Camdeboo National Park surrounds the town of Graaff-Reinet and covers 19 405 hectares. The renowned Valley of Desolation, sometimes referred to as the “Cathedral of the Mountains”, provides visitors with awesome panoramic views and an unforgettable experience. Magnificent dolerite pillars rise up to heights of 90 – 120 meters, overlooking the vast karoo plains.

Mountain Zebra National Park, situated about 12 km from Cradock, was proclaimed in 1937 to save the endangered Cape mountain zebra. Today, the national park seeks to conserve the unique biodiversity of the area and provides a haven for over 370 zebra, black rhino, buffalo and antelope such as eland, black wildebeest, red hartebeest, gemsbok and mountain reedbuck.

Graaff-Reinet is the fourth oldest town in South Africa, having been established in 1786. The town sits in a bend in the Sundays River in the shadow of the Sneeuberg Mountain. Graaff-Reinet falls within the Camdeboo National Park. Much of Graaff-Reinet still has the feel of a 19th century town with some streets restored and as many as 200 buildings declared as national monuments.

Take a two hour trip up the Loodsberg Pass in an old railway trolley. The route ascends into the desert mountains, passing the occasional sheep farm and solitary windmill. The tour can accommodate up to six people. Bookings are essential.

At Ganora Farm there are fossil beds dating 240 million years, Bushman etchings and Boer artifacts. Horse-riding, mountain-biking and bird-watching are all possible.

Cradock is a 19th town on the banks of the Greak Fish River. The site of the town was coveted by both the Boer settlers and the Xhosa as good grazing grounds for cattle. Today, Cradock is a typical Karoo farming town with a number of historical attractions.

Karoo Cats is a conservation program near Cradock that aims to create public awareness of the plight of small cats through research, public awareness and education.

The last hippo recorded in the Karoo was 250 years ago. P.C Ferreira's dream has been to bring them back, specifically to the Karoo Gariep Conservancy. In December 2006, three hippos found a new home in a hippo pool on the New Holme farm in the Hanover area.

Visit the website www.karoogariep.co.za for more information.