Karoo Fossils and Reptiles karoo fossils and reptiles Events Archive Fossils & Reptiles Of The Great Karoo Starting at bedrock the story of the Great Karoo goes back 270 million years to when the central part of' South Africa was a low-lying basin ringed by high lying land and covered by a thick mantle of slow-moving ice. With the coming of a warmer, wetter climate an enormously long period of alternating low and high rainfall seasons settled over South Africa. This period saw the development of a luxurious plant life and the appearance of now long-extinct animals. With the passing of millions of years sand, mud and clay, often containing the fossil remains of animals and plants, were pressured and hardened into a series of rock layers, or strata, thousands of metres thick. The countryside formed from these deposits is today known in the Cape as The Karoo, while the series as a whole is known to geologists as the Karoo System. This, in turn, is divided into several series that are, from oldest to youngest, the Dwyka, the Ecca, the Beaufort and the Stormberg series.

On the left is a photo of a Diictodon fossil (reptile-like mammal) found in the Karoo National Park. This fossil is approximately 240 million years old. (Dr F Durand) It is from the beds of the younger geological series that have come the fascinating fossils, which have led to the Karoo's recognition as one of the biggest and most important fossil deposits in the world. Painstaking pre-historical detective work done by such famed fossickers as the late Dr Robert Broom has vividly repopulated the dim distant Karoo with the grim and grotesque monsters which lumbered, grazed and fought in its primeval marshlands and rivers; animals such as the Pareiasaurus, a fearsome-looking cross between a hippopotamus and a crocodile which was preyed upon by the even more hideous titanosuchids, therocephalians and the smaller gorgonopsians.

It is strange today to think of the Karoo's lonely landscape echoing with the shrieks and bellows of battling dinosaurs, stranger to realise that while these scaly monsters were fighting for supremacy a new type of animal, no larger than a rat, had appeared on the Karoo scene to announce the beginning of the first true mammals. The Karoo's evolutionary scenario had a dramatic curtain when the semi-desert habitat experienced cataclysmic volcanic eruptions, which poured vast rivers of molten lava over the countryside, destroying all animal and plant life. At the end of this volcanic activity a period of erosion started which gradually stripped away land surfaces to expose the entire Karoo succession - a petrified showcase of entombed plants and animals - in a process that is still going on. For the visitor this area offers a treasure chest of information. Various tour operators specialise in fossil tours.

About the Karoo The Great Karoo, South Africa - Journeys by Design Home / Destinations / South Africa / The Great Karoo The Great Karoo A vast and surprisingly varied biosphere, the Great Karoo spans large sections all three capes, stretches as far north as the Kruger and is finally receiving - from a growing band of travellers, wildlife experts and conservationists - the kind of attention once reserved for the likes of the Western Cape’s Fynbos regions. At the moment (2012) Journeys by Design operates itineraries based in Samara Private Game Reserve and Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve. Classified as semi-desert, The Great Karoo is in fact a conglomerate of habitats, of mountain, savannah, grassland and desert, the so-called Nama and Succulent Karoos. The Succulent Karoo occupies the western third of the Great Karoo. The Nama Karoo, South Africa’s second largest biome, straddles much of the country’s central plateau.

Both game reserves, Samara and Mount Camdeboo, are located along the eastern flank (in the Eastern Cape) of the Nama Karoo, where it’s predominantly desert characteristics - shrub lands, poor quality limestone soils - are partially broken up by proximity of the Sneuberg Mountains. Once exclusive home to the Khoi and the Sans peoples, the Great Karoo remained relatively untouched for thousands of years, its vast reserves of coal - its accompanying (great) fossil record - undiscovered. Unable to sustain large sedentary (cattle reliant) communities, it was considered uninhabitable - by the Bantu, the Dutch and the British. However, following the establishment of first early settler outposts, and then the building of the railway, it has been steadily occupied as of the eighteenth century. The Great Karoo occupies an important part in recent South African history. Home to the Great Trek, it was an Afrikaner stronghold, its towns built around frontier communities - farmers, trekkers, fighters.

A training ground, resource and great escape hatch for the Boer forces during the second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), it was a major thorn in the side of the occupying British during the early twentieth century. With many of the Burgher Boers emigrating from the Eastern Cape, the area now occupied by Samara and Mount Camdeboo is significant for its provision of significant republicans, including South Africa’s first president, Andrius Pretorius, after whom Pretoria is named. Pretoria’s significance - and the fact of the staunch republicanism of its settler towns (Graaff-Reinet, for example) - made the Great Karoo a touchstone for both pro and anti- apartheid activity. Famously, Graaff-Reinet was the birth place and childhood home to Robert Sobukwe, the pan-Africanist interned on Robben Island. Nearby, at Cradock, the assassination in 1985 of 4 anti-apartheid activists is widely seen as a turning point in the struggle for racial equality, with the then president, PW Botha, declaring a State of Emergency.

For years a farming economy, and then a mining bedrock for the country’s emergent wealth, the Great Karoo is today a growing safari destination, not least along the Eastern Cape’s north-western flank, where well-managed restocking programmes have seen wild species flourish. In Samara and Mount Camdeboo, predominant species include springbok, oryx, eland, blesbok, buffalo, black wildebeest, giraffe, white rhino, Cape Mountain, cheetah and Burchell's zebra. Please not that elephant and lion are not found in either park, the aim being to preserve 500 year old species of Shepherd tree, and to ensure a the long term success of the areas dominant predator - cheetah. To find out more about Travel To The Great Karoo and to arrange your tailor-made trip, get in touch with us today. South Africa The Great Karoo The Great Karoo Colesberg Travel Guide The Great Karoo is a vast semi-desert region of more than 400,000 square kilometers stretching over the provinces of the Eastern, Northern and Western Cape.

The Karoo offers the visitor vast plains, majestic mountains, champagne air and picturesque Karoo towns steeped in history and intrigue. Here you can explore off the beaten track - on foot, horseback, mountain bike, 4x4 or canoe - and enjoy spectacular game viewing and bird watching. Visit game and nature reserves, farms and fascinating museums, bushman engravings and fossil collections. National Parks & Nature Reserves Find Accommodation in the Great Karoo Eastern Cape Ceres Biomes The Karoo can be divided into the Succulent Karoo Biome, to the west, and the Nama Karoo Biome which covers most of the interior at altitudes between 500 and 2000m. The Succulent Karoo stretches along the coastal strip of southwestern Namibia and South Africa's Northern Cape Province, where the cold Benguela Current offshore creates frequent fogs. The ecoregion extends inland into the uplands of South Africa's Western Cape Province. It is bounded on the south by the Mediterranean climate fynbos, on the east by the Nama Karoo, which has more extreme temperatures and variable rainfall, and on the north by the Namib Desert.

