5 Land of layers
The Karoo’ s flattopped hills( koppies) are geological time machines. Each layer tells a different chapter of Earth’ s history, from sandstones and shales to dolerite intrusions that now form many of the region’ s ridges and outcrops.
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A desert but
6 not quite Despite its arid appearance, the Karoo isn’ t a true desert. It’ s a semi-arid biome, home to resilient plant species like Karoo bossies, succulents and medicinal herbs adapted to extreme climates. The race rides through the Nama Karoo biome, the secondlargest biome in South Africa. |
7 Indigenous heritage The San and Khoi peoples once roamed this land, leaving behind rock art and engravings – a record of spiritual life, daily survival and early environmental knowledge that still echoes across the region today.
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From fossils
8 to farming In the 1800s, settlers introduced large-scale sheep farming, drawn by the region’ s tough, dry grazing land. The Karoo’ s agricultural legacy continues, often side by side with protected conservation areas and fossil sites. |