Friday – 13 August 2021
12:00 Check in at Karoopark Guest House for 2 nights
http://www.karoopark.co.za
13:00 Lunch served at Karoopark Guest House including beverages
14:00 Depart of Historical Town Tour with local guide – Chantelle
Special focus will be paid on local Karoo Artists
• Visit Dutch Reformed Church
• Walk the historical streets of Graaff-Reinet
• Visit the Graaff-Reinet Club
• Reinet Antiques
• Meet some local artists
16:00 Depart for the Valley of Desolation
Enjoy sunset at the Valley of Desolation with a G&T
Remember to dress warmly
Wear comfortable walking shoes
Take along binoculars & camera
19:00 30 minute introduction into Palaeontology in the Karoo by Prof. Bruce Rubidge (BScHons, MSc, PhD) of University of the Witwatersrand.
20:00 Dinner is served including Wine
Saturday – 14 August 2021
07:00 Breakfast served at Karoopark Guest House
08:00 Depart for Nieu-Bethesda with Prof. Bruce Rubidge (BScHons, MSc, PhD) of University of the Witwatersrand. Wear comfortable walking shoes
Take along binoculars
Your camera
09:00 Guided tour of the Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre – Look of for a battered old hat on display under glass. It’s the hat of the man who helped confirm the theory of continental drift, and who had an ancient lizard-like species named after him when he was only a lad of 7. He was also known as the ‘grand old man of Karoo palaeontology’ – James Kitching, South Africa’s king of old-bone detectives.
11:00 Depart for Ongeluksloot
Enjoy tea / coffee / hot chocolate whilst marvelling at the numerous statues scattered along the ridges of the Karoo Farm. The Stone Folk is a permanent outdoor installation of stone figures carefully placed in the landscape of Ongeluksloot, on the farm Doornberg. Artist Ryno Greeff says The Stone Folk were inspired by the stone figures placed in Kaokoland in Namibia as well as "The Dance" by Marcella de Boom outside Loxton and the beautifull landscape around the village of Nieu Bethesda. Currently there are 10 stone sculptures placed in the landscape
12:00 Arrive at St Olives Farm for lunch
Brief introduction to SA Herding Academy - A holistic learning centre where the ancient skill of herding animals are being applied within a holistic decision-making framework to regenerate the landscape and bridge the socio-economic and cultural barriers that existed between humans and wildlife through-out Southern Africa
14:00 Depart for a local Karoo farm
Enjoy a few hours of exploring fossil remains in the mountainous region of the Karoo.
17:00 Arrive back at Karoopark Guest House Free Time
18:30 Wine Tasting by Meridian Wines Indepth wine experience – Enjoy learning more about wine!
19:00 Dinner is served at Karoopark Guest House
Remember to set your alarm for 6am wake up tomorrow morning! Sunday – 15 August 2021
06:30 Depart for an early Morning birding excursion in the Camdeboo National Park
Dress warmly
Wear comfortable walking shoes
Take along binoculars
Your camera
07:30 Coffee Stop in the Camdeboo National Park. Local birding enthusiast will take small groups of people on a 2 hour walking trip in the Karoo veld. Special focus on local Karoo bird species.
09:30 Enjoy a scrumptious brunch in the Karoo veld (along with champagne / coffee / tea and various eats.
11:00 Depart on a Game Drive through the Camdeboo National Park en-route back to Graaff-Reinet
12:30 Return back to Karoopark Guest House & depart for home. Included
• Bottled water throughout the journey
• Various Wines with Dinner
• All transport / entrance fees
• Accommodation for 2 nights – Friday & Saturday
• All meals as per itinerary
Cost
R7400 per couple all inclusive (2 people sharing in total, R3700 per person sharing)
R4500 per single person Inclusive
Extend your stay and enjoy various highlights in the Graaff-Reinet area – discuss pre or post tour extensions with Chantelle the Tourguide.
