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Towards late afternoon, the great, unyielding canopy slowly softens
its fierceness, and from pastel shades of pink and blue, the colours
deepen, setting the endless Karoo canvas ablaze with glorious hues of
orange and red. The Great Karoo is a vast and unforgiving landscape of
which the Karoo National Park is but a small portion. Being the largest
ecosystem in South Africa, the Karoo is home to a fascinating diversity
of life, all having adapted to survive in these harsh conditions. Karoo
National Park is dominated by the lofty Nuweveld Mountains and rolling
plains, where many species that originally occurred here now occupy
their former ranges.
The Karoo National Park has a wide
variety of endemic wildlife. Many species have been relocated to their
former ranges - such as black rhino and buffalo, as well as Cape
mountain zebra. Over 20 breeding pairs of black eagle find sanctuary
within the park. There is also a wide diversity of succulent plants and small reptiles.
Areas Of Special Interest
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The Klipspringer Mountain Pass not only provides visitors with
spectacular views, but the pass is also an example of civil engineering
toil and precision.
Things to Seek
- Black Eagle – with
around 20 pairs of these eagles breeding, the park can lay claim to one
of the highest densities of this regal species in Africa
- Tortoises – the park hosts 5 different species, the highest density of species per equivalent area anywhere in the world
- Cape
Mountain Zebra – this species came close to extinction early in the
20th Century. It is well established in the park and visitors have the
opportunity to compare its bold stripe pattern to that of the “quagga”
strain
- Springbok – the emblem of the park and present
in high numbers. This is a reminder of the once massive herds that
crossed the Karoo on annual migration that could stretch for several
kilometres.
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National Parks