Roxanne Reid's Blog, page 5

Camdeboo National Park: the ultimate guide

By Roxanne Reid
Deep in South africa's Karoo heartland is a national park that entirely surrounds the town of Graaff-Reinet. It's probably most famous for the spectacle that is the Valley of Desolation, a rocky landscape formed millions of years ago. But there are lots of other reasons to visit too; find out more in Camdeboo National Park: the ultimate guide.  Getting there
Camdeboo National Park is 600km from Cape Town via the N1 to Beaufort West, the R61 to Aberdeen and N9 to Graaff-Reine...

Okaukuejo camp: see elephants on an Etosha safari

By Roxanne Reid
Even when you have a slow day of game viewing at Namibia's Etosha National Park, you’re in the pound seats back at Okaukuejo camp. In our experience it’s a great place in the dry season to see elephants on an Etosha safari. We were camping under a stunted camel thorn tree at the sandy and busy Okaukuejo campsite in Etosha National Park. Manic chatter from a large sociable weavers’ nest woke us, but our early-morning game drive yielded only the usual suspects – black-faced i...

17 things to do in the Karoo National Park

By Roxanne Reid
Here, in the dry heartland of South Africa, a wealth of geology, fossils, animals and sweeping landscapes lie waiting to be explored. You’ll find the entrance to this park just off the N1 highway, about 6km south of Beaufort West in the Karoo. Here’s my pick of 17 things to do in the Karoo National Park. 1. Even if you’re only stopping over in the Karoo National Park for one night (as many do on a road trip between Cape Town and Johannesburg), you absolutely must drive the...

12 things to do in Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo

By Roxanne Reid
If you love history and beautiful old buildings, you’re going to love Graaff-Reinet in South Africa's Eastern Cape. The town has more than 200 heritage sites, so there’s lots of history to be explored. If you love nature, you’re in luck too, given that the town is surrounded by 195 square kilometres of national park. Here are 12 things to do in Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo.  1. See the church
When you visit Graaff-Reinet, it’s impossible not to notice the extravagant Du...

10 things to do in the Tankwa Karoo from Gannaga Lodge

By Roxanne Reid
South Africa’s Tankwa Karoo is remote, way out in the sticks between nowhere and nothing. But that doesn’t mean you can’t drink in the open spaces, the big blue skies and the booming silence. It also doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. Here are 10 things to do in the Tankwa Karoo from Gannaga Lodge. 1. Drive the gravel Gannaga Pass, stopping here and there to admire the view over the wide Karoo landscape and open skies. Try to do it in both directions, because the views are...

15 things to do in Hermanus on the Cape Whale Coast

By Roxanne Reid
Once a tiny fishing village, Hermanus – just a 90-minute drive east of Cape Town – is now a bustling seaside town with fabulous Hermanus accommodation and tons of things to do. Think wine tasting, whale-watching, hiking, long white beaches and more. Here’s my pick of 15 things to do in Hermanus on the Cape Whale Coast, South Africa. 1. Go beer tasting If you’re approaching Hermanus from Cape Town, stop at Honingklip Brewery on the R43 to enjoy a tasting of four Belgia...

17 things to do in Nieu Bethesda in the Karoo

By Roxanne Reid
The small village of Nieu Bethesda in the Eastern Cape Karoo was once a dusty little place no one had heard of. Then it rocketed to fame on the reputation of Helen Martins’ strangely compelling Owl House and Camel Yard. But there’s much more to it than the Owl House. Here are 17 things to do in Nieu Bethesda in the Karoo.  About 50km from Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo heartland, Nieu Bethesda began life as a church town in 1875. Its biblical name was the inspiration of Graaff-...

The Owl House Nieu Bethesda: a world Helen Martins created

By Roxanne Reid
The dusty little village of Nieu Bethesda is 55km from Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape Karoo. It's a detour off the N9 so not a place you ‘pass through’, but a destination. Most people who make the trip are lured here by The Owl House Nieu Bethesda, a world Helen Martins created. Using glass and cement she crafted something strange, sometimes disturbing, but always riveting. Miss Helen, as she was known locally, was the youngest of six children, became a teacher and marri...

Drostdy Hotel: changing lives through hospitality training

By Roxanne Reid
Visit the Drostdy Hotel in Graaff-Reinet to relax and explore luxurious historic spaces in South Africa’s Karoo heartland. Uncover a secret weapon of socially responsible tourism that is changing lives through hospitality training and you'll realise why your holiday here makes a difference In Graaff-Reinet, history goes back a long way – and the hotel is no different. Although such a beautiful and relaxed space today, the Drostdy Hotel hasn’t always been a hotel. It was des...

Ganora Guest Farm, Nieu Bethesda: Bushman rock art and fossils

By Roxanne Reid
For many of us who live in the city, there’s nothing more exciting than spending time in nature. When I go on a road trip, I’d much rather stay in a nature reserve or on a farm than in any city hotel. Ganora Guest Farm, Nieu Bethesda, ticks all the boxes by adding historical interest in the form of Bushman rock art and fossils. It was no surprise when we went looking for Nieu Bethesda accommodation that I was drawn to Ganora Guest Farm, a working sheep farm at the foot of t...