Sheep farms, tiny old Karoo towns, windmills, starry skies at night, space, more space, long, long roads, and the clearest night skies in Southern Africa. This is the Upper Karoo – the location of the most powerful telescope in the Southern Hemisphere near the town of Sutherland.
The Upper Karoo (Sutherland in particular) is the coldest place in South Africa in winter, and is famous for its unbeatable combination of snow-covered ground and star-filled skies on a moonless night. The Southern Hemisphere’s Milky Way dominates the night skies here, and you can take a Tour of the Milky Way at the Gateway to the Universe.
Most of the towns in the Upper Karoo are places you will drive or ride through on the N1 between Cape Town and Kimberley or the Free State, perhaps with an overnight stop, with names that will trip off the tongues of bikers (as in “ya, we also stopped in De Aar“) but there are some small nature conservancies in-between the sheep and cattle ranches, and charming Karoo guest-houses and guest farms aplenty to cater for tired riders and drivers.
The Vanderkloof Dam on the Free State border offers kayaking on the Orange River which flows along the eastern border of the Northern Cape Upper Karoo.
Other things to do in the Upper Karoo besides driving through it include paragliding and trainspotting in De Aar, stargazing in a sheep-skin, blankets, gloves, hat and scarf with a hot thermos of soup, looking for shooting stars and UFO’s, counting sheep and bothering local farmers for some melktert and koeksisters and a tour to see any great San Rock art they might have on their farm, and quite a few do. Outdoors activities such as mountain-biking, fishing, hiking and horse-trails can also be enjoyed at places such the Karoo Gariep Conservancy.
Towns of the Upper Karoo Region
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