The Succulent Karoo is notable for the world's richest flora of succulent plants, and harbors about one-third of the world’s approximately 10,000 succulent species. The region is also extraordinarily rich in geophytes, harboring approximately 630 species. Most of the land in the Nama Karoo is used for grazing by sheep (for mutton, wool and pelts) and goats. Urbanization and agriculture in the biome are minimal, and irrigation is confined to the Orange River valley and some pans. What our clients say: I have seldom experienced such an efficient help and support like from you! Thank you so much. We will do all the bookings during the next few days and I will revert to you with the end result or maybe with a little... Great Karoo | plateau, South Africa | Britannica.com plateau, South Africa Alternative Titles: Central Karoo, Great Karroo, Groot Karoo Similar Topics Jos Plateau Great Karoo, Karoo also spelled Karroo, Afrikaans Groot Karoo, also called Central Karoo, plateau basin in Western Cape province, South Africa , lying between the Great Escarpment (north) and the Swartberg (south).

It represents the effect of headwater erosion by rivers flowing southwest and southeast from the escarpment. The Great Karoo is divided into a western basin and a much larger eastern basin. The western, which is the headwater basin for the Doring River, is about 140 miles (225 km) north to south and about 50 miles (80 km) wide. The eastern basin contains the headwaters of the Buffels, Dwyka, Gamka, Groot, and Sondags rivers; it is about 300 miles (480 km) long, its width decreasing westward from 80 to 50 miles (130 to 80 km), and is rugged in the north and flat in the south. The low annual rainfall (ranging from 16 inches [400 mm] in the east to 4 inches [100 mm] in the west) and the fauna are typical of arid, semidesert regions. A grazing area, especially for sheep and goats, the basin is fertile where irrigated along the stream courses. Grains and fruit are the chief crops.

The principal towns are Graaff-Reinet, Beaufort West, and Aberdeen. The Great Karoo, near Laingsburg, Western Cape province, S.Af. Winfried Bruenken Nama Karoo | Ecoregions | WWF x Deserts and xeric shrublands Nama Karoo The Nama Karoo is a vast, open, arid region dominated by low-shrub vegetation, punctuated by rugged relief (Dean and Milton 1999a). Although not remarkably rich in species or endemism, the flora and fauna of the region are impressively adapted to its climatic extremes. The major threats to biodiversity are posed by pastoralism, exotic plants, mining and agriculture (Lovegrove 1993), all exacerbated by the fact that so little - less than 1 percent - of the ecoregion is conserved (Cowling 1986; Barnard et al. 1998). Scientific Code Description Location and General Description Most of the Nama Karoo occurs on the central plateau of the Cape Province in South Africa, although it extends over the Orange River into Namibia in the northwest.

The Great Escarpment, which runs parallel to the coast 100 km to 200 km inland, divides the ecoregion into two parts: one between 550 m to 900 m in elevation, the other between 900 and 1,300 m (Palmer and Hoffman 1997). The climate is typically harsh. Droughts are common, and both seasonal and daily temperatures fluctuate considerably. Temperature variations of 25°C between day and night are common (Venter et al. 1986). Mean maximum temperatures in mid-summer (January) exceed 30°C, whereas mean minimum mid-winter (July) temperatures are below freezing (Palmer and Hoffman 1997). Rainfall is highly seasonal, peaking between December and March (Palmer and Hoffman 1997). Annual rainfall ranges between 100 mm to 500 mm, decreasing from east to west and from north to south (Palmer and Hoffman 1997, Desmet and Cowling 1999).

Variability in inter-annual rainfall tends to increase with increasing aridity (Schulze 1997). Shallow, weakly developed lime-rich soils cover much of the region (Watkeys 1999). The soils are principally underlain by sediments of the Dwyka Formation, which are covered by the Ecca and Beaufort groups respectively (Lloyd 1999). The Karoo dolerite dykes and sills were formed when molten rock intruded into the pre-existing rocks of the Ecca and Beaufort shales (Lloyd 1999). Dolerite sills, generally more resistant to weathering than the surrounding sandstones and shales, can be seen as the flat-topped hills typical of the Nama Karoo landscape (Watkeys 1999). The fossil record contained in the rocks of the Nama Karoo goes back more than 3 billion years. The greenstones of the Kaapvaal craton in the northeast have been found to contain unicellular and biogenic filamentous structures, signs of some of the earliest forms of life (Engel et al. 1968, Meadows and Watkeys 1999).

The richness of dinosaur and mammal-like reptile fossils of the region is world-renowned, and has provided substantial evidence regarding the origin of mammals (Lloyd 1999). The rocks and fossils of the area also indicate the diverse environments that have been found here over hundreds of millions of years (Dean and Milton 1999a). Dwarf shrubs (chaemaphytes) and grasses (hemicryptophytes) dominate the current vegetation, their relative abundances being dictated mainly by rainfall and soil (Palmer and Hoffman 1997). As a rule, shrubs increase and grasses decrease with increasing aridity (Palmer and Hoffman 1997). Heavy grazing by domestic livestock can obscure this pattern, however, by suppressing the grass component (Lovegrove 1993). Some of the more abundant shrubs include species of Drosanthemum, Eriocephalus, Galenia, Pentzia, Pteronia, and Ruschia, while the principal perennial grasses are Aristida, Digitaria, Enneapogon, and Stipagrostis spp.

Trees and taller woody shrubs are mostly restricted to watercourses, and include Acacia karroo, Diospyros lycioides, Grewia robusta, Rhus lancea, and Tamarix usneoides (Palmer and Hoffman 1997). The Orange River Basin is the region’s main drainage system, although many of the watercourses that feed it are seasonal (Lloyd 1999). The ecoregion also has a number of pan systems, the largest of which, the Grootvloer-Verneukpan complex, plays an important role during fish migrations, enabling certain species access to their breeding grounds in the upper reaches of the Sak River (Lloyd 1999). When summer rainfall is high, the system also provides a link between the Orange and Sak river systems, which may enable an interchange of indigenous fish and other aquatic organisms (Lloyd 1999). Towards the Orange River, the Fish River flows through a canyon that is second in size only to the Grand Canyon of America.

