The town of Beaufort West, nestled in South Africa’s Great Karoo, is best known as the birthplace of Dr Christiaan Barnard, the pioneering heart surgeon who performed the world’s first successful heart transplant. But that’s not all this region has to boast about.
Just outside town lies a place of quiet power and immense natural beauty — Karoo National Park. Set against the rugged Nuweveld Mountains, it’s an arid land of open horizons, ancient rocks, and skies so vast they seem to go on forever. This is where we recently spent a few peaceful days camping, and it left a lasting impression.
From the soft call of birdsong in the mornings to lions in the valley and fossils underfoot, the park is full of surprises. It’s a place where silence speaks volumes and where nature, both ancient and present, quietly commands your attention.
One of the unexpected highlights was seeing a display of fossil remains of ancient creatures, which can be seen on the short and accessible Fossil Trail between the campsite and the main Reception area.
The park offers one a safari with a difference. The drive up the iconic Klipspringer Pass — an engineering marvel, with its stone retaining wall snaking up the mountainside, has beautiful views into the valley below. On the way up we saw Klipspringers, the little antelope that give the pass its name. These charming creatures that appear to walk on the very tips of their hooves, are perfectly adapted for this terrain, able to leap effortlessly across steep, rocky ledges.
As avid birders, we found the birdlife in the park fascinating, with many species specially adapted to survive in this water-scarce environment. Two highlights for us were the Verreaux’s Eagle and the Ground Woodpecker. But the Karoo is also ideal for a variety of larks, pipits, robins and chats, offering something for every bird enthusiast.
Back at our campsite, the wildlife kept coming. A curious kudu wandered in to say hello, as did a scrub hare.
The park is home to a variety of tortoises and many can be seen around the campsite. We also had a good variety of birds in the trees next to our site, their calls the only sounds breaking the Karoo’s vast silence.
If you’re looking for wild beauty, open space, and something a little different from the usual safari destinations, Karoo National Park is well worth the journey.
We invite you to watch our short video below — a glimpse into the sights, sounds, and quiet magic of the Karoo.
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