Graaff Reinet

One of the most historic towns of the old Cape Colony, Graaff-Reinet lies in the hot, dry Great Karoo on the fertile banks of the Sundays River. The town retains some of the atmosphere of its days as a frontier settlement when it was full of wanderers, hunters, explorers and pioneers, who were amazed at the vast herds of game roaming the area.

Its streets are wide enough to turn a full ox and wagon team and there are more national monuments here than anywhere else in South Africa (most of which are private homes).

The fertility of the soil makes it a perfect centre for sheep, cattle and dairy farming. Graaff Reinet is surrounded by the Karoo Nature Reserve, ideal for nature lovers to go hiking or on photographic excursions.

The Graaff-Reinet area was once part of a huge, fertile marshland full of prehistoric reptiles, so significant fossil discoveries are not unusual. At the end of a steep road in the reserve is a truly amazing natural wonder that will make you gasp in awe.

The eerie and spectacular Valley of Desolation just drops out of the earth in front of you. From the cavernous valley below, the domed heads of great dolomite columns rise like rockets from a launching pad. It almost seems as if you can see all the way to the end of the earth from this unique vantage point.

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