The Little or Klein Karoo, which is a long valley bordered by; the Swartberg and the Langeberg Mountains, in the Western Cape. It falls under the domain of the Karoo Hoogland Municipality. South of the larger Karoo - the Great or Groot Karoo occupies the Northern part thereof. This is the land of succulents - their thick, fleshy diversity unparalleled anywhere else in the World - peppered only by the odd bush and tree that gives the Karoo, at first glance, the appearance of arid, dry and very flat land devoid of living matter and given over to hot days and cold nights. Herds of buffalo, elephant and kudu once dominated these plains only to be hunted or driven out by modern development. Along with ongoing mining, major investments in astronomy (notably the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope), in renewable and non-renewable sources of energy (solar, wind, potential shale-gas mining), in biodiversity conservation and commercial game farming are reshaping land use and authority in this vast and long-marginalised Area. 

This bleak landscape is, on second glance, an Area of towering Cliffs, clear Streams and a unique biome dominated by the aloe and dwarf baobab tree with its yellow peeling bark and midsummer red tubular flowers. Majestic Mountains lend a blue haze to the distant horizon and Spring flowers draw huge numbers of tourists from all over the World for a few weeks every Year when sand becomes a tapestry of flowers. This semi-arid climate with Winter rainfall gives rise to various microclimates that allow Karoo winemakers to produce a wide variety of quality wines from vines grown typically along the fertile river banks. Herds of buffalo, elephant and kudu once dominated these plains only to be hunted or driven out by modern development. Today the mainly visible animal in the Area is the ostrich, farmed for his meat, eggs and feathers, but stay awhile and you’ll hear the rustlings of the bat-eared fox, the suricate or meerkat and the common barking gecko.

Formed as a result of 20 million years of rainwater scouring and dissolving rock and limestone to form halls and passageways, the Caves were declared a National Monument in 1938 and include the Wonder Cave that has some superb examples of dripstone formations and a resident bat population.

The Klein Karoo National Arts Festival at Oudtshoorn showcases South African art forms from serious drama to farce and includes music, fine arts, festive food, poetry, theatre for the little people and dancing. Some have described it as a; ‘Boere Bazaar’ (in Afrikaans this means; a farmers market) rather than an arts festival, but one is seriously spoiled for choice here when it comes to catching up on the local art scene.

WHAT AN AMAZING DESCRIPTION OF OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY... IRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD NOW! 😍 Author Unknown: I sit here quietly thinking about what it means to me to be South African, a visitor to South Africa, or even African. So it seems easier to rather explain the effect that this unique land has on me... The perfume of rain on African soil. The scent of woodfires drifting across the Highveld on winter evenings. There's a very distinctive aroma just as one starts coming into George / Knysna / Plett (I've never figured out which herb it is), in much the same way the smell of Wild Sage defines the area around Santawani in Botswana. The odour of thatch in a game lodge. The bouquet of dust and the various plants when one gets into the bush, sometimes a whiff of something dead. The tang of the ocean at the seaside. The smell of ‘moer’ coffee over an early morning fire, or the delicious aroma of roasting meat over flames – whether you call it a braai or shisa nyama (but definitely NOT a barbeque, a barbie, or a ghastly NZ sausage sizzle!) There is also something about the light here. “Santorini Blue”... I don’t know if that’s an actual colour, but it seems to describe the hue of the highveld sky on a winter’s day to perfection. We live in “big sky” country – whether blue, or orange in sunset, or dark grey and rent by lightening, or velvet black and filled with stars that seem close enough to touch – the sky is ever present. As is the moon. I am always aware of the moon, from a sickle moon to the full fecund globe that is full moon. Silver light gilding thorn trees, juxtaposed against dark shadows on the savannah, is not a sight one easily forgets. The caw of the ubiquitous, raucous Hadedah in suburbia, the burbling call of a rainbird (Burchell’s Coucal) when a thunderstorm is on its way, the beautiful Diederick’s Cuckoo announcing the arrival of spring, the screech of a Barn Owl, or the evocative call of the Fish Eagle. Jackals calling as the sun goes down, a lion’s roar quite literally making the air reverberate, or the chilling whoops of the hyenas. The cacophony of barking geckos that start up as the sun goes down over Deception Pan, or a veritable orchestra of frogs around a pan in the summer months. Cicadas shrilling on days so hot that the air shimmers, or a nightjar calling in the dead of night in the bushveld. Days of withering heat often followed by the lightest cool breeze, just as the sun is setting. A gentle little wind, which plays with your hair like an absent-minded lover, reminding you that the cool of the night will soon be with you. Walking in the bush very early in the morning, the sun’s rays catch the dew on spiders’ webs, reminding you that life, both seen and unseen, is all around you. Trout fishing as the sun peeps over the horizon, in Dullstroom, so cold that the water droplets freeze on your line… The colours of this land are not subtle either. The blood red of the coral tree, the green metallic glint of sunbirds, the striped black and white hide of the zebra, or sapphire blue of a kingfisher. The miles and miles of yellow and orange daisies in Namaqualand in September, or pink and white swathes of cosmos along the roads in April. The lilac and turquoise of the roller, the tawny hide of a lion or the emerald green of a little dung beetle that makes its appearance in the summer months. From the golden dunes of the Namib to an unimaginable number of greens in the Knysna Forest. All vivid and arresting. Talk to me of Morrungulo or Tsodilo Hills, the great Drakensberg, Platteland dorps and the great Karoo. The warmth of Sodwana Bay or the icy kelp forests of the Atlantic Ocean. Of wine farms and fynbos in the Cape, to meerkats and diamonds in the north. Show me our people, in so many hues, with brightly coloured traditional costumes – and even brighter smiles. All of this creates a frisson of excitement, passion each and every day, a vivid, immediate sense of being alive that I have found nowhere else…. These are my people. This is my land. Because I am, at the very core of my being, a child of Africa! ❤️

