The Karoo To Coast 4x4 Off-Road Adventure

Olive Schreiner wrote that the Karoo makes one realise “many so-called important things are really insignificant, yet so many insignificant things are important.”

The dusty solitude of the Karoo holds a unique allure, especially when contrasted with the chaos of cramped big cities and starless nights. The Karoo, a vast semi-desert region in South Africa, offers a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of urban life. In the Karoo, the vastness of the landscape stretches out before you, seemingly endless. The arid plains are dotted with sparse vegetation, beautiful flowers and rocky outcrops, creating a sense of isolation and tranquillity.

The silence is deafening, broken only by the occasional howl of the wind or the distant call of a bird. The open spaces and wide horizons provide a sense of perspective, reminding us of our place in the grand scheme of things. The Karoo's vastness allows the mind to wander, to reflect, and find solace in the simplicity of the natural world.

Schreiner was a South African author, anti-war campaigner and intellectual. She is best remembered for her novel The Story of an African Farm, written in 1883, it has been highly acclaimed. She was asthmatic and the dry Karoo climate suited her health. As a Karoo nomad, she embraced a life of constant movement, living in, and exploring the small towns that dotted the Karoo landscape. These towns, seemingly untouched by time, held a unique charm that captivated her. Schreiner lived in a town nestled in the heart of the Karoo called Cradock on three occasions, and this is where she completed her famous novel, The Story of an African Farm.