Blog

Leave the national roads and concrete jungles, and get stuck behind the spectacular sights of the undiscovered Route 63. Whether you’re looking to reconnect with family and friends at Langhuis, Graaff Reinet or stay in the Sneeuberg Nature Reserve, a road trip along the R63 promises the back-to-basics escape you crave. It intersects the major roads of the N12, N1 and N9 and is a welcomed reprieve from the monotonous straights of the Karoo.

With the ongoing drought in the Karoo, the recent relief of rain in January 2020 brought hope and a burst of new life in the area. Sneeuberg Nature Reserve is alive with a happy buzz of plant and bird life, while nearby towns exhale a sigh of relief at the result of the recent downpour.

When all the stars align, it brings you the opportunity to marvel at how vast the universe is, and how small the human. The Karoo skies are amongst the clearest in the world and famous for stargazing. Some of the incredible photos featured in this article were captured by pilot Sjoerd Jan ter Welle and company on a visit to Kliphuis.

In 2012 Sneeuberg Nature Reserve and four neighbouring landowners created the Compassberg Protected Environment, comprising about 26 000 hectare, under the auspices of the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency's Stewardship Program. This means the area is protected from excessive development and wildlife has an opportunity to flourish. Here are some of the delightful animals you might encounter during your stay at the reserve.

As the temperate drops and the earth cools below freezing point, we prepare for winter in the Karoo. Icicles become artworks and wrapping oneself in insulated clothing to go for a walk becomes a daily activity. When indoors, reading a good book is the order of the day.