The Northern Cape

The Northern Cape is South Africa’s largest province and a must-see destination.

Exploring a land of ancient deserts, deep canyons, winding rivers and unique flora, the Northern Cape promises an unsurpassed experience.

The Northern Cape is all about wide open spaces, a magnificent coastline and a number of unequaled National Parks offering the tourist a very different experience of the South African experience.  Northern Cape’s sheer size, clear skies, elaborate sunsets, dazzling starry nights and incredible silence is mesmerizing.

The ideal habitat for some of the country’s most beautiful and exciting predators and prey. Experience the solitude of the landscapes, the heat of the sun on your shoulders as you explore the game reserves and parks of this fascinating part of South Africa.

The Northern Cape has always been a family-friendly destination and the region has a distinct and rugged natural beauty.

The Northern Cape’s natural beauty is enhanced by its enigmatic wildlife. From the “Small Five” to the Big Five, watching wild animals at close range is something truly unforgettable.

Just thinking of the Karoo and its endless wilderness plateau, unique flat-topped koppies, warm hospitality, wide open spaces and mysteries.

Each region will capture the imaginations of those who dare to explore its rugged mountains, endless flatlands, and undulating dunes. There’s an outdoor adventure activity or experience for everyone.

A Karoo road trip

A Karoo road trip is one of the best ways to travel the vast expanse that is the Karoo.

“Its particular rare mix of rugged mountains, vast open spaces, idiosyncratic little towns, star-studded skies devoid of light pollution, sheep farms, and back of beyond windmills make it road trip country like nowhere else in the world.”

There are many ways to do a Karoo road trip:

Route 62, the world’s longest wine route that winds through the Klein Karoo. The upper Karoo sparsely populated plains southwest of Kimberley.

No matter what Karoo road trip you choose, here are a series of great places to stop.

Kimberley, the surprisingly interesting town and site of South Africa’s Big Hole, Kimberley might have begun as a diamond rush town but today its wide streets are lined with Victorian mansions, museums, galleries, gardens, battlefields and ghost routes aplenty.

Victoria West, its name might hale from the Victorian era. The only thing Victorian about the town today is its charming architecture. It survived both the effects of a disastrous flood in 1871 and the deluge of wagons en route between Cape Town and the diamond rush town of Hopetown, during the late 1880s. Today it’s a typical Karoo dorpie with plenty of accommodation and good antique shops.

This area of little rainfall, blue and cloudless skies, and extreme temperatures may have acted as a barrier to the interior from Cape Town for early settlers.  Today it has come out of isolation to become a major tourist attraction – its immense spaces, incredible mountains, idiosyncratic towns and promise of escape the reason for its popularity.

‘ Roads were made for journeys, not destinations’

LOCAL TRAVEL

destination

Experience a destination for what it is today.

Make personal connections with people from a different part of the world. Every destination has a living, breathing society that is evolving all the time.

The reality is that it’s on us as travelers to explore the diversity each country has to offer. Even the most visited destinations can offer extraordinary experiences when you go beyond the usual tourist sites, museums, and monuments. Life is changing all the time.

Allow yourself to get lost, use food as a window to cultural diversity.

Pick up a local magazine or check out signs posted on the street corners to find art exhibits, music festivals, or other events. Go beyond the most popular cities.

Leave the cities for smaller places like villages and suburbs to find the hidden treasures of many countries, with unique cultural experiences, beautiful landscapes, and powerful interactions.

While staying local when you travel is indeed one important facet of local travel, its equally critical counterpart is what some people think of as “going local” – an exploration of faraway places, anywhere in the world, as if one were local to that place.

Local travel is about shifting your travel values so that you are mindful and supportive of local people, the local environment, local culture and local economy. It’s about putting yourself in the shoes, hearts, and mindsets of locals and making choices that benefit them as much as they do you.

Travel local, and encourage everyone to do the same.

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Karreekloof keeping traditions alive

A big part of traveling is turning your head and to smile a while.

Depending on where you are traveling to, traditions around the world may appear a little strange, but to others, they are part of their history and heritage. To observe strange customs, to admire people in traditional outfits, to gasp at breathtaking sights or to try to understand why people do what they do.

