| Karoo
Reading:
The
broad, mostly sandy, expanse of undulating plains known as the Karoo is
divided between the Little Karoo, nearer the coast and the Great Karoo,
which seems to stretch into the interior forever. The Karoo, which means
'great thirst' in the local Khoi-San language, receives little rain so
the rather dramatic landscape exhibits interesting geological features.
The broad expanse of the endless plains is broken by flat-topped mesas
and kopjes (conical hills), which display interesting stratigraphy, contorted
fold structures and deeply striated glacial pavements. The Karoo is particularly
rich in dinosaur fossils, many of which can be seen at the Old Library
Museum in Graaff-Reinet.
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. |
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| More reading on the Karoo:
Exploring
the vibrant Karoo by Tamara Toti |
| CENTRAL
& GREAT KAROO - BED & BREAKFASTS/GUEST HOUSES |
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Beaufort
Manor, BEAUFORT WEST   
Some of the beautiful scenery
one can expect to see when visiting Beaufort Manor in Beaufort West. Beaufort
Manor offers tasteful Karoo dinners, by candle light, either in our dining
room or under the brilliant stars during summer months. Choose a bottle
of wine to accompany your five course meal, served by our friendly staff.
Guests can expect dishes such as our famous Leg of Lamb, home made chicken
pie, bobotie, mouth-watering gammon and organic vegetables straight from
our Garden. Please book to avoid disappointment. Guests are invited
to relax in our cosy bar, which boasts a wide variety of whiskeys and brandies,
to mention but a few. We even stock 'witblits' for the adventurous and
daring. A selection of cigars is also available. |
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Karoo
Lodge B & B, PRINCE ALBERT
Where else in the world
will you find a sky painted from a different palette each day, 5 natural
water sources feeding a bountiful almost subtropical valley year in and
year out, majestic mountains standing guard over the sun drenched Karoo
plains, every hiker's and mountaineer's dream, mountain passes built at
the turn of the 1800's and still in use today, the warmest welcome, delicious
hearty meals, outstanding accommodation and the most wonderful and hospitable
hosts? Karoo Lodge nestling in two acres of tranquil gardens, is
a haven to the most discerning traveller passing through this oasis of
the Great Karoo. Take time, enrich your life and discover the hidden
jewel of the Karoo - Prince Albert, whilst enjoying the QUALITY and COMFORT
offered at Karoo Lodge. |
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Lemoensfontein
Guest House, BEAUFORT WEST   
Set in the vast expanse
of the South African Great Karoo, this beautiful homestead/lodge dates
back to 1850. Built slowly and soundly to the exacting standards and architectural
style of the time, the building remains unchanged with characteristic high
ceilings, original wooden floors and wide verandahs which offer guests
a sweeping panoramic view of the Karoo landscape. The self same atmosphere
can still be felt throughout the old building even though modern comforts
like ceiling fans, wall heaters, air-conditioners and en-suite bathrooms
have been added to ensure our guests a comfortable stay. All accommodation
leads out onto wide verandahs. Comfortable en-suite bedrooms have tea &
coffee making facilities, toiletries and hairdryers. Enjoy pre-dinner drinks
around the honesty bar in the lounge, which has a cosy fireplace for the
chilly winter nights. |
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Saxe-Coburg
Lodge, PRINCE ALBERT
We are in a central; position
in the delightful village of Prince Albert, within walking distance to
all the local restaurants and places of interest. Our historical
Victorian guest house (circa 1860) has luxury air-conditioned bedrooms
with en-suite bathrooms, private entrances, patios, tea and coffee trays,
safe, overhead fans, heaters, hairdryers, Satellite Television and Bar
fridges. The five new garden bedrooms have spectacular views of the
Swartberg Mountains. The Honeymoon room has a Spa bath. The self-catering
two bed roomed one bathroom family flat with lounge and a most unusual
private bar displaying Boer war memorabilia, a private patio and Barbecue
facility. Guest can relax in our park like garden with Swimming pool
and stunning views of the nearby Swartberg Mountains. We are
fluent in German and French. |
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Suretta's
B&B, BEAUFORT WEST
A warm welcome awaits the
weary traveller at Suretta's B&B. Our place of rest offers three cozy
rooms, two of them en suite. In total a number of eight heavenly comfortable
beds. Mouthwatering homecooked traditional and international meals served
in the small idyllic garden for a very reasonable price make Suretta's
B&B the perfect stopover between Johannesburg and Cape Town - directly
on the N1. Beaufort West is about 470 km from Cape Town on the N1
national road. It is one of the few towns that the N1 actually runs through,
so it's not unusual to see huge trucks thundering down the main street.
