The Karoo is the world's largest plateau outside Asia and means "great thirst" in the local Khoi-San language.

2 hours inland from Port Elizabeth you will reach the charming town of Cradock, a treasure trove of historic buildings, untouched by the passing of time. Cradock's biggest attraction, Schreiner House, is dedicated to Olive Schreiner, a South African author, her life and works. She is also buried, with her baby and dog, just outside the town and one is able to visit her grave. The town hosts the Fish River Canoe Marathon and The Mountain Zebra National Park nearby, provides a sanctuary for the rare Cape Mountain Zebra.

The qaint village of Nieu Bethesda is so sheltered that development has taken a back seat leaving a rare, historical integrity. It is home to a growing number of artists, crafters and other extremely creative individuals seeking a more conducive way of life, but it is Helen Martins, creator of the world famous Owl House and Camel Yard, who has immortalised Nieu Bethesda, giving it a feel of by-gone days. There are no banks, credit card facilities or petrol pumps, and mobile phones are discouraged.

Ideally situated as a stop-over between many of the major centres in South Africa, Graaff-Reinet, which borders the Camdeboo National Park and is surrounded on three sides by the Sundays River, is a town of great historic interest. There are over 200 National Monuments and the incredible Valley of Desolation, just outside the town, is a geological phenomenon formed millions of years ago from extreme weathering and erosion, which resulted in awe-inspiring rock formations and sheer cliff faces.

It is said that what the Karoo lacks in water, it makes up for in the hospitality of
its people who are the true spirit of this vast plateau in South Africa. Discover an area where nature dazzles on endless plains and enables one to experience the eccentric farmsteads and towns. Incredible desert days give way to clear, dark nights bright with
stars. Some of the most important archaeological sites are located in the Central Karoo, where an ancient, fossil rich land is filled with a large variety of succulents. This is a boundless and mysterious place, rich in history and culture, certainly not to be missed!