Cape to Karoo Tour - Selfdrive

The Karoo - up-close!
The Karoo - up-close!
Ostriches in the Karoo.
Ostriches in the Karoo.
Pristine landscapes.
Pristine landscapes.
Fascinating wildlife.
Fascinating wildlife.

Pristine beauty, unique landscapes, endless horizons, clean air, bright, sparkling blue skies and the magic of the starry nights… That is what awaits you on our tour through the Great and Little Karoo, South Africa’s semi-desert. You will stay overnight in the most beautiful accommodation and the truly warm and hospitable way of the Karoo and its people will leave a unique and unforgettable impression on you. This is the ideal add-on to your classic South African destinations and it is also on offer as a guided tour .

Send booking request

Highlights

  • Stars of the Great Karoo
  • Prehistoric fossils at the heart of the semi-desert
  • The “Big 5” and the infinite vastness of the Karoo
  • Donkey cart tour and dramatic sunsets
  • The Swartberg Pass and the famous Cango Caves
  • Local ostrich farm and much more!

Tour Description

Day 1: Stars Of The Great Karoo
Your trip starts in Cape Town. After driving over three spectacular mountain passes you will be going on a game drive to spot the “Big 5” in a private game reserve. After lunch you will continue to Sutherland, the “stargazing capital” of South Africa where you will have the opportunity to watch the stars through a professional telescope.
326 km / L, D

Day 2: The Heart Of The Karoo
In the morning, you will visit SALT (Southern African Large Telescope), the biggest optical telescope in the southern hemisphere. You will then continue to Beaufort West via Fraserburg, where we will take a tour through the Karoo National Park in the afternoon. In the beautiful landscapes at the foot of the Nuweveld Mountains rising up to 5,900 ft, you will – with a bit of luck – spot black rhinos, lions, mountain zebras and the quite rare black eagle. A short walk along the fossil trail will take you past the remains of long extinct creatures that used to live here about 250 million years ago. Their bones are quite well preserved and a true highlight of the semi-desert. In the evening an unforgettable donkey cart ride including a traditional South African bush braai awaits you (weather permitting).
297 km / B, D

Day 3: The Taste Of The Karoo
In the morning, you will visit the Christiaan Barnard Museum providing a lot of interesting information about the colourful life of South Africa’s world famous heart surgeon. His birth place and family home as well as his tomb next to the museum will be part of the tour. You will then continue to Prince Albert, the quaint little town at the foot of the Swartberg Range. The quiet beauty of the vast Karoo and the impressive rock formations on the way to this picturesque little village will be memorable. In town, you will take part in an olive and  cheese tasting as well as a wine tasting at South Africa’s “smallest winery”, famous for its dessert wine.
164 km / B, D

Day 4: Highlights of the Little Karoo
Today, you will reach one of the highlights of the Karoo, the spectacular Swartberg Pass. The 27 km of gravel road and the pass at 5,145 ft is among the most beautiful mountain passes in the world and was declared a National Monument of South Africa, while the Swartberg Range forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Oudtshoorn, already in the Little Karoo, a tour through the world famous Cango Caves, one of the world’s most impressive cave systems, awaits you. In the town of the former Feather Barons, you will then visit one of the typical local ostrich farms and learn more about the animals, their history and economic importance for the region. In the afternoon, you will drive westwards on the famous Route 62. Through picturesque Karoo towns and along beautiful winding mountain roads you will follow on to Cape Town crossing Sir Lowry’s Pass in the early evening. In Cape Town, this memorable trip to the Karoo will then come to an end.
509 km / B

Prices and Tour Dates

Tour Price: on request
Tour Dates: on request

* Price valid for a booking of min. 2 adults. Prices for single travellers on request.
* Price does not cover general increases in travel cost and currency fluctuations.
* The tour programme may be subject to changes.

We will gladly assist you with the booking of a rental car. Please ask for a separate quote.

 

Price includes:

  • 3 overnight stays in handpicked accommodations (three to four stars)
  • Meals as per tour description (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
  • All mentioned activities
  • Comprehensive personal travel hand book including detailed itinerary, distances, road map
  • Local African Kombi Tours emergency hotline number available on-site 24/7

Price does not include:

  • Meals and beverages, except breakfast and dinner as per tour description
  • Service tips and personal expenses
  • Travel insurance