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There’s nothing quite like it: Camp Karoo completes the African farmhouse romance – in utter comfort, we might add – with the best of bed linens, blissful air conditioning and a broad verandah for lazy siestas and languid sundowners on its outsize-floral sofas.

Time spent here is close to nature and nature close to you… especially when you leap out of bed to watch a dramatic sunrise turning stately aloes an intense pistachio-green in an early shaft of sunlight, and suddenly realize you’re not alone. For a brief moment, a fresh dawn breeze picks up and then a sound that’s distinctively giraffe becomes bolder, beginning with leaf-pulling and gentle chomping a little closer behind you. Quietly observing this elegant creature is a magical way to start the day. And if you sit long enough on the stoep, kudu or nyala often drift through the garden and sip a little pool water on their way. But the realization that it’s all yours (700 hectares of pristine Karoo bushveld and surrounded by mountains in a valley all of its own) is what makes this off-the-beaten-track experience so special. No traffic and no lights for miles and miles mean that life here offers a chance to enjoy bright starry skies for hours around the fire at night.

It can get hot here: really hot. But early-morning game drives with coffee and rusks up at a 360-degree viewpoint right around to the distinctive Cockscomb peak are a highlight. By mid-morning, glasses of iced tea and endless swims are the order of the day. For families, the generous verandah becomes holiday central – games and books are brought outside and precious time is spent together. Indoors, the farmhouse is filled with much-loved and beautifully curated collectables by its owners who are passionate about conservation in the Eastern Cape. Winter evenings are cosy, with a wood fire blazing in the central fireplace and the comforting scent of paraffin lamps filling the farmhouse.

One game drive is included per day with your own game ranger at Camp Karoo but others may easily be booked. This is the ideal introduction to the African bush for families, and Addo Elephant National Park is under a two hour drive away, making it a great day trip from Camp Karoo or the perfect detour on the way back to the airport.

What we love!

• The complete isolation – there no lights for miles! And that means this is a good place for a digital detox too…
• That children are welcomed and they can completely relax here – there are no predators.
• Its proximity to Port Elizabeth makes Camp Karoo easy to drive to and it’s easy to visit Addo on your way back to the airport.
• The inviting, relaxing stoep.

What you need to know…

• Pack good shoes and protective socks, especially for kids.
• Pre-shopping is available – for a small fee we can do it all for you and pop your groceries in the fridge and freezer before you arrive.
• This is a 700ha reserve, so if you want to see the Big Five you need to drive via Addo on the way in or out.
• The nearest clinic, butcher and shops are half an hour away in Kirkwood (en route to Addo).
• There is no cell phone reception or TV but there is radio contact, and a full-time ranger lives nearby on the property.
• From time to time, we hear about a rise in the number of snake and scorpion sightings at some of our game farms and lodges, as well as an increased gathering of bees around water during dry seasons. If you plan to go walking we recommend ensuring you bring good walking shoes and socks, especially important for little ones, as well as long trousers for ticks and antihistamine tablets.
• Please note that the access road to this hideaway is a little rough due to sharp stones, although still doable in a regular car.  It just requires some slow and careful driving!
• The Karoo has been in drought conditions for almost 7 years and this has naturally impacted both the vegetation and the behaviour of the animals.  You will see less abundant vegetation but happily more of the animals, as they congregate around the feeding stations close by.