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South Africa’s number one travel and outdoor lifestyle magazine. We pay our own way and tell it like it is. We drive back roads and speak to real people, giving you practical information about affordable destinations in southern Africa. Each issue is crammed with excellent photography, honest gear reviews and delicious recipes to make at home or in the bundu. Whether you’re looking to escape for a weekend or a month, your journey starts here.

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You love, you learn • It's a lonely life as a jackal hunter in the Hardemans Karoo. That is, until love – and Alanis Morissette – crosses your path.

THE KAROO

River of mercy • The Sak River snakes through the arid heart of South Africa for more than 500 km, before it seeps into a dusty pan. It's normally dry, but in a good year, after summer rain, it transforms the Karoo.

Do you have fossil eyes? • Distinguished Professor Bruce Rubidge has devoted his life to uncovering the palaeontological secrets of the ancient Karoo. The new Karoo Origins Fossil Centre in Graaff-Reinet houses a spectacular variety of fossils from the Rubidge family's own collection.

Karoo, distilled • Is the Karoo National Park, just outside Beaufort West, our most underrated national park? It's a convenient place to break your journey along the N1, but there's so much more to see and do. Stay a handful of nights and enjoy everything on offer – here's your guide.

Burgersdorp, past and present • This farming town in a scenic part of the Eastern Cape has a deep cultural history and a vibrant present-day community. Come join us on a ramble around town.

Land of light • Our very first Karoo Photography Tour – a collaboration between go! and Heuningland Tours – was held in late summer this year. Come see what it's all about!

Putting Nelspoort back on the map • Do you know where Nelspoort is? This tiny Karoo town is just a few kilometres from the busy N1, hidden from view and often forgotten by passing travellers. But retired headmaster Laurence Rathenam is not one to let things go unnoticed…

Steeples and stories • In a Karoo town, the NG Moederkerk holds sway over the landscape – an anchor for the eye, visible from far and wide.

To Hel and back • The Gamkaskloof Trail is a three-day slackpacking hike from one end of Die Hel to the other. Along the way, you'll discover the charm and history of this hidden valley in the Swartberg.

Take it slow in Merweville • Merweville is a tiny town in a part of the Karoo called the Koup. Come meet the people who have found a home here, among the koppies under cloudless skies.

Stay here SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION SECTION • Facilities • Rates • Activities Contact details

Stoep joys of Route 62 • The Little Karoo's famous Route 62 runs through an astounding landscape full of geological and foodie attractions. Here are eight great places to stay in this area.

No false starts around here • The southern Free State is known as the “False Karoo” because the Karoo and its vegetation – and some of its habits – pop up occasionally. Here are six great places to visit.

Heaven is in a halfway stop • Beaufort West and Three Sisters are familiar names to anyone who tackles the Great N1 Trek. When you have to lug your surfboard or bike, or if you have three kids in tow, driving between Joburg and Cape Town is cheaper and easier than flying. Here are some great spots to break your journey.

LETTER FROM Nxuba • The Eastern Cape town of Cradock – now officially Nxuba – is where Toast Coetzer grew up. Recently, he spent a weekend in town and noticed a few changes…

From Oudtshoorn, with love