The canyon is 161 km long, up to 27 km wide, and in places almost 550 m deep with sheer, precipitous sides. The Fish River normally flows only during the rainy season, but pools of varying size remain throughout the year (Barnard 1998). Biodiversity Features There is little published data regarding species richness or endemism for the Nama Karoo flora. Gibbs Russel (1987) calculated 2,147 species occurred in a central area of 198,000 km2, of which 377 (16 percent) are endemic. Recently, however, an archipelago of mountains within a part of the ecoregion known as Bushmanland have been found to harbor both Nama Karoo and Succulent Karoo type vegetation, as well as a diverse assemblage of succulents endemic to the archipelago itself (Desmet 2000). A study of the invertebrate fauna of one of these mountains (the Gamsberg) also revealed a collection of Succulent Karoo species, well out of their known distribution range (Desmet 2000).

The fauna of the Nama Karoo is relatively species-poor (Vernon 1999). There are few strict endemics, as most animals have extended their ranges into the Karoo from adjacent biomes. One species of small mammal is strictly endemic to the ecoregion, Visagie's golden mole (Chrysochloris visagiei, CR). Five other small mammals are near-endemic, Grant's rock mouse (Aethomys granti), Shortridge's rat (Thallomys shortridgei, LR), the riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis, EN), Gerbillurus vallinus and Petromyscus monticularis, LR (Hilton-Taylor 2000). The most vulnerable of the Nama Karoo’s vertebrates is the riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis), classified as "Endangered" in the South African Red Data Book because of habitat destruction by agriculture (Smithers 1986). The quagga, (Equus quagga) a Nama Karoo near-endemic, was hunted to extinction in the 19th Century (Skinner and Smithers 1990).

Among birds, the ferruginous lark (Certhilauda burra, VU) (Dean et al. 1991) and Sclater's lark (Spizocorys sclateri, LR) are strictly endemic to this ecoregion, while another five species are near-endemic: Karoo chat (Cercomela schlegelii), tractrac chat (Cercomela tractrac), red lark (Certhilauda burra), Karoo scrub robin (Cercotrichas coryphaeus), red-headed cisticola (Cisticola subruficapillus), and the Namaqua prinia (Phragmacia substriata).

Other characteristic speces of the Nama Karoo which are regarded as "Vulnerable" in South Africa are tawny (Aquila rapax) and martial (Polemaetus bellicosus) eagles, African marsh harrier (Circus ranivorus), lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni), blue crane (Anthropoides paradiseus), kori (Ardeotis kori) and Ludwig’s (Neotis ludwigii) bustards, and the red lark (Dean et al. 1991, McCann 2000, Barnes 2000). The reptile fauna contains at least 10 species that are regarded as near-endemic to the ecoregion, but only a few are potentially confined to the Nama Karoo, including Karoo dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion karrooicum) and Boulenger's Padloper (Homopus boulengeri). Many of the endemics, and some of the other species present, are relicts of past drier epochs when desert and savanna biomes expanded to link up with similar biomes in northeast Africa (Werger 1978).

This arid corridor enabled flora and fauna to move between the two regions. Many discontinuous populations of the same species, genera and families with representatives in each region indicate that the corridor formed many times, most recently about 18,000 years ago (Vernon 1999). Among the fauna to exhibit this interrupted distribution are the bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis), olive toad (Bufo garmani), and fawn-colored and sabota larks (Mirafra africanoides, M. sabota) (Vernon 1999). In the mid- to late-1800s, European travelers and colonists witnessed game migrations numbering millions across the Nama Karoo. One account recalls a herd taking three days to pass through a small town (Lovegrove 1993). These migrations are believed to have taken place between the summer rainfall Nama Karoo and southern Kalahari, to the winter rainfall Succulent Karoo. Hunting and fences have now halted this phenomenon forever (Lovegrove 1993). Although other game (e.g.

wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), blesbok (Damaliscus dorcas), quagga (Equus quagga), and eland (Taurotragus oryx)) were often involved in these migrations, springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) were by far the most numerous species. Farmers, who tended to regard them as vermin, competing with their sheep for food, space and water, shot as many springbok as they could, using the carcasses for dried spiced meat (Lovegrove 1993). This slaughter, along with habitat loss to fenced livestock farms and a rinderpest outbreak at the end of the 19th Century, reduced springbok numbers dramatically. Springbok are now, for the most part, a form of livestock living on fenced farmland (Kingdon 1997). Luckily, fences do not limit birds, and many species, particularly granivores, still travel hundreds of kilometers to find rainfall (and hence, food) patches (Dean and Milton 1999b).

The major large-scale disturbance to the Nama Karoo ecosystem has been grazing, previously by a variety of indigenous migratory ungulates and now by domestic sheep and goats confined within farm boundaries (Skead 1982). Sedentary domestic livestock graze selectively compared to the catholic tastes of their native nomadic counterparts (Roux and Theron 1986). This change in the grazing regime is thought to be responsible for alterations in both plant species composition and cover (Roux and Theron 1986), which ultimately influence ecosystem functioning. On a smaller scale, disturbances associated with heuweltjies (ancient termitaria) (Moore and Picker 1991) maintain habitat heterogeneity and patchiness within the landscape. Termite activity makes the soils of heuweltjies finer, moister and more alkaline than their surrounds (Midgley and Musil 1990). The plant communities that grow on these mounds are thus very different than the surrounding matrix (Lovegrove 1993). Many animal species may contribute further to the nutrient enrichment of heuweltjies.

Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) and steenbok (Raphicerus campestris) often use them as dung middens; Brant’s whistling rats (Parotomys brantsii) frequently colonize them; and sheep prefer to graze (and therefore deposit dung) on the mounds (Armstrong and Siegfried 1990, Milton and Dean 1990). Current Status >Very little – less than 1 percent – of the Nama Karoo is protected (Cowling 1986, Barnard et al. 1998). The only large park present in this ecoregion is the Fish River Canyon Park. This park is situated at the south of the Fish River where it flows through its large canyon. The park has recently been enlarged to include adjacent mountains to the west and now extends to the Orange River. The park includes the Ais Ais hot springs, which reach the surface within the canyon. The establishment of wildlife conservancies on commercial and communal farmlands could improve this situation, with rural communities responsible for the ecological management of large areas in habitats otherwise overlooked for conservation (Barnard et al.

