The Cape Karoo

Carrying on with our series of regional profiles, today we shall take a look at the Cape Karoo.

Just after Touwsrivier, along the N1, you will enter a land of stark beauty, an arid, desert-like landscape evoking images of cowboys in Country Western movies. The Karoo was home to the original inhabitants of this earth, the Bushmen, this fossil-rich region near Beaufort West and Nelspoort, houses some of the most important archaeological sites in the world . Here, sites and engravings have been dated back to the Stone Age. One could very well imagine this to be the "Bedrock" of the "Flintstones".

The name Karoo comes from the word 'Karusa' which means dry, barren or thirsty land in the Khoi language. The Khoi, along with the San, inhabited these harsh plains over 500 000 years ago and have left their mark inside caves and along the rock formations.

Well known towns in the Karoo include: 

• Beaufort West - the gateway into the Western Cape for those travelling from up country. Also the birthplace of world renowned heart surgeon, Dr Christiaan Barnard, the first man to perform a heart transplant.
• Matjiesfontein - a town from a bygone era that transports you back to a Victorian age. Adding to the charm of this town is the romantic Lord Milner hotel as well as the Old London Bus tour, a double decker bus reminiscent of yesteryear.
• Laingsburg - devastated by a flood in the 1980's, the town has been restored with a museum in remembrance of those who lost their lives. The area around the town is rich in fossils, with evidence dating back to when the Karoo used to be swamp!
• Prince Albert - a thriving apricot and fig industry is possible in this town due to the availability of water from the mountains, unlike other Karoo towns. Olives, cheese and wines add to the splendour that this town has to offer.
• Murraysburg - the town is blessed with a wealth of artists and crafters of a high calibre and has been called the "crafters Mecca of the Karoo".

The best star-gazing in the province can be experienced in the Karoo region. A range of accommodation options are available including the Karoo National Park which is home to many endangered species, including the once extinct quagga.

For adventure and nature lovers alike, there are a range of 4x4 and hiking trails available, for more information contact the tourism office.