Visit the Karoo and experience the delights of exploring the unknown.
The Karoo is the new catch phrase in South Africa – Everyone wants to see the Karoo, taste it, buy it, even sadly frack it. (Frack is slang for Hydraulic Fracturing)
For many years numerous explorers made their way through this vast area that was synonymous with hardship & poverty. Today it’s a traveller’s dream.
But what does Karoo mean? According to Wikipedia - The Karoo (a Khoisan word of uncertain etymology) is a
semi-desert natural region of South Africa. For those living in the Karoo, it means the peace & quite they wake with every morning, the beautiful sunsets, the endless night sky & the good food. The Karoo people are truly hospitable & friendly. Every meal with a local is coupled with interesting stories. City-dwellers & visitors from abroad all migrate to the Karoo for relaxation – to experience the vastness, take time out & relax & just marvel at the sheer stillness the area is known for.
Do you know that nearly 50% of the world population can’t see stars in the evening due to too much light pollution? Visit the Karoo & marvel at the night sky. There is the Southern Cross that guided the Portuguese discovers years ago & the Milky Way that still amazes people night after night. Hear the stories of how Orion & the scorpion are never seen together in the night sky … mix in a glass of red wine whilst discussing Greek mythology & finally just become absorbed by the stillness of the night.
The Karoo is a place one is often left in solitude, travelling the endless roads, merging with the horizon, seeing windmill upon windmill wondering why the Trekboere – the first Europeans, settled in the area. But the answer is still remains the same today – they found a place they could toil the land, raise a family & be content. It’s the essence of the Karoo – contentness.
There are numerous little towns one can visit in the Karoo, but the “Gem of the Karoo” is Graaff-Reinet. A Karoo town surrounded by the
Camdeboo National Park - 19 500 ha of veld – covering plains with herds of Springbuck, Gemsbuck & Cape Buffalo, Mountain valleys lush with spekboom (foliage) & teaming with Kudu & mountain tops offering visitors vistas of the Camdeboo Plains. Be prepared to be amazed by the sights & sounds of the Karoo.
The views form the
Valley of Desolation a mere 17km from Graaff-Reinet, has rendered most visitors speechless. The most amazing sunset, whilst the last rays of the sun saturates the rock pillars in a deep oxidized red.
Graaff-Reinet is home to over 220 Heritage Sites. From the beautiful Dutch Reformed Church to the simple Karoo style cottages, that Graaff-Reinet is famous for, one gets the distinct impression that the people of the Karoo are proud of their heritage.
Recommended places to visit include:
- Reinet House Museum – Parsonage of Rev. Andrew Murray
- The Hester Rupert Art Museum that boasts with a wonderful collection of South African art – Painting by Maggie Loubser & Ernst de Jongh.
- The biggest succulent nursery in the Southern Hemisphere – Obesa Nursery
- Historical Streets restored in their entirety – Parsonage Street, Stretch Court - all proudly boasting with broekielace verandahs.
What the Karoo however is most remembered for is the food. Good Food.
Just to tickle the taste buds – Kudu Steak marinated in red wine served with mash potatoes & a pepper sauce. Springbuck Fillet, tender & juicy coupled with a good bottle of red wine & then of course the lamb. It is the Karoo lamb that everyone always talks about – oven-roasted to perfection served with mint sauce, vegetables & roasted potatoes. Mouthwatering stuff!!!
Polka Restaurant, situated in the heart of historical Graaff-Reinet, has a courtyard to relax in & an antique store to browse in whilst you wait for your meal. Coldstream Restaurant, next to the Graaff-Reinet Club (Formerly referred to as the men’s club I have you know!) has an array of Karoo delights but their speciality is a trio of steak – beef, springbuck & ostrich.
Lamb, well the best lambpotjie in the Karoo is to be found at
Karoopark Guest House – This accommodation establishment boasts with a restaurant known for its local cuisine. Don’t forget to have the Withond (moonshine locally distilled). The owners Buks & Louise Marais have such an interesting tale to tell about the drink & it doubles as an informal introduction to the history of the town. A must!
Accommodation is plentiful but if you want to stay in a monument – enjoy the Karoo-style cottages of
Camdeboo Cottages
The true uniqueness of the Karoo lies in palaeontology. Fossils are found in the farmlands, taking visitors back 300 000 million years. This arid region once teamed with fish, shells & dinosaur. This is now nearly unthinkable as one stares at the vast semi-dessert plains the Karoo is synonymous with. Roam & explore the area, hear experts tell of the Kitching Fossil discoveries in the area, see first-hand fossils on farms, still embedded in ridges or cliffs. Whilst you’re out & about visit the Bushmen paintings to be found in the district of Nieu-Bethesda, an artistic town situated about 60km north of Graaff-Reinet. The town is nestled at the foot of Compassberg, the highest peak in the Eastern Cape (worth a climb if you have time – sightings of black eagle are guaranteed!)
Nieu-Bethesda is well-known for
The Owl House – a museum now, but once the house of a recluse, Helen Martins. Offering the visitor insight into her artistic world of glass & cement statues. The 2 Goat’s Deli also in Nieu-Bethesda, offers visitors home-brewed beer & home-made goats cheese with freshly baked bread & delicious relishes. Visit the numerous galleries in town – noteworthy is
Charmaine Haines - Ware on Earth Studio There are a handful of places that serve lunch, so take your time and explore the dusty streets, visit a few more artists’ studios and if there’s space in the car, buy an owl. For the children there is a local, Johannes, that takes families on a donkeycart ride, telling them the history of the area (such a treat!).
In the Graaff-Reinet region kids will enjoy Noah’s Arc, a touch farm situated a mere 5km south of Graaff-Reinet. Interacting with a tame Springbuck & a tame zebra is such a novelty for a child. They’ll enjoy themselves whilst getting introduces to the animals most commonly found in the Karoo.
Another must is a visit to the local Graaff-Reinet township –
Umazisakhe – where your guide, Ntombi, will take you about & share stories on the Xhosa Culture – their customs & marriage traditions. She’ll discuss the houses referred to as the Royal Block (built during the Anglo Boer War) & tell of the activist Robert Sobukwe (founder of the PAC) that grew up in the Graaff-Reinet district.
After days of exploring the region, one deserves a good cup of coffee – Blue Magnolia, a nursery serving Illy coffee, offers a tranquil setting to relax & meet the locals. Blue Magnolia t is situated just left of the majestic Dutch Reformed Church in Church Street, Graaff-Reinet. It has home-made cakes & nougat treats, freshly brewed coffee & an array of curios from the region. Sit on the veranda as the sun settles on another day, see the little traffic the town has (note that there is not a single traffic light)& then go off in search of yet another Karoo delight.
Come & stay in Graaff-Reinet - enjoy your holiday in my hometown & I promise you, you’ll have a lifetime of memories.
P.S. if you need a guide whilst you’re travelling the Karoo – Chantelle The Tour Guide – will gladly assist you. Follow
Chantelle The Tour Guide on Facebook or email her
chantellemarais@yahoo.com
For more information on Flight prices / specials / accommodation in the Karoo – enquire at
grt@gotravel.co.za
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