1998). The Namibian area of the ecoregion once had high species richness, but low populations of large mammals which were decimated by settlers who entered Namibia at the Orange River and Warmbad areas. Large mammal distributions receded in a northeasterly direction, leaving southern Namaland devoid of vulnerable species such as lions and plains zebras (Equus burchelli). These two species have suffered a 95 percent range reduction over the past 200 years. By the early 1800s, mammal populations in the south of this ecoregion had been decimated, and today this area holds the national Namibian record for the most regional extinctions (Griffin 1998). Types and Severity of Threats Most of the ecoregion is now rangeland for livestock grazing (Hoffman et al. 1999), and therefore still intact, although heavy grazing has left parts seriously degraded (Lloyd 1999). The issue of degradation and grazing practices is complex, however, and requires further investigation (Hoffman and Cowling 1990, Dean and Macdonald 1994, Hoffman et al.

1999). The use of poisoned carcasses by livestock farmers to kill "problem" animals such as black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) and caracal (Felis caracal) often results in poisoning of nontarget raptors (Lloyd 1999, Anderson 2000). Some species, like the martial and black (Aquila verreauxii) eagles, perceived to prey on domestic livestock and poultry, may be intentionally targeted (Anderson 2000). Drownings in farm reservoirs are also responsible for a significant number of raptor mortalities in the ecoregion (Anderson 2000). Simple and effective solutions to this problem are currently being promoted in farmer extension programs (Anderson 2000). In addition to pastoralism, alien invasive plants, mining, agriculture, and the collection of succulents and reptiles for the pet trade, also threaten the ecoregion’s biodiversity (Lovegrove 1993, Lloyd 1999). A number of introduced ornamental (e.g. some Cactaceae) and forage (e.g.

Opuntia, Prosopis, Atriplex, and Bromus spp.) plants, together with a few accidental introductions (e.g. Salsola kali and Argemone ochroleuca) have the potential to seriously alter the region’s ecology and hydrology (Milton et al. 1999). These exotics disperse efficiently, lack natural predators and can outcompete indigenous plants for water, nutrients and light (Lovegrove 1993). Anthropogenic climate change, increased stocking rates, cultivation of marginal lands and salinization of surface water are all likely to further facilitate the spread of alien invasive plants (Milton et al. 1999). Some progress has been made in addressing the problem, particularly in the area of biological control. Mining is important in the region and also threatens the ecology, although in some cases, attempts are being made to rehabilitate the land as far as possible (Lovegrove 1993). At present, open-cast mining for zinc looks likely to proceed at the Gamsberg. The possibility of future mining activities on the Gamsberg and other mountains in its archipelago are of great concern.

Clearing of natural vegetation for cultivation destroys the natural habitat of many plants and animals. Pesticides used to control brown locust (Locustana pardalina) outbreaks also impact wildlife habitat severely, with high concentrations being found at the top of the food chain, particularly in raptors (Lovegrove 1993). Justification of Ecoregion Delineation This ecoregion, along with the Succulent Karoo, roughly falls within the ‘Karoo’ biogeographic province of Udvardy (1975). The boundaries of the ecoregion were taken from the Nama Karoo biome of Low and Rebelo (1996), and extended north to Keetmanshoop roughly around the 900 m contour (WWF 1998). This ecoregion is distinguished from surrounding ecoregions by a range of environmental parameters including elevation, temperature, and rainfall. The Nama Karoo lies between 500 to 1500 m elevation, and has more extreme temperatures and more variable rainfall compared to the adjacent Succulent Karoo ecoregion. References Anderson, M.D. 2000.

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IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, United Kingdom. Hoffman, M.T., and R.M. Cowling. 1990. Vegetation change in the semi-arid eastern Karoo over the last 200 years: an expanding Karoo – fact or fiction? South African Journal of Science 86: 286-294. Hoffman, M.T., B. Cousins, T. Meyer, A. Petersen, and H. Hendricks. 1999. Historical and contemporary land use and the desertification of the karoo. Pages 257-273 in W. R. J. Dean and S. J. Milton, editors. The Karoo. Ecological patterns and processes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Kingdon, J. 1997. The Kingdon field guide to African mammals. Academic Press Ltd, London. Lloyd, J.W. 1999. Nama Karoo. Pages 84-93 in J. Knobel, editor. The magnificent natural heritage of South Africa. Sunbird Publishing, Cape Town, South Africa. Lovegrove, B.

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South African Red Data Book – Terrestrial Mammals. South African National Scientific Programmes Report No. 125. Udvardy, M.D.F. A classification of the biogeographical provinces of the world. IUCN Occasional Paper No. 18 (International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Morges, Switzerland, 1975). Venter, J.M., C. Mocke, and J. M. De Jager. 1986. Climate. Pages 18-23 in R. M. Cowling, P. W. Roux, and A.J.H. Pieterse, editors. The Karoo Biome: a preliminary synthesis. Part 1. Physical Environment. South African National Scientific Progress Report 124. Pretoria. CSIR. Vernon, C.J. 1999. Biogeography, endemism and diversity of animals in the Karoo. Pages 57-78 in W.R.J. Dean and S.J. Milton, editors. The Karoo. Ecological patterns and processes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Watkeys, M.K. 1999.

Soils of the arid south-western zone of Africa. Pages 17-26 in W. R. J. Dean and S. J. Milton, editors. The Karoo. Ecological patterns and processes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Werger, M.J.A. 1978. Biogeographical divisions of southern Africa. Pages 231-99 in M.J.A. Werger and W. Junk, editors. Biogeography and ecology of southern Africa. The Hague. WWF. 1998. A conservation assessment of terrestrial ecoregions of Africa: Draft proceedings of a workshop, Cape Town, South Africa, August 1998. World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC, USA. Prepared by: Colleen Seymour Karoo Karoo The Little or Klein Karoo, which is a long valley bordered by the Swartberg and the Langeberg Mountains in Western Cape, forms the southern sibling of the larger Karoo...

experiences in our beautiful country By Province You are here: South Africa / South Africa Information / South Africa Tourist Attractions & Destinations / Western Cape Attractions / Karoo Western Cape Tourist AttractionsThe Karoo The Little or Klein Karoo, which is a long valley bordered by the Swartberg and the Langeberg Mountains in the Western Cape , forms the southern sibling of the larger Karoo - the Great or Groot Karoo occupies the northern part thereof. Where? Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa Overnight? See Karoo accommodation , in Western Cape This is the land of succulents - their thick, fleshy diversity unparalleled anywhere else in the world - peppered only by the odd bush and tree that gives the Karoo, at first glance, the appearance of arid, dry and very flat land devoid of living matter and given over to hot days and cold nights. Herds of buffalo, elephant and kudu once dominated these plains only to be hunted or driven out by modern development.

