By Roxanne Reid If you love history and old buildings, you’ll love Graaff-Reinet in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. The town has more than 220 listed heritage sites, so there’s lots of history to be explored. If you love nature, you’re in luck too, given that the town is surrounded by 195 square kilometres of national park. Here’s my pick of things to do in Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo. Founded in 1786, Graaff-Reinet is the oldest town in the Eastern Cape and the town with the most historical monuments in the country. There’s a rich tapestry of Voortrekker history, Anglo Boer War history, and his ..read more

By Roxanne Reid You’ve spent the day exploring the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve and lighthouse, walking on the beach at Paternoster and kayaking in the sea. Now your stomach is growling. Luckily, there’s no way you’re going to go hungry in Paternoster, with restaurants offering everything from pizzas and burgers to seafood and fine dining. Here are some Paternoster restaurants worth visiting. ​One of my favourite things to do in Paternoster on South Africa’s West Coast is to eat out. Remember that most Paternoster restaurants are closed one or two days a week, so check ahead and book if you ..read more

By Roxanne Reid For the locals, life in Paternoster revolves around the sea. Fishing is the historical lifeblood of the village and fishermen still go out almost every day in their colourful wooden boats. For visitors, of course, there’s more variety. Here are 20 things to do in Paternoster on the West Coast of South Africa. ​Paternoster lies about 160km north of Cape Town, or almost a two-hour drive. But in appearance and atmosphere, this little West Coast fishing village is worlds apart from the Big City bustle. Here, the pace is laidback and relaxed in a way that seems timeless. White-was ..read more

By Roxanne Reid Yearning for a weekend glamping somewhere in the country where you can enjoy panoramic views, gourmet meals and romantic hot tubbing, even active mountain biking or hiking? Canvas Collective Africa in the greater Hemel en Aarde Valley between Caledon and Stanford in the Western Cape might be just the place.  ​​Everything in this off-the-grid posh tenting destination is intended to touch the earth lightly. They can pull up sticks from one venue and relocate the whole shebang to another without leaving a permanent imprint. And they’ve done exactly that – more than once. Th ..read more

By Roxanne Reid The small village of Nieu Bethesda in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Karoo was once a dusty little place no one had heard of. Then it rocketed to fame on the reputation of Helen Martins’ strangely compelling Owl House and Camel Yard. But there’s much more to it than the Owl House. Here’s my pick of things to do in Nieu Bethesda in the Karoo. ​About 50km north of Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo heartland, Nieu Bethesda began life as a church town in 1875. Its biblical name means ‘place of flowing water’ and was the inspiration of Graaff-Reinet’s Reverend Charles Murray. Once most famo ..read more

By Roxanne Reid We timed our visit to White Lion Lodge at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve perfectly. Although some years this Karoo reserve in South Africa has little rain, by the end of September this year it had had lots, spawning a fiesta of colourful flowers among the green bushes. Small wonder, then, that one of our nature drives from the lodge focused on the plants and flowers, while on the second we enjoyed seeing some of the reserve’s big game. ​The malaria-free Sanbona Wildlife Reserve unspools over 58 000ha between Montagu and Barrydale along Route 62 in the Little Karoo. It’s a glor ..read more

By Roxanne Reid ‘There!’ His voice is a loud whisper intense with excitement. We follow his pointed finger, peering intently through the tree branches. Nothing. He starts to explain and we trace the trunk of the tree, the branch jutting out ... and then suddenly there’s a flash of brown wings and it’s gone again. We’re birding in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, and this is something special. ​Luckily, our guide has followed the bird’s movement. He coaxes us till we find the Pel’s fishing owl with our binos, a blur of feathers behind a branch. It’s a secretive bird and therefore a much sought-a ..read more

By Roxanne Reid You’ll find Greyton at the foot of the Sonderend mountains, about 35km from Caledon in South Africa’s Western Cape. It’s a blend of relaxed country village with gravel roads and sophisticated town jammed with restaurants and shops. Throw in a fat dollop of nature and you have a winner. Discover my pick of things to do in Greyton in the Overberg. The village roads are lined with oak trees and pretty little thatched and gabled houses, many of them dating back to the 19th century. When you walk or bike down one of the gravel side streets, you can almost imagine you’re back in th ..read more

By Roxanne Reid I’ve heard it described as a fusion of the Sani and Bloukrans passes, with a smidge of Tsitsikamma beauty thrown in for good measure. I’m talking about the Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area, which is tucked away in the southwestern corner of South Africa’s Eastern Cape, somewhere between the Karoo midlands and the Gamtoos Valley. The Karoo town of Willowmore is the western kick-off point to the R332 that runs through the Baviaanskloof to Patensie in the east. It’s 200km of rugged crags and mountain passes, waterfalls and river pools, colour-saturated sunsets, night skies den ..read more

By Roxanne Reid Anyone who thinks the Karoo is full of a whole lot of nothing just isn’t paying attention. Same goes for anyone who speeds through Willowmore in the Karoo without stopping to scratch beneath the surface. Here’s my pick of some of the things to do in and around this little dorpie. You’ll find Willowmore in the Eastern Cape, about 170km north-east of George and 117km south-west of Abderdeen in the Karoo. Although it was first established in 1864 and the district was proclaimed in 1874, its story goes all the way back to 1817, when the first farm was registered. Even t ..read more