Dinorben is a farm and is located in Joe Gqabi District Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The estimate terrain elevation above seal level is 1942 metres. This 40m-long site is easy to access from the road that runs between Barkly East and Elliot. It is just above the notorious Barkly Pass, which is often covered in ice or snow in winter and susceptible to rain and mist in summer. Dinorben makes for a wonderful visit for a few hours if one is driving through this remote part of South Africa. It is one of the most easily accessible rock art sites in the Eastern Cape. Usually one would have to hike across steep and rough terrain for some hours before getting to see a site of this size and quality. Paintings that are mostly very clear are distributed through a good part of this shelter. In particular, the shelter wall is covered with innumerable tiny white flecks. At other sites such flecks are often painted around ‘fight scenes’. They are thought to be a depiction of the supernatural potency that San people believe can be used in fighting. The association of the imagery with supernatural potency is further strengthened by an image of an upside-down eland, which is thought to represent the animal dying. Eland are considered to be the most supernaturally potent animals, releasing this energy in death. Close to the dying eland are figures in arms-back postures. This posture is adopted by dancers at the ‘great dance’ when they ask their god to put supernatural potency into them. Another particularly interesting image at Dinorben, is a red meandering line, outlined in white, which connects many of the images. Such thin lines are found throughout the Drakensberg. Often, they weave in and out of the rock and connect various images. Until recently, such lines were only partially understood. However, new ethnographic work came out of the Kalahari in the 1990s, where San people still perform the ‘great dance’ but do not paint. The work portrayed these thin red lines as depictions of the threads of light that connect the spirit world to this one in San beliefs.
It is essential to book in advance to visit the site!

Discover Elandsfontein and their rich fossil heritage on a guided Quad Bike Fossil Safari or 4WD Nature Drive.
The dunes on Elandsfontein are the final resting place of early humans and animals that date back to the early Stone Age. The safari includes a rest stop where light refreshments are served. All quad bikes have fully automatic gearboxes to ensure that even novice riders can enjoy this unique experience. To manage the impact on the dunes the number of quad bikes is limited to eight, but each quad bike is big enough for two passengers.
Watch wildlife in comfort during the 4WD Nature Drive. Originally the home of the largest inward migration of game, in the history of the Western Cape, Elandsfontein is waiting to be discovered by nature lovers. Guests on the three hour nature drive can expect to see include Eland, Hartebeest, Zebra, Wildebeest, Oryx, Kudu, Bontebok, Springbok and Cape buffalo, the first of the Big Five to be reintroduced into the Reserve. Unspoilt nature and rich and diverse birdlife complete the experience. The safari includes a rest stop where light refreshments are served.

