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The Karoo - Land of Thirst

Wide horizons and endless veld, this wilderness of plateau and mountains is known as the Karoo (Hottentot for "Land of thirst") This hot and dry land is sheep farmers and a place of extreme temperatures. Blistering hot is summer and frightfully cold in winter. However a drive through this area will leave the visitor stunned by the beauty of the wide-open plains and the azure blue sky with fluffy cloud patterns. At night, one can marvel at the starry sky above which is unhindered by city lights.

The Northern Cape is the largest of South Africa's provinces and stretches from the diamond crusted shores of the Atlantic across wilderness so dry that the rainfall it receives in a year is less that what some Europe cities record in a day. The Orange River is South Africa's largest river and when it reaches a waterfall, it can only be spectacular. At the Augrabies Falls (Place of great noise) this river plunges into a deep gorge below with devastating force. During times of flood as many as 19 separate waterfalls tumble into a vast cauldron of foaming water that makes the granite shake and sends a heavy cloud of spray into the air.