Planning a photo trip to the Karoo

Ever since driving through the Little Karoo on the way back from Cape Town at the end of 2009, and realising how difficult it is to capture meaningful images of the magnificent wide open spaces - numerous beautiful views could only muster very bland, almost empty images - it has become a bit of a mission and go back and improve my photographs of the Karoo.  Since I've had the working title of my next photo book (Through Arid Lands) in my mind for quite some time, but still being very short of images to use, there is a second imperative.

An opportunity has finally presented itself to spend a few days exploring the Karoo, so I am now planning to leave next week Wednesday (27th April).  It is of course overlapping with numerous public holidays, so some of my preferred destinations are not available this time, but that just means I will have to go back!

The first 5 nights have been planned and booked so far, in all cases trying to stay on working farms or country lodges which are each closely connected somehow to the local history or way of life.  This time I will not be camping - too many changes of location in a short space of time, plus there are not too many suitably located campsites.

First stop will be two nights at the rather decent looking Langberg Guest farm, south of Kimberley, then a long drive through Prieska and Carnarvon to stay in one of the original Voortrekkers' corbelled houses on the farm Osfontein, just before Loxton.  Unfortunately it is only available for one night.  Then it is turning back north, and two nights at the Taaiboschfontein Farm, south-west of Three Sisters.

The remaining two nights are still to be booked, but I'm hoping to make a routing through some of the famous old railway junction or diamond towns like De Aar, Belmont, Jagersfontein, and others.  Those are to be booked tomorrow.

As soon as all is planned, I'll be putting up a Google Maps routing map showing all the routes and stopping points.  Some of these places I've never heard of before either, so its going to be fun to learn and explore more of this beautiful country!

I hope you'll join me.
Tim