Karreekloof since 1881

Why the name Karreekloof? No one really knows, but it could be because of the many Karee trees that grew in the kloof on the farm.

It is a farm rich in history and formed part of the Anglo Boer War. Many famous people’s footsteps lie here. Time can tell many stories they say.

For Karreekloof time is much needed to understand and appreciate every little detail of information. Fortunately, Peter Wright, the previous owner of Karreekloof, who still stays on the farm, shares endless stories, history, and lifelong experiences through his eyes as well as stories told by his father and grandfather. Four generations since 1822 and still stories are being told.

Karreekloof was once a trading store known as Lilienfeld & Wright. Many of the historical experiences may be of interest to the current generations and those to come. Although farming was the primary activity at Karreekloof, trading with Afrikaner cattle, Catalonian donkeys, and black head Persian sheep was as important.

The famous writer Olive Schreiner spent much of her time at Karreekloof writing one of her famous books, The Story of an African Farm. The Boer War, however, brought its hardships and difficulties to Karreekloof. A British officer Lieutenant Logan of Nesbitt’s horse was shot on the farm, which was buried in the small farm cemetery.

On 17 July 1962 former South African President PW Botha visited the farm leaving a letter in which he thanked the family of Karreekloof for their hospitality and kindness. “I hope that it will rain soon so that the farming interests may flourish,” was his wishes to the Wrights. Always interesting to know, that no matter where footsteps are being left, it always leaves a mark of some sort of history. It all depends on how you leave it.

This is why owner Wiaan van der Linde puts in all efforts to keep every little bit of history alive at Karreekloof through the new facelift and a museum – telling the stories of a long time ago.

Karreekloof a unique Game Lodge

What makes Karreekloof so unique? A place rich in so much history late evening stories around the campfire already play a major role in shaping the piece of earth.

With its wide plains, windmills that are continuously turning around with every day’s mercy. Animals that each find a unique piece in the field to multiply their survival. Plants that can still display their beautiful side through heavy days.

One of the most beautiful characteristics of Karreekloof is the unique Shepard’s Tree. These trees grow in dry areas. The Latin name is Boscia Albitrunca and if I translate the Afrikaans name, ‘witgatboom’, to English, it literally means a tree with a white bottom:) A good name for these trees, as their trunks are white, of course. What makes them so beautiful, are their trunks that bend and turn and have the nicest forms, picture perfect.

With the white walls from home to storage each with their own characteristics and rounded new ‘facelift’, you can get ‘lost’ in thoughts drinking an early cup of coffee on the porch watching the steam slowly evaporating from the cup into thin air.

Appreciate the silence without any noise in your ears, breathe in the fresh air and just blast away from your everyday work.

Every place on earth is unique in its own way, every human being is different. Not all animals and plants have the same characteristics. People can make decisions and choose where the wheels of their cars should turn. May the unique Karreekloof ‘village’, as we call it, take your breath away when driving through our gates.

“I hope you spend your days but they all add up and when that sun goes down, hope you raise your cup.”

 

The story of a Karoo farm in Africa

When the rhythm of the day transforms from sunset to dusk over the expansive plains of the mesmerizing Karoo and the omnipresent birdsong of sunshine slowly fades, you’ll soon know it’s not the end of the day that matters, but the promise of a new dawn that awaits.

Nestled in the plains of the Karoo you’ll discover paradise, your piece of heaven on earth. An African farm that lets you dream your days away and before you know it, a sunset of promise will remind you that another daybreak will bring more adventures, more excitement, more life-worth-living.

This is where you’ll find our small village of happiness. This is where we work hard to re-establish game that has always called this place home. Animals roam free here and when it rains, everyone is nose-in-the-air to savor the earthy aroma of hard rains on dusty plains. It’s a feeling you’ll treasure for life.

On some days a harsh wind will literally take your breath away while an abundance of unexpectedly colorful flowers of the veld will leave you breathless and warm with inner joy, even on the coldest morning.

When nature opens its doors just for you and the world stops revolving for a while, the sounds of the Karoo will put dancing shoes on your feet and you’ll almost be afraid to blink… as if you’ll miss the beat. The constant scream of cicadas will remind you not to play for too long in the unforgiving sun. Then suddenly Shepard’s tree will beckon like a magnet and entice you for a nap in the coolness of its shade.

Overcome with thirst while tracking the lonesome plains, a desolate windmill will offer crystal clear water from deep in the earth’s bosom. You’ll replenish with water from the same well at which you’ll find the biggest buffalo and smallest bee.

This is where you’ll walk, sing and dance the day away and rest with wonderous dreams and awake with the biggest smile.

We invite you to walk the plains of Karreekloof, leave deep footprints, enjoy a night sky of bewilderment, dream big, wake up for a new dawn of delight, savor the purest water, lose yourself in the shade of big trees and let the cicadas remind you… you are in the Karoo. It’s here you’ll discover the rhythm of your soul.

 

 

Karreekloof since 1881

Why the name Karreekloof? No one really knows, but it could be because of the many Karee trees that grew in the kloof on the farm.

It is a farm rich in history and formed part of the Anglo Boer War. Many famous people’s footsteps lie here. Time can tell many stories they say. For Karreekloof time is much needed to understand and appreciate every little detail of information.

Fortunately, Peter Wright, the previous owner of Karreekloof, who still stays on the farm, shares endless stories, history, and lifelong experiences through his eyes as well as stories told by his father and grandfather. Four generations since 1822 and still stories are being told.

Karreekloof was once a trading store known as Lilienfeld & Wright. Many of the historical experiences may be of interest to the current generations and those to come.
Although farming was the primary activity at Karreekloof, trading with Afrikaner cattle, Catalonian donkeys, and black head Persian sheep was as important.

The famous writer Olive Schreiner spent much of her time at Karreekloof writing one of her famous books, The Story of an African Farm.

The Boer War, however, brought its hardships and difficulties to Karreekloof. A British officer Lieutenant Logan of Nesbitt’s horse was shot on the farm, which was buried in the small farm cemetery.

On 17 July 1962 former South African President PW Botha visited the farm leaving a letter in which he thanked the family of Karreekloof for their hospitality and kindness. “I hope that it will rain soon so that the farming interests may flourish,” was his wishes to the Wrights.
Always interesting to know, that no matter where footsteps are being left, it always leaves a mark of some sort of history. It all depends on how you leave it.

This is why owner Wiaan van der Linde puts in all efforts to keep every little bit of history alive at Karreekloof through the new facelift and a museum – telling the stories of a long time ago.