City
The Karoo
The Karoo is formed of thee parts - the Great Karoo is the larger, more northerly sub-region of the Karoo, bordering the Little Karoo in the south and the Upper Karoo in the north.
The Great Karoo's semi-arid highlands are characterised by dramatic mountain scenery contrasting with flat savannah plains which were once the home to huge herds of game.
Also known as the Klein Karoo, the Little Karoo is the long valley stretching across the Western Cape bordered by the Swartberg and Langeberg Mountains. The undulating semi-arid landscape is home to dramatic rock formations and a rich bio-diversity of fauna and flora Graaff-Reinet. One of the oldest Dutch settler towns in South Africa, founded in 1786, Graaff-Reinet is now home to more historic monuments than any other town in the country. The architecture bears all the hallmarks of a former capital of Dutch and later British territory. The Dutch Reformed Church, the Reinet House museum and all of the buildings on Stretch’s Court still have recognisable 19th century features. A very enjoyable stop in its own right, three hours’ drive from Port Elizabeth, Graaff-Reinet also combines well with a visit to the surrounding countryside of the Great Karoo, especially the Camdeboo National Park and sheer cliffs of the Valley of Desolation.
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Ignacio Foley
Senior Reservations Consultant
Short Break
Samara Private Game Reserve, Great Karoo
The Karoo, South Africa
superior
Just south of the Sneeuberg Mountain range, close to Graaff-Reinet, you’ll find the Samara Reserve. The 70,000 hectares nestles on the plains of the Camdeboo, which was once the scene of the great Springbok migration documented by David Livingstone.
Short Break
Rosenhof Country House
The Karoo, South Africa
Oudtshoorn is a good place to break your journey if you are driving between Cape Town and Plettenberg. Rosenhof is situated 30 miles north of George in the Klein Karoo and is a beautifully restored homestead dating from 1852.
Short Break
Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, Little Karoo
The Karoo, South Africa
Only a three and a half hour drive from Cape Town, Sanbona is one of South Africa’s largest private wildlife reserves and covers 54,000 hectares. Sanbona is also home to the only free-roaming pride of white lions in the world and the highly endangered Riverine rabbit. It also has seven recorded sites of San rock art dating back more than 3,500 years.
Short Break
Drostdy Hotel, Graaff-Reinet
The Karoo, South Africa
deluxe
In the heart of historic Graaff-Reinet, opened in 2014, the Drostdy centres around several carefully restored 18th century houses including the famous Stretch's Court. The traditional parquet floors, African prints and animal skin rugs of the 48 rooms and suites reflecting both the town's history and the surrounding Karoo, are spread among hte different buildings linked by pedestrian paths.
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Our expert reservations team regularly travel to a wide range of destinations to explore new cities, visit hotels and to research museums, galleries and restaurants so that we can offer the most up-to-date advice and recommendations.
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