The Great Karoo, is an area of about 400 000 square kilometers.
Less than two hundred years ago large herds of antelope roamed the grass flats. The Bushmen/Hottentots, the last Stone Age people, shared the "Place of Great Dryness". The Hottentots herding their sheep and cattle in the age-old pastoral pattern and the Bushmen following their traditional nomadic pursuits of hunting and feasting.
Stock farmers gradually replaced the wild game with sheep and the grass receded along with the changed grazing and weather patterns.
During the Anglo Boer War of 1899 the Republican Commandos and rebels from the Cape Colony, conducted operations throughout the Karoo. In the Calvinia Magisterial district contributing a significant number of fighters to the Republican cause.
Numerous blockhouses can still be seen at strategic locations in the Great Karoo with a prime example at the Geelbeks River 12 kilometres outside Laingsburg.
Currently sheep farming is the economic backbone of the Karoo with other forms of agriculture taking place in areas where irrigation is possible. Lately game farms and tourism to this fascinating area is also making an impact.
Places to visit in the Great Karoo in South Africa:
Prince Albert
Prince Albert had its origins in 1762 when a loan farm named Kweeckvalleij "the valley of cultivation and plenty" was established in a green and fertile valley at the foot of the awesome Swartberg Mountains. Today, the town is one of the prettiest in the country - a place of great serenity and charm, with beautiful architecture, fascinating flora and fauna and great Karoo hospitality. Just 2 kms from the foot of the awesome Swartberg Pass, Prince Albert is the perfect base for exploring the wonders of the Swartberg including Gamkaskloof (The Hell) and Meiringspoort. Hiking, mountain biking, birding and botanical excursions are major attractions. Aside from a superb climate, with a high sunshine index and spectacular night skies, the village itself is a small gem, with beautifully preserved Cape Dutch, Karoo and Victorian buildings. Of these, 19 are National Monuments.
Prince Albert is known for its sun-ripened fresh and dried fruit, especially figs and apricots. Karoo lamb, olives, olive oil and homemade cheeses are local delicacies. Activities for visitors include a guided historical walk through the town, a well marked "koppie trail" with almost 100 listed plants, fossil hunting and stargazing, a tractor trail to the olive farm, traditional Karoo meals and a visit to the delightful Fransie Pienaar Museum - and there is ample hotel and guesthouse accommodation to suit all preferences and pockets. Prince Albert is well situated for overnight stops from Gauteng, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. The Garden Route resorts and beaches are two hours south by road. Oudtshoorn, the Cango Caves and the Karoo National Park are just an hour away by road.
The Swartberg Mountains
The Swartberg mountains are a magnificent backdrop to the village of Prince Albert. Once considered almost impenetrable, there are now three major gateways - the Swartberg Pass, Meiringspoort and Seweweekspoort - linking the Great Karoo with the Little Karoo and the coast. Meiringspoort and the Swartberg Pass are almost on Prince Albert's doorstep, and with their awesome beauty and many opportunities for recreation, should be on every visitor's itinerary.
Meiringspoort
Soaring cliff walls with spectacular rock formations line the 25 km tarred road which winds along the floor of the gorge, crossing the Groot River 25 times. Entry to the poort is via Klaarstroom, 55 kms east of Prince Albert en route to Oudtshoorn and the coast. Hardy plants cling to the precarious rock faces while birds, baboons and smaller fauna abound in the protected kloofs and crevices.
Among the most scenic spots is the waterfall tumbling into a dark pool which, legend has it, is bottomless. Meiringspoort has been flooded several times in its 140-year history - 1885, 1968 and 1996 were devastating - and so the idea for building a high road over the mountains was born. The Swartberg Pass was opened in 1888.
The Swartberg Pass
The 27-km Swartberg Pass is considered one of the finest mountain passes in the world: an untarred road that winds to the summit 1 583 meters above sea level in steep zigzags and sudden switchbacks with breathtaking views at every turn. The road is supported in places by hand-packed stone walls, a trademark of brilliant road engineer Thomas Charles Bain. Along the way there are relics of an old prison, toll hut and other interesting historical sites. Often covered with snow in winter, the mountain's unique micro-climate supports fynbos and a rich bird life in contrast with the arid zone flora and fauna outside its cool shady kloofs. The Swartberg Pass was declared a National Monument in its Centenary year, 1988.
Gamkaskloof
Gamkaskloof (also known as The Hell) is a fascinating valley near Prince Albert where a small, proud community lived in isolation for more than 100 years. Access was only on foot or horseback, and harvests of dried fruit and wild honey were carried out by pack animals. When a road was carved into the valley in 1962, a gradual exodus began, with the last farmer, Piet Swanepoel, leaving in 1991. Their modest homes and relics of fruit orchards can still be seen. Access to Gamkaskloof is 15 kms from Prince Albert near the northern summit of the Swartberg Pass. Visitors should allow almost a full day in a sturdy vehicle to travel the 57kms to the end of the valley and back.
Beaufort West
The Beaufort West Museum has an impressive collection of awards made to South Africa's pioneer heart transplant surgeon, Professor Chris Barnard. The ornate Victorian building in which it is housed was the first Town Hall of South Africa's first municipality. There are a number of other architecturally interesting buildings in the town. An Anglo-Boer War blockhouse still "guards" the railway bridge. Annual Events: The Show - February; The Beaufort West Half Marathon - March; Kanniedood Marathon - May; Beaufort West Marathon - August; Rotary Wildfees - September.
Gamkasberg Nature Reserve
Scenic beauty is a major feature of this reserve which is home to golden mimetes (a recently discovered plant species), mountain zebra, baboon and a number of antelope species. Spring, when the wild flowers are in bloom, is the best time to visit the reserve. The duration of hiking trails varies from two hours to three days.
Karoo National Park
Noted for plains game and a rich bird life, the Karoo National Park also supports black rhino and the riverine rabbit. Among a number of short walks and hiking trails, the park has the world's first fossil trail for the blind. Especially designed for the adventurous, the strenuous three-day Springbok Hiking Trail leads to the highest point of the Nuweveld Mountains.
Laingsburg
The town was almost totally destroyed by a flood in 1981 - only 100 years after it was established. Pictures of the devastation, as well as the Wolfaard Historic Collection can be seen in the library. From a geological aspect, Laingsburg lies in one of the most interesting areas of the Karoo, and the sunsets are quite spectacular. Annual event Karoo Ultra Marathon - September.
Matjiesfontein
A Victorian village established in 1884 as a health resort by a Scottish entrepreneur. After falling into decline, it was rescued and refurbished by a well-known hotelier. The entire village was declared a national monument in 1975. The old station houses the Railway Museum and the large, privately owned Marie Rawdon Museum.
