Set against the dramatic Winterberg Mountains, between Cradock and Queenstown, only three hours from Port Elizabeth, Tarkastad is a typical Karoo town on the banks of the Tarka River, its streets lined with quaint Historical buildings.
Just outside the Town of Tarkastad rest two distinct flat-topped hills, aptly named Martha and Mary - they sit like two heavy women on a stoep, weary from a day’s hard work awaiting the return of men from the fields and indeed, the first farmers settled here in 1795, hence the existence of old watermills, inns and both a Dutch Reformed and Presbyterian Church.
The Great Fish River, distinguishable from the Namibian Fish River by the word ‘great’, that runs through the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, flows for some 690 kilometres before reaching the Indian Ocean 60 kilometres southeast of Grahamstown. The Great Fish River has a length of 692 km and a drainage area of 30,800 square km. Its main Northern Tributary, the Great Brak River, rises in 2,100-metre- high Mountains 48 km South of the Orange River and Northeast of Middelburg.
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality includes: 'Port Elizabeth now Gqeberha; Uitenhage; Despatch and Colchester'.
There is a Gorge that lies in the Valley, stretching for over 100 kilometres, between the Baviaanskloof Mountains to the North and the Kouga Mountains, to the South. Recently awarded World Heritage Site status, this 192 000 hectare u-shaped reserve lies about 120 kilometres west of Port Elizabeth and is named after the baboons that roam the area - a mix of the Dutch word ‘baviaan’ for baboon and the Afrikaans word ‘kloof’ for ravine.
Middelburg is a modern Town situated in the Cultural Heartland of the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. Middelburg serves as the Agricultural, Industrial and Communications centre for the surrounding Area. Initially, Middelburg was planned as an ideal halfway point between Pretoria and Lydenburg in 1859. However, nothing resulted from this idea. In 1864, The Dutch Reformed Church bought the farm of 'Sterkfontein' and in 1866 the town of Nazareth was developed on it. In 1872, Nazareth was then renamed Middelburg.
Today, Middelburg is well known as the Stainless Steel Capital of Africa.
Mountain Zebra National Park is one of the most beautiful parks in the country, and it lies in the heart of the Karoo, which means it’s easily absorbed into a road trip through some of the most scenic countryside, littered with characterful towns.
Not only are there four adult Lions (two females were introduced to join the males only in late 2015), but in August last year the very first litter of Lion Cubs in the area for 130 years was born in the park. Which should dramatically up the chances of your spotting a lion whilst visiting!
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.
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.
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.