Beaufort west has an airport located about 10 km's out of town. |
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Tree
Top Guest House, BEAUFORT WEST  
Tree Top Guest House is
one of the oldest residential buildings in Beaufort West. Restored to a
magnificent 3-star guest house, this could be your accommodation establishment
of choice on a journey through the Karoo. Easy accessible and situated
in quiet surroundings, this will make it an unforgettable experience for
the discerning tourist or businessman. Come and unwind in the shade of
huge pear trees, enjoying sundowners overlooking Birdstreet, unmistakably
the most beautiful street in the Karoo. We offer eight stylishly
decorated en-suite rooms with airconditioning, dstv, secure parking, swimming
pool, barbeque area, licensed bar, dinners and breakfasts. All rooms with
private entrance. |
| CENTRAL
& GREAT KAROO - GAME LODGES / BUSH CAMPS |
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Ko-Ka
Tsara Bush Camp, near BEAUFORT WEST
This
intimate and exclusive bush camp is situated on a Private Game Reserve.
10,000 of the 70,000 hectare reserve is dedicated to the 24 species of
game which include the protected Mountain Zebra and Bontebok. Red
Hartebeest, Aardwolf, Kudu, Giraffe, Gemsbok, Klipspringer and Wildebeest
roam the plains above the camp, and at night several species such as Black
Wildebeest, Impala, Kudu and Bushbuck regularly visit the camp itself and
can be seen from your chalet. The night sounds of jackal calling
create the ambiance of Africa and make this a nature lover's paradise.  |
| CENTRAL
& GREAT KAROO - SELF-CATERING |
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Aloe
Cottage, Self-Catering Cottage, PRINCE ALBERT   
Situated on a hill overlooking
Prince Albert, in an expansive landscape of aloes and other interesting
Karoo succulents, Aloe Cottage welcomes nature lovers. Private, with
its own drive-in entrance & covered parking, Aloe Cottage is spacious
& tastefully furnished, with views framed in every window. The
accommodation comprises lounge/dining with satellite TV & gourmet kitchen.
Basic breakfast provisions may be supplemented by a choice of 2 breakfast
baskets. The two en-suite bedrooms offer guests the choice of extra
length single beds or a queen size bed. Toiletries are provided in each
bathroom. The two large patios maximise the wonderful views – to
the south the majestic Swartberg Mountains, to the north the Karoo plains. |
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Cactus
Blue Cottages, Self-Catering Cottages, PRINCE ALBERT  
Prince Albert is a delightful
gem of a village in the Karoo, and the gateway to the spectacular Swartberg
Pass, a National Monument and part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, designated
as a World Heritage Site. It is also the nearest village to a fascinating
valley called ‘Die Hel’ where a small proud community lived in simple isolation
for more than 100 years until 1964. This picturesque and tranquil
village nestles at the foot of the magnificent Swartberg Mountain range.
The cottages are situated in the heart of the village and are within a
few minutes walk of a dozen restaurants. If you need to unwind, this
is the place … Simple and restful living in an informal tranquil
oasis. Recently refurbished and landscaped, Cactus Blue is designed
to accommodate three couples or a small family with older children, in
two separate cottages, overlooking the smallest registered vineyard in
the country. |
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Olive
Grove Guest Farm, Country House, B&B, Self-catering, DBB BEAUFORT WEST  
Olive Grove Guest Farm is
owned and hosted by Ian and Sonia Taylor. In the AA Accommodation Awards
2007, Ian and Sonia won the prize for the Host and Hostess that go the
extra mile for their guests, throughout the Western Cape, this ensures
a high standard of service and hospitality at this establishment.
The unique combination of Olive, Sheep and Game farming makes this a Karoo
experience that cannot be missed. Accommodation choice is between
7 stylish chalets and 5 luxury suites, self-catering or country cuisine
from our Karoo Kitchen. This Karoo farm is 7000ha in extent and our
guests are welcome to roam freely by walking, driving or mountain biking
the various roads and paths. The discerning traveller will apprectiate
the peace, hospitality, safety, charisma, beauty and good value. |
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Die
Blokhuis, Self-Catering Houses on an Olive Farm, LAINGSBURG
Blokhouse was built in 1901
and housed 30 soldiers to protect the bridge during the Anglo Boer War.
The Blockhouse is a National Monument situated on the farm. Geelbeksbrug
is also a working olive farm and guests can enjoy awesome stargazing. The
owner will take you on Geological & Paleontological walking tours where
you can see how erosion exposed ancient rock formations. 37 species
of birds have been ringed, watch birds, swim in the dam or just enjoy the
nature of the karoo. |
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Skuinshuis
Artist's Cottage, Self-Catering Cottage, PRINCE ALBERT
The romantic Skuinshuis
Artist’s Cottage facilities comprise a fully equipped vintage and contemporary
kitchen, a small lounge/dining room with IPod speaker system, adjoining
bedroom with double bed, aircon/heating, mosquito net and hanging storage
space. Lush fabrics combine with smart styling for a contemporary, New
Karoo look. En suite bathroom has a long bathtub, new shower and
hand basin. The sunny courtyard terrace leads onto a sheltered seating/lounging
area facing pool, main house and large garden. All quality linen,
towels and dressing gowns are provided. The cottage is serviced 1 x weekly
(more often on request), laundry service at small extra fee on the premises.
A breakfast basket is provided. |
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