How is it that traditions were made so easy in the old days?  One specific memory when visiting people in the Karoo, they would greet you like as if they knew you your entire life and when you leave they would wave with a little handkerchief till the wheels of your motorcar touch the tar road.

As we look back today a lot of people and places still keep their traditions alive generation after generation. It’s what makes something old so unique full of character, and heartwarming. In some cultures, traditions are very important.

Here at Karreekloof, we want to keep traditions alive.

The once old rustic bell has been upgraded with a brand-new jacket. When visiting Karreekloof you will first sign in at our guestbook, after that you will ring the brand new “old” clock, pictures are most welcome.  The thundering sounds of the clock will move across the plains of the lodge sending the welcome signals to everyone.

Your first step at Karreekloof will always be part of our history and traditions. Looking forward making that first step with you!

 

Historical History on your way to Karreekloof

Prieska – place of the lost she-goat

Prieska is situated on the south bank of the Orange River at the foot of the Doringberg and it was originally named Prieschap, a Khoisan word meaning “place of the lost she-goat”.

It is renowned for its semi-precious stones. The Schumann Rock Collection, including semiprecious stones and Khoisan stone implements, can be viewed at the municipal offices.

The area between Prieska and Vioolsdrif is often called the “Rock Garden Route” – where the rare halfmens and succulents of the Lithops family can be found – and the Ria Huysamen Aloe Garden outside town contains a large array of succulents.

Battle of Magersfontein

The Battle of Magersfontein, just outside Kimberley took place during the Anglo-Boer War on 11 December 1899. The Boers scored a decisive victory in what became known as Britain’s ‘Black Week’.

The Battle of Magersfontein was a triumph for the Boer forces, a disaster for the British army, and came close to wiping out Scotland’s proud Highland Brigade.

During the second South African War, the Boers had besieged Kimberley and its 50 000 inhabitants since November 1899. Supplies were scarce in the diamond-mining town and relief was imperative.

The British public and press were demanding action. British forces advanced north along the railway line in an attempt to relieve Kimberley, but a Boer force was in their way at Magersfontein.

https://www.places.co.za/html/prieska.html

http://www.britishbattles.com/great-boer-war/battle-of-magersfontein/http://www.thesolomon.co.za/magersfontein-battlefield-museum.html

Nature and it’s attractions

The love for living systems “biophilia” makes the simplicity of the word nature sound like a gift, it will open any moment.

Attraction to the wildlife comes from inner excitement, wanting to experience and to see more. The chasing of cars, trucks, and smoke from buildings that fill the blue sky will make you want to breathe clean air. Stare at the extreme starry night and live life’s adventures to the fullest. Hoping that one day all adventures can be written in a diary for grandchildren to be found so they can keep nature alive.

Karreekloof offers the inner beauty of the Karoo, breathtaking scenery from sunrise to sunset. A star night that lets you get lost in another world and forgetting about the problems of yesterday and today. Breathe with the feeling of relief and relax for a while.

For the adventure-loving people who is crazy about water, the Orange River’s kayak rides can only be worthwhile or even take a trip down memory lane with white water river rafting.

Historical history from Magersfontein to Prieska will let your whole body fill up with goosebumps. Indulge your lifestyle for a moment, understand nature, experience it and you’ll never regret it one day. For that more social kind of feeling and tranquility of spirit, a boat on the river will work wonders, good company and the simplicity of the day as the host.

Come and feel the power of nature, admire the birds, smell the different flavors of plant life and let the animal kingdom entertain you.

Now comes the challenge, grab your bag, put both feet outside your front door, get in your car and experience all these unforgettable feelings.

“If you truly love nature, you’ll find beauty everywhere” – Van Gogh –

A Karoo road trip is one of the best ways to travel the vast expanse

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO DO A KAROO ROAD TRIP

Route 62, the world’s longest wine route that winds through the Klein Karoo, or the upper Karoo sparsely populated plains southwest of Kimberley.

“Its particular rare mix of rugged mountains, vast open spaces, idiosyncratic little towns, star-studded skies devoid of light pollution, sheep farms, and back of beyond windmills make it road trip country like nowhere else in the world.”

No matter what Karoo road trip you choose, here are a series of great places to stop

Kimberley

The surprisingly interesting town and site of South Africa’s Big Hole, Kimberley might have begun as a diamond rush town but today its wide streets are lined with Victorian mansions, museums, galleries, gardens, battlefields and ghost routes aplenty.