Today the mainly visible animal in the area is the ostrich , farmed for his meat, eggs and feathers, but stay awhile and you�ll hear the rustlings of the bat-eared fox, the suricate or meerkat and the common barking gecko. This bleak landscape is, on second glance, an area of towering cliffs, clear streams and a unique biome dominated by the aloe and dwarf baobab tree with its yellow peeling bark and midsummer red tubular flowers. Majestic mountains lend a blue haze to the distant horizon and spring flowers draw huge numbers of tourists from all over the world for a few weeks every year when sand becomes a tapestry of flowers. This semi-arid climate with winter rainfall gives rise to various microclimates that allow Karoo winemakers to produce a wide variety of quality wines from vines grown typically along the fertile river banks. Little villages and hamlets make intermittent appearances and towns like Calitzdorp , Ladismith , Van Wyksdorp and Uniondale give the visitor a good idea of a typical South African dorp or town.

The Cango Caves , just west of Oudtshoorn , were discovered by a young Hottentot looking for missing cattle and extend underground for over two kilometres. Formed as a result of 20 million years of rainwater scouring and dissolving rock and limestone to form halls and passageways, the caves were declared a National Monument in 1938 and include the Wonder Cave that has some superb examples of drip stone formations and a resident bat population. And last but not least, the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival at Oudtshoorn showcases South African art forms from serious drama to farce and includes music, fine arts, festive food, poetry, theatre for the little people and dancing. Some have described it as a �boere bazaar� (farmers� market) rather than an arts festival, but one is seriously spoiled for choice here when it comes to catching up on the local art scene.

Popular Towns in the Karoo Amalienstein and Zoar Cape_Town_Heritage_Trust FIND OUT ABOUT SOME KAROO TOWNS READ THE LATEST NEWS IN "ROSE'S ROUND-UP" AN ENDURING STORY When travellers of the world hit the road only a discerning few find their way to the Great Karoo, here where nature dazzles on the endless plains and in the blue mountains, here in the blazing summers and icy winters where the wild winds fade to a silence so pure you can hear God think. The Great Karoo is one of the world's most unique arid zones. In South Africa it stands alone, globally it is an envied rarity. Karoo is an old indigenous word for dry thirst land. The area is considered a wonder of the scientific world. It is an ancient, fossil-rich land with the largest variety of succulents found anywhere on earth. There are more than 9 000 species of plants in the Great Karoo, one district alone being home to more species than the whole of Great Britain.

RECORDED IN STONE Some of the world's most important archaeological sites are located in the Central Karoo, particularly the Beaufort West and Nelspoort areas with their multitude of stone-age sites and petroglyphs, rock engravings, done by the earliest hunter-gatherers. The Great Karoo is integral to the work of the world's scientists, botanists, archaeologists, geologists, palaeontologists and ecologists. For those who care to look, the story of the evolution of mammals from reptiles is here recorded in stone. And the story is 190 to 500 million years old. Game animals to whom these plains and mountains are home makes the Great Karoo an outpost of nature where man's intrusion is still but a light touch. Here are found many species of plains game, hyrax, Hartman mountain Zebra, fallow deer, wild ostrich, guinea fowl, the Egyptian goose and lynx. Bird life is abundant.

The endangered black rhinoceros and the riverine rabbit have also been re-established in the Karoo So has the quagga, a species once extinct, but which has now been regenerated from portions of its genetic code found in tissue samples taken from mounted museum exhibits. TALES OF WAR AND PIONEERS At the end of the last century one of the largest fighting forces ever to leave the shores of Imperial Britain arrived at the Cape. These soldiers, with all the paraphernalia of battle, moved across the plains of the Great Karoo to engage the Boers in the Anglo-Boer War, last of the gentlemen's wars. Lonely British war graves now dot the plains and silent block houses still guard the railway bridges as grim reminders of those turbulent times. HOME OF THE PIONEERS The Great Karoo is also a place of pioneers. Born here in the last century was Dr Emil Hoffa, founder of the modern science of orthopaedics. It was also the birthplace of probably the world's most famous surgeon, Professor Christiaan Barnard, heart transplant pioneer.

Even the man who early in the 20th century was acknowledged as the prince of the shadowy world of international espionage, Fritz Joubert Duquesne, had strong family ties in the Karoo. PLACE OF VISUAL INSPIRATION As scenery goes, the Karoo is not for pretty chocolate boxes. Visually, it is stark, a starkness that distils into a grandiose beauty, at times awesome. Here sunsets and dawns do not stoop to being visual clichï¿½s, they stun with blinding light and cloud shows. The Great Karoo has a harsh climate with little rain, severe droughts, fiery summers and bitter winters. Occasionally it surprises with mighty cloud bursts and fearsome floods. But it is an invigorating environment considered highly health giving, in fact, so much so that at one time it was popular with the aristocracy of Europe as well as eastern potentiates. It is a place of vast plains and endless blue mountains, a land of enchantment and mystery. Those who linger in its vastness soon sense the magic, and over the years are forever drawn back to this, the world's largest plain of its kind outside Asia.

A GOSSAMER TAPESTRY In an impassioned plea for its preservation, archaeologist Garth Sampson once said: "The Karoo is like a rich tapestry. Removing any item is like unpicking a stitch, each path or road cut across its surface is equal to pulling out a thread, and each settlement is like a moth hole!" THE ROCKS TALK When the earth was younger, about 280 million years ago, the Great Karoo was a vast swamp. Over the aeons, the swamp of prehistory, where mammal-like reptiles once ruled, disappeared. It gradually changed to a desert with rugged beauty and eternal rock layers that hid the secrets of this ancient land, guarding them for the caring few. The swamp's transition to desert started about 280 million years ago when the climate began to change. Temperatures climbed and the world grew warmer, slowly drying. The huge lake, an inland see, fed by a network of north-flowing rivers, began to silt up. Glaciers and vast ice sheets slowly slid downwards, bringing with them abundant rock debris.

The streams became sludge and winds carried debris into the lake where layer upon layer of sediment and silt slowly built up, burying the skeletons of aquatic creatures that lived at that time. Over the next 100 million years the lush plant growth on the land wilted and swamp creatures battled for survival as food dwindled. They plodded the rim of the lake in search of anything edible, leaving in the mud footprints and tail drag marks. TRAPPED IN TIME Around the water holes thick mud trapped the heavier creatures that now are found as fossils. Among these are examples of the 2,5 metre-long Bradysaurus, so often found with heads tilted up, indicating that they could not free themselves and so suffocated. In time, they became extinct. After millennia, the climate became drier and dinosaurs inhabited the ancient deserts. Since 120 million years ago the Great Karoo has been eroded into the vast plains and flat-topped mountains of today. FOOTPRINTS FROM THE PAST Fossilised footprints are found on many Karoo farms, and on Gansfontein, near Fraserburg, there is an intriguing palaeo-surface.