Driving from Cape Town, the stunningly craggy Cogmanskloof and its tapestry of Cape Fold Mountains lead to the charming town of Montagu, beginning of Route 62 – also famous as the ‘longest wine route in the world’.
What gives Montagu its class and character are the old Cape Dutch and Georgian-style houses, a background of looming Mountains, its natural hot Springs and a sense of Heritage preserved.
Renowned food writer and columnist Madeleine Roux now lives in Montagu, and says: “For the city dweller, Montagu is a haven, the most beautiful town in the whole Western Cape. For people like me, it’s the safest place I’ve ever lived in. Many of our doors do not even have keys. We forget to lock our cars at night. Gates without locks, windows without burglar bars.”
Montagu is also a busy town, but in the coolest way. Adventure sport lovers come for the Montagu Rock Rally and the Mountain Mania events early in the year. There’s a book festival celebrating the Little Karoo in July and a youth arts festival happens in August. In September the town stages a Family Heritage Festival where you can buy all sorts of locally produced items – and then October sees the Montagu Rose Show. On Saturday mornings, you can meander around the Village Market in Bath Street and spend the day gently feasting away.
One of the most popular outdoor activities around here is a walk through Cogmans Kloof and a visit to the local hot springs. And don’t forget, you’re in Deep Wine Country. One sip of the famous 'Montagu Muscadel', and you will always return to the delights of Route 62!
Also known as the ‘mountain mecca’ of the Cape, Montagu lies surrounded by the Langeberg mountain range nestled between the Keisie and Kingna Rivers in the Western corner of Kannaland, and is famous for her orchards, vineyards, local herbs, rock formations and healing hot mineral springs.
Spending time in Montagu is sure to relax and recharge your batteries or, if you are that way inclined, there is a list of activities to get the adrenalin flowing, like mountain biking, kloofing, abseiling, paragliding, fishing and river boat trips up the Breede River.
The main attraction in Montagu is the radioactive hot springs, originally part of the farm ‘Uitvlucht’, on the edge of the village. Lover’s Walk - a charming passage through cliffs to the springs, was painstakingly reconstructed after a flood in 1981 completely devastated the Kloof, including the Baths complex.
The Nature Garden, which offers a peaceful and relaxing alternative to the springs, was founded in 1954 and is a joy to visit during spring when wildflowers are in bloom. Cogmans Kloof, now one of the major entrances to Montagu, was initially impenetrable until Thomas Bain built the pass and tunnel through the Kloof that negotiates the Hole in the Rock, known locally as the gateway to the Klein Karoo.
The Saturday Morning Market is a time when the friendly locals sell their homemade produce, plants, 2nd hand books, ect....
Driving out of Montagu the turn off to 'Die Stal', Restaurant is taken. 'Die Stal' is a place on; Kruis Farm. 8 Km From Montagu on the R318. If you are a fan of hearty, traditional, country fare then you should "maak ‘n draai" at Suzanne Venters; Die Stal in Montagu.
Situated on, Kruis Farm, Die Stal serves up, albeit from a short breakfast and lunch menu, delectable, fresh food with an extensive and exciting specials menu. Sitting on the porch with vines and bougainvillea to protect you from the summer sun is just perfect - while away the afternoon here with a crisp glass of wine!

Peruse through the former home of John Gately, an Irish Immigrant who was one of the founders of the municipal council and voted Mayor of East London a number of times. The East London museum attained his house in 1966 and by 1973 it became a National Monument. The House was built in 1876 and is situated alongside Queens Park is a stunning garden. This beautiful home is one storey and has verandas on three sides of the building.
When you visit, you can really appreciate this humble Victorian home and admire the outstanding pieces of furniture within. A remarkable mahogany dining table lies in the home along with traditional balloon backed chairs and an old yet incredibly beautiful leather button backed lounge suite. Almost everything you see on display inside this former home belonged to the original owners and it is fascinating to step back to this period time and imagine yourself immersed in a time long gone.