The Great Karoo is a large arid ecosystem in western central portion of South Africa.  Just as Cape Town so resembles Santa Barbara, the Karoo looks much like the Basin and Range country in California and Nevada.  Close your eyes and open them again and you were on I-80 heading towards Salt Lake City.

 

Some of the most spectacular sedimentary rock formations…unfortunately the other member of the tour weren’t too keen on scenic photography so we didn’t stop much.

 

Mammals such as hyrax, eland, bushbuck and clipspringer

Every few miles there would be a tortoise crossing the road….

 

…and every rocky area had a population of agama lizards.

 

There were lots of birds.  Fairy flycatcher, white-backed mousebird, rufous-eared warbler, rock kestrel, and (my favorite) the pale chanting goshawk.

 

Even the insects were unique.

 

We stayed for 2 days in a quaint B&B run by a German and his wife.  Water heated by solar and the generator was shut off at 9:00 each night but as we were usually up by 4:30 and not back until 6:00, ate and went to bed.  By then I was so tired I didn’t care.

 

A nearby river crossing produced red and yellow bishops and a black rail

 

The next destination were the mountains and to Bontebok National Park.  See you then!