It shows an ancient flood-plain surface with contour, mud, ripple and wrinkle marks, as well as worm trails, fish-fin imprints and anthropoid trails. There are also many large mammal-like reptile, Dinocephalian and Bradysaurus tracks. There is a complete Bradysaurus fossil, restored in situ, on Melton Wold, near Loxton. These huge, lizard-like, plant-eating reptiles were once as plentiful 260 million years ago as springbok are now. ON THE TRAIL OF FOSSILS Fossil sites abound in the Great Karoo, but a good starting point is the Karoo National Park's Fossil Trail. It has wide walkways for wheel chairs and Braille board inscriptions for the convenience of the blind. Taped commentary is available for disabled visitors who have their own cassette players. Some display cases may be opened for blind visitors to feel the fossils. Gondwanaland is explained, and along this 400m route there are superb examples of fossilised mudstone, silified trees and a wide variety of fossils, most of which have been found in the Beaufort Series of rock formations.

THE KAROO NATIONAL PARK On the outskirts of Beaufort West lies the huge Karoo National Park which stretches far into the Nuweveld mountain range. Here two of South Africa's most highly endangered species, the riverine rabbit and the black rhinoceros, have been successfully resettled. The park is also home to five tortoise species, the most in any conservation area in the world. Found in the park and mountains and on the surrounding plains are springbok, black springbok, white springbok, kudu, eland, blesbuck, white blesbuck, red hartebeest, black wildebeest, blue wildebeest, impala, southern mountain reedbuck, grey rhebuck, klipspringer, oryx, blue duiker, steenbuck, hyrax, Hartman mountain zebra, fallow deer, wild ostrich, guinea fowl, Egyptian goose and lynx. Abundant bird life includes the magnificent black eagle and the somewhat shy eagle owl. There are chalets for those who wish to linger a while.

There's a pool, a restaurant, hiking routes, a Braille fossil trail, a nature walk and a popular 4 x 4 trail. EXTINCT QUAGGA BACK IN THE KAROO This remarkable event had its beginnings on August 12, 1883, the day a quagga mare died in Amsterdam Zoo. Nobody then paid much attention. Only later it was revealed that she had been the last of her kind on earth. This beautiful species of zebra-type animals was once abundant on the plains of the Great Karoo. But they were ruthlessly hunted as settlers considered them competitors for the grazing needed for sheep, goats and cattle. Then, nearly 100 years later in the early 1980s, a project was launched to recreate the species from portions of its genetic code present in tissue samples taken from mounted museum exhibits. It was a painstakingly slow process, but now 11 of the once extinct plains quagga have been resettled in the Karoo National park where everything possible is being done to help them to adapt to life on the veld.

DUCHESS OF THE PLAINS No visit to these parts is quite complete without calling in at Matjiesfontein, the Grand Duchess of the Great Karoo. This Victorian village, which has been restored in its entirety, was declared a national monument in 1979. It was established in 1884 by a colourful, entrepreneurial Scot, James D Logan. What he saw as great opportunity was the sale of water to the fledgling Cape Colonial Railway, but in time he also created one of the first health resorts in Africa. Matjiesfontein is closely linked with Olive Schreiner, famous South African author of "The Story of an African Farm." She spent long periods in the tiny village writing in a house Logan built for her. The house is still there, as well as her favourite tree, fondly known as Olive's Tree. In the last century the aristocracy of Europe flocked to Matjiesfontein to enjoy the "good clean Karoo air" which had cured Logan of a chest complaint. Among these were the Sultan of Zanzibar and Lord Randolph Churchill, Sir Winston Churchill's father.

WHERE HUNTING IS PART OF NATURE Since long before recorded memory the Great Karoo has been natural hunting country. For centuries the /Xam (Bushmen) used their legendary skills with bow and arrow to kill for the pot. Then, as now, the graceful and swift springbok roamed the plains in herds of many thousands. Every so often they stampeded through the early towns, leaving behind trails of devastation. But when nomadic life on the plains gave way to the settled existence of farming, fences arrived, changing the whole pattern. Now there are large herds of game behind fences, ironically saved from extinction by commercial hunting that is strictly controlled. Among the health conscious, venison is enjoying growing popularity, being almost completely fat-free. Karoo game farms are internationally known. Many offer hunters larger antelope such as vaalribbok, blesbuck, oryx, eland, kudu and black wildebeest. SETTLEMENTS MIRROR THE PAST Towns and settlements in the central area of the Great Karoo still reflect the ethnic bouquet that shaped the present-day inhabitants of this sparsely populated region - hunter-gatherers, indigenous tribesmen, Dutch and British settlers and the early slaves.

Flitting across the map from the north there is Three Sisters, a popular fuel and refreshment stop along the main N1 arterial highway. It takes its name from the three almost identical dolerite topped hills in the background. Nelspoort is just off the N1, and is the site in the Great Karoo richest in Xam (Bushman) engravings or petroglyphs. Across the plains and under the mountains lies little Murraysburg, once the scene of a frantic oil search. Beaufort West, oldest town in the Central Karoo, was established in 1818 in an attempt to curb growing lawlessness and gun running in the interior. There is a museum in what was the country's first official town hall, a superb Victorian building. On display here are all the awards presented to pioneering heart surgeon Professor Christiaan Barnard. The original equipment he used to perform the world's first heart transplant can also be seen. Lying at the entrance to scenic Meiringspoort, Klaarstroom is the settlement from where South Africa's last wagon transport business was conducted.

On a nearby farm there is a witblits (or white lightning) still, now a national monument which produces the powerful white spirit to this day. Leeu Gamka on the N1 is a small settlement where the last of a now extinct species, the Cape lion, was shot in 1857. Way off the beaten track, Merweville lies in an area of the Great Karoo strongly resembling Nevada. On the outskirts of this small town is the grave of an Australian soldier who was so disturbed at the thought of fighting Boers during the Anglo-Boer War that he committed suicide. Prince Albert Road began life as a convenience stop for travellers, which purpose it still serves. Situated at the foot of the Swartberg mountain range near the entrance to the famous Swartberg Pass, Prince Albert is unique in that almost all Cape architectural styles are found there. Near the town an aardvark sparked a gold rush in the last century when he unearthed a huge nugget. Laingsburg and its surroundings are considered to be one of the most interesting geological areas of the Great Karoo.

