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View of the Eastern Cape in South Africa. photo by South African Tourism –

Top 10 Sensational Facts about Valley of Desolation, Graaff-Reinet

Graaff-Reinet is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is the sixth-oldest town in South Africa, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Simon’s Town, Paarl and Swellendam. Graaff-Reinet is home to more national monuments than any other town or city in South Africa.

Graaff-Reinet is well remembered for the Valley of Desolation. The sheer cliff face is a geological phenomenon that is situated in the Karoo Nature Reserve.

The Valley of Desolation is a unique Karoo landscape and ecosystem that surrounds the town of Graaff-Reinet, creating a type of oasis amid the aridness of the Karoo. The vertical cliffs and columns of dolerite that teeter precariously 120 meters above the valley floor are breathtaking.

A spellbinding beauty that reaches your soul enters the Karoo Valley of Desolation, where a gaping chasm cuts through the Camdeboo Mountains, flanked by stunning rock formations. Its fascinating landscape is a natural phenomenon where hours can be spent in quiet contemplation.

Here are 10 sensational facts about the Valley.

1. The Valley of Desolation is located in Camdeboo National Park

Camdeboo NP, Eastern Cape, SOUTH AFRICA photo by Bernard DUPONT –

Lying in the Camdeboo National Park; picture dolerite columns and sheer cliffs dropping steeply 120 meters to the floor of the valley, it’s at once isolated and magnificent.

The 19 400-hectare Camdeboo National Park is unique in South Africa encompassing some of the most rugged and spectacular Karoo mountain landscapes, and a large freshwater dam it almost surrounds the historic town of Graaff-Reinet.

The Camdeboo National Park is probably best known for the spectacular view site situated above the vast flat plains of the Camdeboo, known as the Valley of Desolation. 

2. The Valley was formed over 100 million years ago

Valley of Desolation, Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa photo by South African Tourism –

The vertical cliffs and columns of dolerite that teeter precariously 120 meters above the valley floor are breathtaking. This unusual feature is the product of volcanic and erosive forces that have taken 100 million years to form.

They stand sentry over a valley – huge isolated hobgoblins of nature, forcing those who view them to suspend time if only for a moment, to contemplate the force of nature.

The jointed dolerite pillars of the Valley of Desolation were formed when the softer sedimentary bedrock eroded leaving these stark dolerite pillars. The pillars frame the southern slopes of the escarpment which rise in jagged profusion to heights of between ninety and one hundred and twenty meters.

3. It is the premier tourist attraction in Camdeboo National Park

View of the Eastern Cape of the Valley of Desolation, Graaff-Reinet in South Africa. photo by South African Tourism –

The Valley of Desolation is a national monument and the premier tourist attraction in the Camdeboo National Park. Tourists get to experience the breathtaking view of piled dolerite columns against the backdrop of the plains of the Great Karoo.

4. The Valley was declared a national monument in 1939

The Valley of Desolation was designated a National Monument in 1939 and is sometimes called the “Cathedral of the Mountains” for its imposing columns. The rock formations are composed of dolerite-forming interlocking pillars.

Over time, the softer layers of sediment erode, and these dolerite pillars appear to soar into the sky at heights of 90 to 120 meters.

5. The Valley of Desolation’s road was tarred in 1978

The original road to the Valley of Desolation was constructed by labourers using picks, shovels and barrows coupled with a few sticks of dynamite here and there, and was completed in 1930.

The road to the top of the valley was tarred in 1978 and today provides tourists with easy access to the viewpoints with their panoramic views of the landscape.

6. Sneeuberg mountain’s highest peak is visible from the Valley

Sneeuberg and Maltese Cross in the Cederberg, South Africa photo by Zaian –

To the north, the view is the highest peak of the Sneeuberg mountain range. They are geologically part of the Karoo System and fall within the Karoo semi-arid climatic region.

The highest peak, called Kompasberg (2502m) (Afrikaans for Compass Mountain), is north of the small village of Nieu-Bethesda and dominates all surrounding areas with its prominent steep-sided height.

On a clear day, the southern horizon stretches as far as the distant Cockscomb Mountains. To the east lies the ‘Driekoppie’ (in the park) and the Nardausberg (beyond the park boundaries), both of which are often covered in snow during winter.

7. It has the Crag Lizard Walking Trail for access purposes

The Crag Lizard Walking Trail starts at the Valley of Desolation parking area and extends for about 1.5-kilometres skirting the precipitous Sneeuberg mountain edge and providing access to several magnificent viewpoints of the rugged valley and across the dolerite spires of rock to the vast plains of the Camdeboo.

Crag Lizard Trail is a well-marked walk beginning in the parking lot that takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.

8. The Valley forms part of the national school curriculum

The Valley of Desolation forms part of the national school curriculum. The Park offers school groups guided tours up to the Valley with a detailed description of how it was formed.

9. It has a diversity of fauna and flora

Cape Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra zebra) photo by Bernard DUPONT –

It takes only 14 kilometres to get to this gorgeous location from the town. The variety of fauna and flora in the Camdeboo National Park will amaze any visitor. Over 220 bird species, 336 plant species, and 43 animals have been identified.

Views of the critically endangered Cape Mountain Zebra, numerous Kudu, Buffalo, the magnificent Black Eagle, and the Kori Bustard, the biggest flying bird in the world.

10. It presents breathtaking views to tourists

Valley of Desolation, Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa photo by South African Tourism –

There are many panoramic viewpoints across the cliff tops from where to enjoy the dazzling scene. Late afternoon is the best time to enjoy the scenery since the tinted sun saturates the reds of the rock towers & the black eagles roam the Karoo skies.

paragliding enthusiasts from all over the world come to share the thermals of the vast Karoo skies with the resident Black Eagles and they take off close to this area.

The simple, yet stunning Karoo vegetation that blankets the terrain is in itself a beautiful sight to behold, where immense plains give way to rolling koppies (rounded hilltops) and the unique aroma of the bushland filters through the air.

The viewpoints provide a breathtaking view of piled dolerites columns against the backdrop of the plain of the Great Karoo and a timeless sense of wonder.