Succulent Karoo, Desert ecoregion in South Africa and Namibia
The Succulent Karoo is a desert ecoregion stretching across southwestern Africa, spanning South Africa and Namibia with more than 6,000 plant species. These plants are specially adapted to survive the dry climate and occasional winter rainfall that shapes this landscape.
Indigenous groups settled in this region long ago and learned how to use native plants for survival. Over many generations, they developed knowledge about plants for food and medicine that still shapes the area today.
The people living here have deep roots in the land, passing down knowledge about plants and survival through generations. Today you can see how they maintain ties to local traditions and sustainable harvesting practices.
Plan your visit for July through September when wildflowers bloom across the desert and make the landscape colorful. Bring weather-appropriate clothing since the region can be cool and windy, and remember that facilities are limited in these remote areas.
This region is home to roughly one-third of all succulent plant species on Earth, with about 40 percent of them found nowhere else. This makes it one of the most botanically varied places on the planet despite its dry conditions.
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