Karoo National Park

Description

The Karoo National Park, situated near Beaufort West in the Western Cape, is but a small piece of the vast and unforgiving Great Karoo territory. The Karoo is the largest ecosystem in South Africa and home to a fascinating diversity of animals and plants that have adapted to survive the harsh climate. Visitors will find a wide range of succulents, small reptiles, and endemic wildlife, as well as over 20 breeding pairs of black eagle that have found sanctuary within the park.

Dominated by the lofty Nuweveld Mountains and rolling plains, the Karoo National Park is a stark landscape that captivates visitors with a fierce beauty. And in the evenings, the unyielding sun slowly sinks to make way for soft shades of pink and blue, deepening to fiery hues of orange and red, before revealing a splattering of stars against a black sky.

Activities

• Scenic drives along the environmentally-friendly constructed Klipspringer Pass to the Rooivalle viewpoint.
• Self-drive game viewing
• 4x4 Eco Trails – There are 4 eco-trails available at no extra cost. These are the Nuweveld Trail (90km), Afsaal Trail (13km), Kookfontein Loop (7km), and Sandrivier Loop (7km).
• 4x4 trail along Pienaars Pass in own vehicle (R217.15 per vehicle)
• Free guided walks at 06:00, 10:00 and 15:00. Hikes must be booked by 19:00 the day prior to the intended hike to ensure the availability of a guide.
• Fossil Trail – Accessible to wheelchair users, this 400m trail depicts the geology and palaeontology of the Great Karoo. Genuine fossils and petrified wood are on display.
• See the Honorary Rangers Grave sites
• Guided game drives at morning (2 – 3 hours) and night (1 ½ hours) at an additional fee.
• Bird hide situated at the dam
• The Bulkraal picnic spot has a swimming pool, ablution, and braai facilities.
• Dine in the a la carte restaurant which is open for breakfast and dinner.
• The nearby town of Beaufort West has shops, a golf course, pharmacy, fuel station, hospital, bowling green, and the Chris Barnard Museum.