Travel Adviser : The spirit of the Great Karoo

WHERE TO STAY

Of the hundreds of places to stay in the Karoo we stayed at, and can recommend, the following.

Groenvlei Farm Guest House: Accommodation is in a seven-bedroomed, fully equipped and serviced home. Linen and towels are provided and there is a tennis court, horse riding and bicycles. It is R40 per person per night and there are discounts for children (50 per cent) and for four adults or more (25 per cent). Meals are optional: it costs R12 for a large breakfast and R18 for dinner both of which are served in the cottage. Tel, fax (0491) 91-0627, or write to PO Box 148, Graaff-Reinet 6280.

The Lord Milner Hotel: Accommodation costs between R85 and R137 per person per night on a bed-and-breakfast basis in the hotel depending upon the room you choose and whether or not you are sharing. The boarding house rates start from R65 per person for bed and breakfast. Dinner is R42 per person (Gentlemen are required to wear a jacket and tie, except on Sundays.) Bookings can be made by addressing your correspondence to Matjiesfontein 6901. Alternatively, tel (02372) 5203/5304, or fax (02372) 5802.

National Parks Board: At the Karoo National Park the six-bedded cottage costs R320 for one to four people and the three-bedded chalets cost R180 for one to two people. It costs R42 for each additional person and R21 for each additional child. At the Mountain Zebra National Park the rates are the same, except at the restored Doornhoek Cottage which costs R340.

Bookings are made through National Parks Board offices in Pretoria and Cape Town. Write to PO Box 787, Pretoria 0001. Tel (012) 3431991, fax (012) 343-0905. In Cape Town write to PO Box 7400, Roggebaai 8012, or tel (021) 22-2810, fax (021) 24-6211.

Die Tuishuise: The rate for these self-catering cottages is R80 per person per night. Breakfast is served in the central dining room and dinner is available on request. For more information write to Die Tuishuise, 36 Market Street, Cradock 5880. Tel (0481) 71-1322.

Weltevreden: This furnished self-catering cottage costs R90 per night for up to six people (R10 per additional person). Towels are not provided. Dinner, bed and breakfast is R80 per person (R40 for children). Write to PO Box 433, Graaff-Reinet 6280 or tel (04923) 740.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Beaufort West and the Central Karoo: Rosalie Willis, Tourism Coordinator, Central Karoo Regional Services Council, PO Box 56, Beaufort West 6970. Tel (0201) 51160, fax (0201) 3675.
Colesberg: Write to the Publicity Association at Private Bag X6, Colesberg 5980. Tel (051) 7530777, fax (051) 753-0574.
Cradock: Write to the Cradock Publicity Association, PO Box 24, Cradock 5880. Tel (0481) 2108, fax (0481) 711-421.
Graaff-Reinet: Write to the Graaff-Reinet Publicity Association, PO Box 153, Graaff-Reinet 6280. Tel (0491) 2-4248.
Nieu-Bethesda: Egbert Gerryts can advise you about where to stay in the town. Telephone him on (04923) 667 or write to The Village Inn, Nieu-Bethesda 6286. Alternatively contact the town clerk on (04923) 712.
Prince Albert: Ronl van der Spuy at the museum is the information officer in the town and may be contacted at PO Box 120, Prince Albert 6930. Tel (04436) 462 or 374, fax (04436) 339.

ESSENTIAL READING

Lawrence Green’s Karoo (Howard Timmins, Cape Town) is a dated but interesting historic account of the Karoo. TV Bulpin’s Discovering South Africa (Discovering South Africa Productions, Cape Town), Illustrated Guide to Southern Africa (Readers Digest, Cape Town) and the AA Touring Guide to Southern Africa (AA The Motorist Publications, Cape Town) are three of many general reference books which include sections on the Karoo. More specialised works include Anne Emslie’s The Owl House (Viking, Johannesburg). A quintessential personal account of life in the Karoo is Eve Palmer’s Plains of Camdeboo (Lowry Publications, Johannesburg); it is something of a mini South African classic.