith, Calitzdorp, Oudtshoorn and De Rust.

It's a lot of fun to zig-zag backwards and forwards between the N2 and the R62 over some very scenic mountain passes, alternating between the lush green Garden Route and the drier, more austere Little Karoo. Most well known for its ostrich farms, which have developed into mega tourist traps, the Little Karoo supports a thriving agricultural industry. Olives, deciduous fruit and wine add to the rather heady mix that most local restaurants exploit gleefully.

Calitzdorp, which is most well known for its great port, holds a port festival every July, and there are fabulous wine farms along the whole length of the R62. Probably the most well known attraction in the region, though, is the enormous Cango Caves in Oudtshoorn. There are some great rock paintings in various parts of the Little Karoo.

The magnificent landscapes, locally known as red hills, offer some fun day walks, and the high mountains on either side of this long, thin valley, offer fantastic multi-day hikes. There are loads of really great cultural attractions, not least of which is the annual KKNK, the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (Little Karoo National Arts Festival) in Oudtshoorn. It's a party. Big time.

BEAUFORT WEST - CENTRAL & GREAT KAROO - BED & BREAKFASTS/GUEST HOUSES

Next door to Beaufort West is the Karoo National Park. Important fossils have been found in the area, initially by David Baird, son of the local magistrate in 1827.  As part of a drive to create employment opportunities, a hydroponics project was started and now supplies premium herbs and vegetables nationally.  The old Town Hall and the Dutch Reformed Church have been declared national monuments.  Christiaan Barnard, the pioneering heart surgeon, was born and grew up in Beaufort West. He is commemorated in the local museum.

BEAUFORT WEST - CENTRAL & GREAT KAROO - SELF-CATERING - HOLIDAY RENTAL ACCOMMODATION

LAINGSBURG - CENTRAL & GREAT KAROO ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

MONTAGU - KLEIN KAROO - ROUTE 62 - GUESTHOUSES/B&B/GAME & SAFARI LODGES

Montagu is a tourist destination, known for its hot mineral springs and scenic beauty. It is also an agricultural centre, where orchards and vineyards are in production and local herbs are grown. Nearby rock formations make it one of the country's major rock climbing venues. Montagu is near the Robertson Wine Valley, and is most easily reached via the Route 62 scenic route.

OUDTSHOORN - KLEIN KAROO -  (ROUTE 62) ACCOMMODATION

Ostrich feathers have moved in and out of fashion a few times over the last couple of centuries but, at their heyday, they were worth more than their weight in gold and they funded the building of some magnificent mansions, which were dubbed “feather palaces” by the envious neighbours. Le Roux’s Townhouse, which is an annex of the CP Nel Museum, is an excellent example of this early form of conspicuous consumption.

There are also a number of farms where you could watch an ostrich display, learn all about these amazing birds and go wild buying ostrich feather and leather products. The leather has almost overtaken the feathers as a must-have fashion accessory. Distinctively knobbed (how many leathers are plucked?) and very hard-wearing, it’s used to make anything from key rings to full length coats, car upholstery and even saddles. (OK – so far, one rather weird Cape Town polo player has decided that a knobbly ostrich leather saddle is a good idea. But, who knows, it could take off.)

You could, if you were totally heartless, also ride an ostrich. Sure – they weigh 150 kg and are very strong but – and this is a big but – they have really tiny little ankles so many of the birds that are ridden are permanently injured. Which is not really a problem, as they’re destined to be turned into biltong and handbags, anyhow, but it’s worth thinking about.

Speaking of handbags, there’s a crocodile ranch just outside the town, and also a “wildlife ranch”, where you can dive with crocodiles from the safety of a cage, see a range of predators, including lions, tigers and jaguars, and you could even – for a price – “adopt” a baby cheetah. While we’re on the animal thing – there’s a bunny farm, where you can pet the angora rabbits and buy lovely soft garments from angora wool, and even a lovely, child-friendly restaurant where you can ride a camel. Camels, fortunately, are renowned for their sturdy ankles.

One of the best ways to see Oudtshoorn and its surrounds – if you’re relatively energetic – is to do a semi-escorted cycling trip on the Swartberg Pass. You (along with the bikes) get driven to the top of the pass 50km from town, from where you make your own way back. The first 10km is a steep, twisting, turning, incredibly scenic unpaved mountain pass – but all downhill. From there the next 10km is a relatively steep downhill on tar, and the last 30km is mostly downhill or flat.

En route back to town, you can stop to visit the Cango Caves, the Wildlife Ranch, an ostrich farm, and even stop to ride a camel. A short detour (with some uphills) could take you to a lovely waterfall. It’s a full day ride but – here’s the best part – if you decide you’ve had enough cycling, you can phone to be picked up and only pay a small “rescue fee”.

There are some great restaurants and a smattering of lovely guest houses. The Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (Little Karoo National Arts Festival), which is a whole load of fun, is held in April.