Victoria West

Its name might hale from the Victorian era, but the only thing Victorian about the town today is its charming architecture, which survived both the effects of a disastrous flood in 1871 and the deluge of wagons en route between Cape Town and the diamond rush town of Hopetown, during the late 1880s. Today it’s a typical Karoo dorpie with plenty of accommodation and good antique shops.

The Karoo, a area of little rainfall, blue and cloudless skies, and extreme temperatures may have acted as a barrier to the interior from Cape Town for early settlers, but today it has come out of isolation to become a major tourist attraction – its immense spaces, incredible mountains, idiosyncratic towns and promise of escape the reason for its popularity.

Wildlife Tourism

Nature tourism is based on the idea that the destination and purpose of travel is nature itself.

Specialized forms of nature tourism focus on e.g. specific groups of plants or animals. Wildlife tourism is an element of many nations’ travel industry centered around observation and interaction with local animal and plant life in their natural habitats.

Wildlife photography is about capturing a split second when the light and the animal behavior come together to create an emotional image.

The beauty and also the curse of wildlife photography is that one cannot change almighty Nature. One cannot change the weather and the light, where the wild animals want to go, what they want to do, and when special things happen to them.

When that moment comes, we know we have conquered nature. Maybe this is what some people mean when they say “becoming one with Nature.” Yet one does not need to travel to these grand locations to see wildlife. If you look closer, you will see that it is all around us.

Nature is not always sunshine and rainbows. Yet if you keep looking—enduring rain and wind—miracles can happen.

“The wonderful thing about nature photography is that you are continually humbled and amazed by the delightful surprises that come from it—and horrified and disappointed when it doesn’t work as you predicted.” – Jim Brandenberg.

The Power of Nature is in Your Hands!

A true safari experience at Karreekloof Lodge

Karreekloof is an incredible place, the only one of its kind.

On the road to Karreekloof with the big star country surrounding him, and wide-open spaces where the sun is so slow that the colors slowly change from yellow to deep orange and pink. Here you literally feel the goosebumps on your skin, it’s like magic.

In Swahili, the word safari means ‘journey’. Take the ‘journey’ to Karreekloof Lodge with its natural beauty and its breathtaking wildlife with endless wilderness plateau and warm hospitality.

Karreekloof is a family-friendly destination, its sheer size, clear skies, elaborate sunsets, dazzling starry nights and incredible silence, is mesmerizing.

Come and experience the endless landscapes, feel the heat of the sun on your shoulders as you explore the upper Karoo with its wide-open spaces.

Relax, enjoy a sundowner in a peaceful evening, take in so much fresh air that your toes will turn around. A must-see destination rich in history. Sit back and relax at our own trading store, shake it up with a milkshake and take a look through our own little shop.

The Karoo has a rich human record. People have continuously inhabited the area, so as I would say:  The Upper Karoo is a cool place, you just got to love it!

Nature gives in so many ways – we just need to tune in.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing” – Helen Keller

The Northern Cape is South Africa’s largest province and a must-see destination

Exploring a land of ancient deserts, deep canyons, winding rivers and unique flora, the Northern Cape promises an unsurpassed experience.

The Northern Cape is all about wide open spaces, a magnificent coastline and a number of unequaled National Parks. Offering the tourist a very different experience of the South African experience.

Northern Cape’s sheer size, clear skies, elaborate sunsets, dazzling starry nights and incredible silence is mesmerizing.

The ideal habitat for some of the country’s most beautiful and exciting predators and prey. Experience the solitude of the landscapes, the heat of the sun on your shoulders as you explore the game reserves and parks of this fascinating part of South Africa.

The Northern Cape has always been a family-friendly destination and the region has a distinct and rugged natural beauty.

Northern Cape’s natural beauty is enhanced by its enigmatic wildlife. From the “Small Five” to the Big Five, watching wild animals at close range is something truly unforgettable. Just thinking of the Karoo and its endless wilderness plateau, unique flat-topped koppies, warm hospitality, wide open spaces and mysteries. Each region will capture the imaginations of those who dare to explore its rugged mountains, endless flatlands, and undulating dunes.

There’s an outdoor adventure activity or experience for everyone.