Discover the Karoo desert with Time out of Time, holistic wellness travel experts. Explore the history, heritage and highlights of the Karoo, and discover how to get there.

1. Exploring the Karoo
South Africa’s Karoo region is a vast, semi-arid basin that extends over much of the south-
west of the country. This sparsely populated region is a land of dust, wind pumps, sheep farms
and endless plains.
While many South Africans regard the region as an endless wasteland on the route between
Cape Town and the northern provinces, others consider the Karoo to be a spiritual haven, a
welcome respite from city life, and an ideal destination for a spiritual wellness holiday.
Karoo History
For much of its history the Karoo was uninhabited by humans. In prehistory the area
experienced extensive seismic and volcanic activity,
before this subsided sufficiently for the area to support
a vast variety of prehistoric animal life.
The area was dotted with swamps, lakes and glaciers
before gradually morphing into a semi-arid desert.
There was little human activity in the area until well
after the arrival of European settlers in the region. The
dry scrubland provided insufficient foraging for cattle,
and would support only a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.
It took the influx of farmers from the Cape Region to inflate the population of the region.
These farmers brought sheep with them, capable of surviving the rigours of life on this arid
plain. Many of these settled around a handful of desert towns and oases.
Karoo Towns
The Karoo is dotted with small, rustic towns that appear to have taken a step aside from the
passage of time. Desert havens like Matjiesfontein and Prince Albert are popular spiritual
wellness holiday destinations, as are the more verdant towns of Richmond and Oudtshoorn.
In the past the area was frequented by the elite of the British
Empire, including the famous Cecil John Rhodes. Many of the
towns retain a distinctly Victorian character, and provide visitors
with a very real sense of the pace of life in a bygone era.
Natural Attractions
The Karoo is far more than an endless expanse of featureless
scrubland. The area is home to a variety of impressive natural
attractions, ranging from the Cango Caves to the Swartberg
Mountain Range, the famous Gamaskloof Valley, and the
mesmerizing sight of the quartzite cliffs on the Swartberg Pass.
Getting to the Karoo
Not only is the Karoo charming and home to abundant natural
splendour, but many of its attractions are also accessible from the city of Cape Town. The best
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2. way to get to the Karoo is by car, which allows you to explore the full range of attractions the
region has to offer.
Take a spiritual wellness trip to the Karoo
Alternately, if you’re considering a spiritual wellness holiday in the region, you can book a train
ride into the Karoo on one of the nation’s most established railways lines.
Time out of Time offers holistic wellness journeys to the Karoo, designed to rejuvenate
the body and bring calm and contentment to the mind and soul. Book your spiritual wellness
holiday today, and experience the restorative powers of the magnificent Karoo.
Book your spiritual wellness holiday through Time out of Time today