South African Karoo

The Karoo is the semi desert region of South Africa, with some areas receiving as little as 75mm rainfall annually. It is found behind the mountains that surround the Cape and was seen as a impenetrable barrier by early explorers. It was labelled as a frightening place with great heat, great cold, great floods and great drought and to be avoided at all costs. For decades now a highway has run across its centre linking Johannesburg with Cape Town and many a driver wiz past without a thought or care for the turmoil experienced by the early explorers. However it has been found to be a place of plenty, underground water is everywhere, fossils can be found throughout and the vegetation, although seeming small and insignificant is abundant in variety and density.