Extending across 400 000 square kilometers of the country, the Karoo is South Africa’s largest ecosystem and its semi-arid scrublands shelter a surprisingly rich diversity of plant, bird, and animal life. Composed of the Great and Little Karoo, this vast semi-desert region may seem harsh and unforgiving to some, but to others, its a sanctuary of peace and silence with its own unique, compelling beauty. The Karoo’s landscape is characterized by rugged mountains hiding ancient caves giving way to vast undulating plains peppered with indigenous succulents and grazing ostrich and sheep.