The Karoo is a semi desert in South Africa, and although it is a very dry area of South Africa, it is still stunningly beautiful.
While we were travelling to the coast during the December holidays in 2019, we stopped halfway through at Nieu-Bethesda – a small village in the Eastern Cape. This is the perfect place for a night’s stay before you hit the road again to the coast.
There are two stops that I would definitely recommend if you ever travel through the Karoo.
Nieu-Bethesda
Nieu-Bethesda is approximately 50 kilometres from Graaff-Reinet and this dusty place is mostly famous for the Owl House. There are two roads leading to Nieu-Bethesda and the road closest to Graaff Reinet is the best option. There are no petrol stations in the village and there are also limited card facilities. So be prepared!
With no street lights and only gravel grounds, this makes it feels like you are living in the olden days. The people in Nieu-Bethesda are extremely friendly and the best part is that you can explore the whole village by foot. Take a headlamp with and explore the town at night under the clear night sky.
Here are things you can do in Nieu-Bethesda.
1.Visit the Owl House
At the Owl House you will learn about the story of a woman, called Helen Martin, who was so engulfed by darkness that she decided to transform her world.
Helen spent a large part of her life obsessing over light and colour and therefore she used her obsession and turned her home and garden into a place of wonder, magic and light. Every ground and ceiling is covered with bits of glass, which was ground up with a manual coffee grinder.
Her entire garden is covered with cement sculptures.
When Helen was 78 she took her own life after struggling with arthritis and when her suffering increased with loss of vision.
GPS Coordinates (Owl House)
2.Grab a bite to eat at the beautiful restaurants Nieu-Bethesda has to offer
As mentioned above, the cool thing about Nieu-Bethesda is that you can drop your car at your accommodation and explore the village by walking around. Take a stroll to your choice of restaurant, have a bite and walk back – while taking in the beautiful village.
Restaurants to visit:
- The Karoo Lamb
- The Tower Restaurant
- The Ibis Lounge
- Two Goats Deli @ the Brewery
- Antie Evelin se Plek
3.Go beer tasting
The Sneeuberg Brewery has different locally craft beer samples to try and is the perfect spot to go and relax while having a cold one. The brewery also has homemade cheese platters that goes well with your beer tasting.
GPS Coordinates (Brewery)
4.Take a donkey cart ride around the village
With the village being so small, you will not miss the donkey cart riding around. The donkey cart tour leaves from the Owl House. This is such a nice experience and I would highly recommend it, so climb aboard and take a gentle stroll through the village.
5.Stop at the viewpoint
Either on your way to Nieu-Bethesda or on your way out, do stop at the viewpoint overlooking the valley.
GPS Coordinates (Viewpoint)
6.Go explore Nieu-Bethesda by taking a walk
Close to the Sneeuberg brewery you will find a bridge which will lead you through a hiking trail with beautiful sceneries.
7.See the village church
The village church dates back to 1905 and is now known as the Old Church Hall. On Sundays you can see the inside of the church, which still has its original gas chandeliers.
GPS Coordinates (Church)
8.Go stargazing
Because Nieu-Bethesda has no street lights, the stars are extra bright. Take a scroll through the streets of Nieu-Bethesda at night and look up at the amazing brightness of the Milky Way.
Camdeboo National Park (Graaff-Reinet)
The Camdeboo National Park almost completely surrounds Graaff-Reinet and is part of the South African National Parks.
There are many hiking trails in this National Park or you can drive to the different viewpoint spots. The most popular spots are the Valley of Desolation and the Toposcope valley.
The Valley of Desolation overlooks the endless Karoo plains with its rugged dolerite columns, while the Toposcope viewpoint overlooks Graaff-Reinet.
Both these viewpoints require a short walk from the car park area.
Different hiking trails and walks:
- The Crag Lizard Trail (45 minutes)
- The Eerstefontein Day Walk (there are various options – 5km, 11km or 14km)
- The Gideon Scheepers Trail (1 hour)
Entrance Fee: (December 2019)
| South African Citizens: | Adults R46 Children R23 |
| SADC Nationals: | Adult R92 Children R46 |
| International Visitors: | Adult: R132 Children R66 |
GPS Coordinates (Toposcope Viewpoint)
GPS Coordinates (Valley of Desolation)
You can also go check out our Karoo, Travel vlog:
Travel with Mariska 