Alongside the main road are layers of fossilised mudstone and layers of volcanic ash blown across from South America 250 million years ago. A short run south lies Matjiesfontein, a perfectly preserved piece of Queen Victoria's British Empire. To stay at the Lord Milner Hotel there is to enter HG Wells's time machine. ONE HELLUVA LITTLE VALLEY More popularly known as The Hell, Gamkaskloof is a strange little valley of legends and stories that lies snug in the heart of the Swartberg mountain range. The first settlers arrived there in 1830, and Gamkaskloof attained a certain fame as home to one of the world's most unique communities, one in almost total isolation. A story goes that the two world wars came and went with the people of the valley being blissfully of both these momentous events. For many years the valley was cut off from the outside world and could only be reached on foot or by pack mule. Then a road was constructed and opened in 1963. Sadly, this led to the decline of the valley as the inhabitants gradually drifted out to nearby towns. The Hell now belongs to Cape Nature Conservation.

All that is left in this beautiful little valley as a reminder of its once uniquely individualistic people are their abandoned homesteads, and once in a while the delightful scent from the bloom of a long-ago rose cultivar. THROUGH THE GATEWAYS The gateways to the Great Karoo are littered with history and stories of outlaws, murderers and ghosts. The two most intriguing ways into the area are the Old Diamond Way and the Smugglers' Route. Old Diamond Way was the route fortune hunters used to reach the fabulous diamond fields at Kimberley. Rich in history and spiced with incredible happenings, it was also the route the regular post coach used, and the way Cecil John Rhodes travelled to and from his diamond claims. Many are the farms along the way where Rhodes is said to have slept and where stories originated of the magnificent diamonds he always carried with him. Said to be haunted, Smugglers' Route meanders through Seweweekspoort Pass. This was the way brandy smugglers travelled to avoid paying taxes on their produce. One of the many legendary ghosts in this pass is a toll-keeper.

For many years now he has been seen running frantically along the road, swinging his lantern to warn travellers of threatening storms and rising rivers. OVER THE PASSES Magnificent passes link the Great Karoo with the Little Karoo. One of these is the Swartberg Pass, a tribute the brilliance of renowned road-builder Thomas Bain, and considered the most spectacular in the world after the Djareleeng Pass in Asia. Then there are Meiringspoort, Seweweekspoort and a number of smaller passes to intrigue the motorist. SEASONS ON THE HIKING TRAILS Spring and autumn are favourite seasons for hiking in the Great Karoo. There are splendid routes in the mountains, at the Karoo National Park and at nature reserves such as Anysberg, near Laingsburg, where pony treks are a highlight. Many farms also offer hikes, each with an own character. There are eco, adventure and wilderness trails, birding bonanzas, mountain bike and 4 x 4 routes. Many farms also have camping sites, caves and natural shelters for amateur astronomers and those happy just gazing at the crystal nights of the Great Karoo.

TRAVELLERS' CHOICE There is always a warm welcome for visitors at the individualistic accommodation establishments of the Great Karoo. The choice is wide and the selection of venues accommodates every budget. There are country inns, traditional hotels (mostly one or two stars), guest houses, cottages, flats and overnight rooms, as well as caravan parks and farms that offer their special brand of hospitality. The choice covers everything from self-catering stops to fully-catered cuisine in pampered elegance. Text by Wally Kriek. Research by Rosalie Willis FURTHER INFORMATION Jules of the Karoo Theron Family "Finding the real Jewel of the Karoo" "Powerful feelings affect the mind of the traveller in the Karoo. He ponders the self-sufficiency of nature, the insignificance of Man, the mystery of the universe as he moves across the brown desert in shimmering waves of heat... The Karoo has a breathtaking beauty. A peculiar characteristic of this great inland plateau is that the scenery possesses a primeval solitude and silence...

It has the primitive simplicity of a country just come from the hands of the Creator." James Byrne, scholar -1897 he Great Karoo is an enchanting vast inland high plateau basin located in central South Africa. This expansive landscape captures the imagination through its stunning sunrises and sunsets, star-filled nights, abundant wildlife, and charming people. The sheer size of the vistas quiets the human spirit and fills it with peace and tranquillity. For comparison, the overall size of the Karoo is about the size of California with an annual rainfall similar to Montana. It is a semi-desert that is rich with a plethora of flora and fauna. There are more than 9,000 different species of plant and animal life - more than all of Great Briton! This huge unique geological feature was formed by glaciers. When the ice receded it left lakes and swamps that later teemed with reptiles and amphibians in wet forests as indicated by fossil evidence. There was also volcanic activity on a large scale forming enormous coal deposits that are a backbone of South Africa's economy.

When Western people arrived in the Karoo in the 1800's they found native peoples variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe. These people were traditionally hunter-gatherers, part of the Khoisan group. But the Karoo was also filled with stunning herds of many kinds of antelope. At times, migratory springbok herds stretched from horizon to horizon. As more settlers arrived gradually sheep became the staple livestock of the Karoo. Even today Karoo Lamb is known far and wide and is considered the best lamb in the world. The Karoo is a land of wonders with geological diversity, fossils, petroglyphs, native culture, Anglo-Boer War historical sites, colonial towns, immense farms, and tremendous wildlife resources. The antelope still abound in the Karoo providing the traveling hunter and local South Africans with matchless shooting opportunities and delicious meat. Experience the adventure at Jules of the Karoo!

Jules of the Karoo Theron Family, Plaatfontein, PO box 683 | De Aar 7000, South Africa House: +27 53 631 3290 | Fax: +27 53 631 7158 | Lodge: +27 53 631 7135 Melton Wold Hunting Safaris The Great Karoo (Cape) The Great Karoo South Africa Only a few travellers to south Africa find their way to the Great Karoo, where nature dazzles on the endless plains and in the blue mountains, in the blazing summers and icy winters where the wild winds fade to a silence so pure you can hear God think. The Great Karoo is one of the world's most unique arid zones. In South Africa it stands alone, globally it is an envied rarity. Karoo is an old indigenous word for dry thirst land. The Great Karoo area is considered a wonder of the scientific world. It is an ancient, fossil-rich land with the largest variety of succulents found anywhere on earth.

