Karoo National Park

Wow, what a place to visit. It is beautiful and like ancient creation. It is true Karoo in all its beauty.
We spent 2 nights in the camp site, which is about 800 meters from the reception, but you cannot go there on foot since they have introduced lions to the park in November 2010. It means that you are stuck in the camp, especially if you are travelling with a roof top tent, like we are, however that is not a problem as they offer stunning walks in the park with a guide. We took the 10.30 option and was fetched at the camp by the field guide. You cannot walk on your own, even before the lions. Our guide took the 2 of us on a 2 hour hike in the veld just around the camp. It was fantastic. He shared field knowledge and just exerted his passion for the Karoo. We learnt about "kruisbessiebos" and wild rosemary and "karoo anker" and jewel beetles and toktokkies and lots more and all from the local area. It was such a full filling experience and we really enjoyed it.
The second day we headed off into the park to explore and to get to over night accommodation at iBesweni at the far end of the park. This was a special treat, as it was the first night in a house with a proper bed and a fresh fluffy duvet, hot shower and a fully equipped kitchen and a loo under the same roof as you. What a pleasure that was. The scenery from there was fantastic. These Karoo koppies and the vlaktes that go with it is just different and it changes all the time. There are also animals here, but the park is vast and the animals are scattered around. We saw a few big herds of Gemsbok and Red Hartebeest and some Springbok and Zebra, both the Burchell's and the Cape Mountain. We also saw lots of running Ostriches. Must have been national running day for them.
The road to the cottage is only accessable to 4x4 vehicles and that was quite clear why. It was not rough and inaccessable, but it was decidedly an advantage to have a capable vehicle to do the trip there and back. It was slow gravel travel at its best, with some challenges.We are spending the last night here in the camp again tonight and tomorrow we head off to Graaff -Reinett for the next few days. The nice thing is that most of the campers here tonight are heading home as school starts on Monday and we are not part of that crowd. We are just heading on into the next chapter of our trip.Life sucks, does it not!!!