Owl Route
Karoo art and soul: Graaff-Reinet's Cape Dutch streets and Helen Martins' Owl House at Nieu Bethesda.
50 km2–3 daysEasy
About this route
The Owl Route is a short Karoo loop steeped in art and storytelling. Graaff-Reinet, the Gem of the Karoo, has more national monuments per capita than any town in South Africa, with elegant Cape Dutch streets ringed by the Camdeboo National Park. A short drive north over the mountains lies Nieu Bethesda, a tiny dorp made famous by Helen Martins' Owl House, a folk-art universe of cement owls and mythological figures that draws pilgrims from around the world. Combine the two for a slow, contemplative weekend.
Stops along the route
- 1Graaff-ReinetMajor stop
- 2Nieu BethesdaMajor stop
