Karoo see · Karoo attractions
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Karoo attractions
Karoo attractions
Aberdeen, ☎ +27 (0)49 846-0067 ( ), . Situated in the delightful plains of Camdeboo, Aberdeen was founded in 1856 and is a declared architectural conservation town and a veritable repository of styles including Victorian, Georgian, Karoo, German, Gothic Revival, Russian, Art Nouveau and Flemish Revival. �
Cookhouse, ☎ +27 (0)42 243-6448 ( ), . Many believe Cookhouse was named after a small stone kitchen erected by garrison troops during the frontier wars. Today, Cookhouse is best known as a railway junction. �
Graaff-Reinet, ☎ +27 (0)49 892-4248, . Graaff-Reinet is the oldest town in this area, known as the ‘Athens’ of the Eastern Cape, and is recognized as the home of magnificent examples of Karoo architecture and over 220 heritage sites, more than any other town in South Africa. Another unique characteristic of the town to look out for is one of the largest grape vines in the world, which was planted in 1870. The town lies on the banks of the Sundays River and is surrounded by the Camdeboo National Park.
Jansenville. The little town of Jansenville owes its origins to the Dutch Reformed Church that formed a parish there in 1854, named after the last Dutch Governor of the Cape. Jansenville is game country with many game farms and hunting concessions in the area. The restored Sid Fourie House serves as the local museum and has a surprising variety of interesting collections relating to both the lifestyles of the past and the locality in particular. It offers travelers a welcome break in their journey through the Karoo Heartland. �
Nieu-Bethesda, ☎ + 27 (0)79 070-8988. The village of Nieu-Bethesda lies at the foot of the Sneeuberge, approximately 55 kilometers from Graaff-Reinet. The town came about after having been established as a mission station in 1875. It is known for its sacred Bushman rock art sites, fossils and the Owl House, which is a museum dedicated to the eccentric artist Helen Martins.
Pearston, ☎ +27 (0)42 243-6448 ( ), . The peaceful little hamlet of Pearston, immortalised by Eve Palmer in The Plains of Camdeboo, personifies the Karoo. It is reached from Graaff-Reinet by driving across the Camdeboo, where the scenery is characterized by multilayered Karoo mountains and koppies in the distance across endless expanses of Karoo plains. �
Somerset East, ☎ +27 (0)42 243-6448 ( ), . Established in 1825 by Lord Charles Somerset and found at the base of the Boschberg Mountain, Somerset East is home to many beautiful heritage sites and buildings of historical importance. It is also known to produce some of the finest roses in the country, while the Walter Battiss Art Gallery, in the hometown of this grand old man of South African art, has the largest collection of his work in Africa on display. �
Slachter's Nek Exhibition, ☎ +27 (0)42 243-6448 ( ), . Gallows exhibition that is staged around the actual beam from which the five rebels were hung in 1816. Be sure to look out for the timeline of events that happened in the rest of the world during the same period. �
Walter Battiss Art Gallery, ☎ +27 (0)42 243-6448 ( ), . The Walter Battiss Art Gallery boasts one of South Africa’s most celebrated artists, who left some of his major works to the people of Somerset East. The Gallery is in a Historical building - dating back to before 1825. �
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Karoo
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Karoo - updated May 2024
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WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Karoo Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.