The Karoo...

The hot dry Karoo in South Africa has a sparse barren landscape, where the main economic activity is wool and meat from hardy Karoo sheep. The Karoo pleatau actually covers much of South Africa but we will concentrate on the area where the visitor can find some interesting little towns to visit. The British flag flying village of Matjiesfontein is a national monument in its entirety, and was once a Victoran health retreat as well as a base for Anglo-Boer War British soldiers.

The Karoo National Park has a wide variety of endemic wildlife. Many species have been relocated to their former ranges - such as black rhino and buffalo, as well as Cape mountain zebra. Over 20 breeding pairs of black eagle find sanctuary within the park. There is also a wide diversity of succulent plants and small reptiles.

Tourist Activities in the Karoo 

• Scenic drive along the picturesque Klipspringer Pass with environmentally sympathetic style of construction and scenic viewpoint at Rooivalle.
• Game viewing in own vehicle.
• Karoo 4X4 Trail. This trail may be undertaken in own vehicle, or in a park vehicle with guide.
• Night drives, under guidance of trained staff.
• Nature trails, one of 800 m (Bossie Trail), and one of 11 km (Fonteintjieskloof Trail).
• Karoo Fossil Braille Trail is 400 m long and is specifically adapted for handicapped visitors, depicting the geology and palaeontology of the Great Karoo.
• Bird hide at the dam near main restcamp in the Karoo National Park.

5 Things to seek in the Karoo National Park 

• Black Eagle – with around 20 pairs of these eagles breeding, the park can lay claim to one of the highest densities of this regal species in Africa.
• Tortoises – the park hosts 5 different species, the highest density of species per equivalent area anywhere in the world.
• Quagga – Efforts to rebreed this “formerly extinct” species, now regarded as a zebra sub-species are gathering momentum in the park.
• Cape Mountain Zebra – this species came close to extinction early in the 20^th Century.It is well established in the park and visitors have the opportunity to compare its bold stripe pattern to that of the “quagga” strain.
• Springbok – the emblem of the park and present in high numbers.This is a reminder of the once massive herds that crossed the Karoo on annual migration that could stretch for several kilometres.

Karoo Climate

Annual rainfall totals 260 mm, with the plains being hot in summer, and the mountain areas relatively cool throughout the year. During mid-winter snow occurs regularly on the peaks of the Nuweveld Mountains.

• Cool clothing for summer and warm for winter – the region is subject to sudden changes in weather, particularly in the mountains.
• Remember to bring a hat, walking shoes, sun block, camera, binoculars and bird and mammal reference books.
• Hikers on day trails must always carry sufficient water.

This is just some info on the Karoo. For more info visit www.mufasabackpackers.com or mail me at jana@mufasabackpackers.com

Regards
Jana :)