There are more than 9 000 species of plants in the Great Karoo, one district alone being home to more species than the whole of Great Britain. The Great Karoo National Park On the outskirts of Beaufort West lies the huge Great Karoo National Park which stretches far into the Nuweveld mountain range. Here two of South Africa's most highly endangered species, the riverine rabbit and the black rhinoceros, have been successfully resettled. The park is also home to five tortoise species, the most in any conservation area in the world. Found in the park and mountains and on the surrounding plains are springbok, black springbok, white springbok, kudu, eland, blesbuck, white blesbuck, red hartebeest, black wildebeest, blue wildebeest, impala, southern mountain reedbuck, grey rhebuck, klipspringer, oryx, blue duiker, steenbuck, hyrax, Hartman mountain zebra, fallow deer, wild ostrich, guinea fowl, Egyptian goose and lynx. Abundant bird life includes the magnificent black eagle and the somewhat shy eagle owl.

There are chalets for those who wish to linger a while. There's a pool, a restaurant, hiking routes, a Braille fossil trail, a nature walk and a popular 4 x 4 trail. Extinct Quagga in the Great Karoo This remarkable event had its beginnings on August 12, 1883, the day a quagga mare died in Amsterdam Zoo. Nobody then paid much attention. Only later it was revealed that she had been the last of her kind on earth. This beautiful species of zebra-type animals was once abundant on the plains of the Great Karoo. But they were ruthlessly hunted as settlers considered them competitors for the grazing needed for sheep, goats and cattle. Then, nearly 100 years later in the early 1980s, a project was launched to recreate the species from portions of its genetic code present in tissue samples taken from mounted museum exhibits. It was a painstakingly slow process, but now 11 of the once extinct plains quagga have been resettled in the Karoo National park where everything possible is being done to help them to adapt to life on the veld.

It was established in 1884 by a colourful, entrepreneurial Scot, James D Logan. What he saw as great opportunity was the sale of water to the fledgling Cape Colonial Railway, but in time he also created one of the first health resorts in Africa. Matjiesfontein is closely linked with Olive Schreiner, famous South African author of "The Story of an African Farm." She spent long periods in the tiny village writing in a house Logan built for her. The house is still there, as well as her favourite tree, fondly known as Olive's Tree. In the last century the aristocracy of Europe flocked to Matjiesfontein to enjoy the "good clean Karoo air" which had cured Logan of a chest complaint. Among these were the Sultan of Zanzibar and Lord Randolph Churchill, Sir Winston Churchill's father. Towns of the Great Karoo Towns and settlements in the central area of the Great Karoo still reflect the ethnic bouquet that shaped the present-day inhabitants of this sparsely populated region - hunter-gatherers, indigenous tribesmen, Dutch and British settlers and the early slaves.

Flitting across the map from the north there is Three Sisters, a popular fuel and refreshment stop along the main N1 arterial highway. It takes its name from the three almost identical dolerite topped hills in the background. Nelspoort is just off the N1, and is the site in the Great Karoo richest in Xam (Bushman) engravings or petroglyphs. Across the plains and under the mountains lies little Murraysburg, once the scene of a frantic oil search. Beaufort West, oldest town in the Central Karoo, was established in 1818 in an attempt to curb growing lawlessness and gun running in the interior. There is a museum in what was the country's first official town hall, a superb Victorian building. On display here are all the awards presented to pioneering heart surgeon Professor Christiaan Barnard. The original equipment he used to perform the world's first heart transplant can also be seen. Lying at the entrance to scenic Meiringspoort, Klaarstroom is the settlement from where South Africa's last wagon transport business was conducted.

On a nearby farm there is a witblits (or white lightning) still, now a national monument which produces the powerful white spirit to this day. Leeu Gamka on the N1 is a small settlement where the last of a now extinct species, the Cape lion, was shot in 1857. Way off the beaten track, Merweville lies in an area of the Great Karoo strongly resembling Nevada. On the outskirts of this small town is the grave of an Australian soldier who was so disturbed at the thought of fighting Boers during the Anglo-Boer War that he committed suicide. Prince Albert Road began life as a convenience stop for travellers, which purpose it still serves. Situated at the foot of the Swartberg mountain range near the entrance to the famous Swartberg Pass, Prince Albert is unique in that almost all Cape architectural styles are found there. Near the town an aardvark sparked a gold rush in the last century when he unearthed a huge nugget. Laingsburg and its surroundings are considered to be one of the most interesting geological areas of the Great Karoo.

Alongside the main road are layers of fossilised mudstone and layers of volcanic ash blown across from South America 250 million years ago. A short run south lies Matjiesfontein, a perfectly preserved piece of Queen Victoria's British Empire. To stay at the Lord Milner Hotel there is to enter HG Wells's time machine. More popularly known as The Hell, Gamkaskloof is a strange little valley of legends and stories that lies snug in the heart of the Swartberg mountain range. The Hell now belongs to Cape Nature Conservation. The passes of the Great Karoo Magnificent passes link the Great Karoo with the Little Karoo. One of these is the Swartberg Pass, a tribute the brilliance of renowned road-builder Thomas Bain, and considered the most spectacular in the world after the Djareleeng Pass in Asia. Then there are Meiringspoort, Seweweekspoort and a number of smaller passes to intrigue the motorist. Accommodation in the Great Karoo There is always a warm welcome for visitors at the individualistic accommodation establishments of the Great Karoo. The choice is wide and the selection of venues accommodates every budget.

There are country inns, traditional hotels (mostly one or two stars), guest houses, cottages, flats and overnight rooms, as well as caravan parks and farms that offer their special brand of hospitality. The choice covers everything from self-catering stops to fully-catered cuisine in pampered elegance. Victoria West This town is situated on the main route between Kimberley and Cape Town. When diamonds were discovered here in 1866, the prospectors charted a course through Victoria West in an attempt to fill their pockets with the natural riches of the area. Three flat-topped hillocks called the Three Sisters are situated to the south of the town. Victoria West Museum: Fossilised remains of fish remind the visitor that the Karoo was an inland sea more than 200 million years ago. Implements from the Early Stone Age are also on view. The passage of time has brought little change to the Print Shop. The Victoria West Messenger has been in print since 1876. Victoria Trading Post & Mannetjies Roux Museum: Souvenirs of former Springbok rugby player Mannetjies Roux can be seen in this museum.

Roux is famous in South African rugby history and his name has even been immortalised in song. Three hillocks, called the Three Sisters, are an interesting natural land-mark and quite well-known in South Africa. The Victoria West Nature Reserve is home to not only a variety of game species but also to the rare Riverine Rabbit.

Question: Where is the Great Karoo found?
Answer: South Africa