# TankwaKaroo #SANParks #camping #thelazycampers
Camping informal R60pp; formal R148
Park size: 1436 ㎢
Location: Western Cape of South Africa, 70km west of Sutherland
Park size: 1436 ㎢
Location: Western Cape of South Africa, 70km west of Sutherland
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| Entrance to Tankwa-Karoo National Park |
An expanse of purple flowers greeted us as we entered the Tankwa-Karoo National Park. We gradually and cautiously wound our way down the grand Gannaga Pass as we soaked up the breathtaking view. As we reached the bottom of the pass we were welcomed by the expansive Karoo plains flanked by the majestic Roggeveld Mountains.
Getting there
The drive into the Tankwa-Karoo National Park is absolutely stunning with a vast landscape of sparse vegetation. In the springtime you might be lucky enough to be welcomed by sweeping plains of yellow flower that resemble tiny pompoms. The roads that lead in and out of the Tankwa-Karoo National Park are dirt roads and a good 100km of dirt. The roads have serious rumble strips which makes for a slow and bumpy ride, especially if you are not in a 4X4. We entered Tankwa-Karoo from the Calvinia side and had a 126km 2h10min (according to our GPS) dive on dirt. When we eventually reached reception we were rather rattled and shaken. We left the park towards Sutherland which was another 100km of dirt and took us about 2 hours.
The drive into the Tankwa-Karoo National Park is absolutely stunning with a vast landscape of sparse vegetation. In the springtime you might be lucky enough to be welcomed by sweeping plains of yellow flower that resemble tiny pompoms. The roads that lead in and out of the Tankwa-Karoo National Park are dirt roads and a good 100km of dirt. The roads have serious rumble strips which makes for a slow and bumpy ride, especially if you are not in a 4X4. We entered Tankwa-Karoo from the Calvinia side and had a 126km 2h10min (according to our GPS) dive on dirt. When we eventually reached reception we were rather rattled and shaken. We left the park towards Sutherland which was another 100km of dirt and took us about 2 hours.
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| Ganagga Pass |
Campsites
The informal campsites are extremely rustic with little shade and offer very little protection from the wind and sun. The informal campsites are very minimalistic with no ablutions and only a fire pit. Unless you are fully kitted for this kind of camping it can be very challenging and I suggest you rather book into the formal campsites. Our night at the remote campsite was very simple and very exposed with one very naked tree for shade. Due to the strong berg wind we were not able to light a fire (as we did not want to be responsible for setting the Karoo ablaze) and ended up making packet pasta in our car on our tiny gas stove. With nowhere to shelter ourselves from the wind and sand we ate our pasta in the tent.
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| Informal rustic campsite |
The formal campsites are beautiful, they are set in an area of the park where the vegetation is a little higher and thicker and so there is ample shape. Each camp site is allocated its own separate toilet and shower and they are spacious and very homely. In order to get to the formal campsite you need a high clearance vehicle. We made it in our Ford Figo, however, we did hit the bottom of the car a good few times.
Things to do
- Game drives are quiet and peaceful. Do not expect the same volume of game as places like Kruger. We didn’t do a whole lot of game driving as the rumbles strips were quite bad and our poor little Ford Figo was not handling them very well.
- Star-gazing: due to the lack of light pollution the night sky is very bright. We were lucky to be there when the moon was at its smallest and so the sky seemed alive as the stars flickered against the jet black night. Due to the wind we lay in our tent, removed the cover and admired the radiant star-filled sky, shielded from the weather. It was incredibly peaceful and the stars were magnificent and this was truly the highlight of our stay.
- See the flowers in the spring: due to the location of the Karoo the end-of-winter rains bring the blossoming spring flowers and visitors to the park can immerse themselves in the splendor of the colours that spring has to offer.
- Game drives are quiet and peaceful. Do not expect the same volume of game as places like Kruger. We didn’t do a whole lot of game driving as the rumbles strips were quite bad and our poor little Ford Figo was not handling them very well.
- Star-gazing: due to the lack of light pollution the night sky is very bright. We were lucky to be there when the moon was at its smallest and so the sky seemed alive as the stars flickered against the jet black night. Due to the wind we lay in our tent, removed the cover and admired the radiant star-filled sky, shielded from the weather. It was incredibly peaceful and the stars were magnificent and this was truly the highlight of our stay.
- See the flowers in the spring: due to the location of the Karoo the end-of-winter rains bring the blossoming spring flowers and visitors to the park can immerse themselves in the splendor of the colours that spring has to offer.
Things to keep in mind
There are no fuel stations within the reserve so be sure to fill up before you enter the park.
There is no cell phone reception inside the park so make sure you drive responsibly.
The Karoo temperatures are extreme: winter night time temperatures can drop below freezing and summer days can get into the 40’s. Make sure you are prepared (warm jackets and sunblock).
There are no fuel stations within the reserve so be sure to fill up before you enter the park.
There is no cell phone reception inside the park so make sure you drive responsibly.
The Karoo temperatures are extreme: winter night time temperatures can drop below freezing and summer days can get into the 40’s. Make sure you are prepared (warm jackets and sunblock).
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| Late-blooming yellow flowers |
On leaving Tankwa-Karoo we drove out of the park and were treated to impressive scattered fields of late-blooming yellow flowers. Leaving the park was very slow as we found ourselves on a long dirt road with quite serious rumble strips. The Tankwa-Karoo is wonderful place to visit and experience but make sure you are well prepared.
