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Anybody with information whether the new road is open already? I will be in Karoo Nat Park from 9 to 18 May and really hope to be able to travel the new road.

Hi Stoffel,

There are one or two finishing touches being done on the road but it is already drivable (with a normal car) so the answer is yes! you will be able to drive on the new road.

Enjoy your visit!

Thanks Megan - looking forward to it. We love "doing" the Klipspringer Pass up to Rooivalle. It is normally an everyday "must do" when we are in the park. I am not very fond of Lammertjiesleegte. Therefore an additional road in the park should be a great asset.

Looking forward to 9 days of just lazing around in one of my favourite camp sites in South Africa.

Will probably go to the W&E Cape meet at Karoo NP circa 15 June. Anyone know if the 4x4 route(s) will be open. Would be nice to do.

I saw a short article in the June go mag that the new loop in Karoo NP is now open. I will be making a booking soon!

Sorry BB, missed this question of yours almost a month ago!

The long 4x4 route will need to be rerouted into a new area of the Park (and a new overnight hut restored) as the old route has been partly covered by the new 47km route.

Contact reception (Tel: 023 4152828) just before before your visit or when you get there to check on the status of the short 4x4 route as you may be able to drive on it.

Thanks Megan,
New 47 km route? Is the map on the Karoo Park page up to date and is that the dotted line route?
I have never been to Karoo and this will be the first time.

I returned from Karoo NP yesterday after a 9 night stay. We travelled the new loop 7 times. One day we would do it clock-wise and the next day in the opposite direction.

We found fresh tracks of two black rhino on the first day. After following it for 4 - 5 km (near Doornhoek) they still eluded us. However, this encouraged us to go and search for them day after day. Only on two other occasions did we find fresh tracks again (of one rhino only), but unfortunately it was not our luck to find any rhino.

Our neighbours (camping next to us) found one bull one day and got a great photo of it.

The view from the middle plateau over the Doornhoek amphi-theatre is just too big to describe. We saw plenty of klipspringer in Klipspringer Pass and the on the middle plateau. It is unbelievable how the kudu population grew over the past few years. We literally saw hundreds of kudu during our 8 days in the park. Red hartebeest was everywhere to be seen, as well as Cape Mountain Zebra.

I had numerous visits to this park since 1990, and for the first time I saw mountain reedbuck, black-backed jackals and vervet monkeys.

We are already planning our next trip for mid-September. I have to see the black rhinos.

Thank you, we will now be camping FOR SURE in September. We have been up the plateau through Pienaarsepas and the view was awesome. We saw the preparation of the new road and if it is finished now Karoo here we come.
Last time we had very good sightings of Eland at the plateau, they just looked at us and every move we made was followed by some steps of the couple. We felt lucky.

Stoffel, our West Coast - East Coast Meet is happening soon - June 13 - 16th to be exact - just hope that with all our famous / infamous forumites we get to see that elusive rhino. Looking forward to driving the new road. Thanks for the voorgereg. (tr: ?? help)

Jonkers

Yes, I forgot to tell about the small herd of 7 eland we saw on our last round trip, just above the Rooivalle. And they appeared quite tame compared to eland I have seen @ various other occasions in different parks.

It's a pity the two old bulls that used to ravage the trees in the caravan park had to be dealt with. According to Jakob (camp attendant), the one hardly had any teeth left.

What time of day did you do the loop Stoffel?

Black rhino must see!

Hi BB

Most of the times we did the drive in the late morning (arriving back at camp mostly well after noon). On at least two occasions (if not three) we did it in the late afternoon. Klipspringer Pass shows more of its namesake in the late afternoon. Kudu, mountain zebra and red hartebeest can be seen anytime during the day. All black-backed jackal were seen in the late afternoon (just before sunset).

Hi all

Can someone tell me if there is any Game drives/Night Drives available at Karoo NP?

Thanks
Henk

Hi Henk,

There are night drives available at R90 per adult and R45 per child. The minimum number of people is four (i.e. the drive will not go out unless there are at least four people).

In the morning, they offer a guided 4x4 trip on the Park landrover which goes for R400 for the first four people and then R100 per adult and R50 per child thereafter.

There are no other day guided drives offered. You can also do the 4x4 trail in your own vehicle for R100 per vehicle.

To book the guided drives, pop in at reception when you're there or book via karooreservations@sanparks.org