We had added the Karoo National Park on the recommendation of one of my colleagues, and we were very pleased that we included it. While the Kruger National Park had been about “big” animals and was busy with cars everywhere, Karoo was more about the mountains and wide open spaces. The branding tagline for the Park was ” Let the mountains speak to your spirit…unwind!” From our chalet we watched zebra, antelopes and ostriches wander about, and the mountains all around.
We did the main Potlekkertjie circuit which the map said was a 2.5 hour drive. So we set off after breakfast in a clockwise direction, with the expectation we would be back mid-morning. Instead it took 4.5 hours, and it was a good job we had water and nibbles in the car. Andrew recognised that the animals here were a little more flighty and he 100% lost his Ferrari -Safari speed and drove very sedately.
We saw a variety of animals, but didn’t see any of the lions that are there. The scenery was magnificent and we really enjoyed the circuit.
Half way around the loop is the Doornhoek picnic site, where were stopped to use the toilets and stretch our legs. The scenery in the next portion climbed to the Klipspringer pass where there was a good view of the valley we had travelled through.
Near the chalets there was a fossils walk. They had made a very good series of displays explaining the fossils found in the valley with excellent bones and the teeth below. They clearly explained these were not Dinosaurs, but Therapsids, also known as mammal-like reptiles. Therapsids gave rise to mammals, while Dinosaurs gave rise to birds… And a picture of a random colourful cactus we spotted in our travels
