October 2026

Oasis in one of the driest places in South Africa

Our last camp was in August, and we started getting itchy to go camping again. It was time to pull the camping trailer out of the garage and head towards somewhere in the middle of nowhere for the weekend.

And when I say ‘somewhere in the middle of nowhere’, I mean it literally. We longed for the Tankwa Karoo with its vast and arid landscape – a unique area and the perfect place if you want to go camping in isolation. (The bonus is that the dry climate would be perfect for my constant battle with hay fever this time of year).

We’ve visited several places in the Tankwa Karoo over the years, but there’s one place we’ve been wondering about for a long time. On the main dirt road (R355) through the Tankwa Karoo between Ceres and Calvinia, there’s a sign with the words ‘Die Mond’. In English, that translates to ‘The Mouth’, which immediately makes you think of water. How is it possible that, in such a dry landscape, a place could be associated with water? Well, there’s only one way to find out – we need to go there.

Turn off to Die Mond

Die Mond is 130km/80 miles from Ceres. Keep your eyes open for a big black tyre next to the main road (about 110km/68 miles from Ceres) indicating that you should turn left towards Die Mond. From here, it’s another 20km/12 miles to your destination. You don’t need to drive a 4×4 vehicle, but it’s wise to drive slowly on the dirt road to avoid pot holes and ditches (the roads in the Tankwa Karoo are notorious for flat tires).

Just follow the dirt road and signs

Keep in mind that Die Mond is on a working farm, so expect to have to open and close quite a few gates along the way. We could already see green trees from afar, which was an indication of water. After we checked in at the office on the farm, Lindie said that we could set up camp anywhere next to the river. There was just one other small group of friends (two couples), which meant we could look forward to a quiet weekend.

Entrance to Die Mond

The moment we drove towards the campsite, it felt like we entered an oasis. There’s a big green lawn, soft white sand (almost like sea sand), and the blue water of the Groot Rivier (‘Big River’) that comes to a halt here.

Entering the campground

Campsites next to the river under huge trees

We chose the farthest campsite to set up our rooftop tent. It was great (and a big surprise) to be surrounded by green grass, while the big trees provided lovely shade.

The view from our campsite

While we were busy setting up camp, I heard sheep bleating. To me, that’s one of the most beautiful sounds on a farm, and I walked closer to have a look at the little lambs.

Sheep close to the campground

With our rooftop tent set up and chairs unpacked, it was time to get the campfire going. It’s moments like these that make me realise why I enjoy camping so much.

Ready for a relaxing camping weekend

Our tent with a view over the river – in the dry Tankwa Karoo

Our starter of halloumi cheese wrapped in bacon was delicious (this is a new recipe that we’ll definitely make again). The main course was beef espetada marinated in grated garlic and crushed bay leaves. What’s better than sitting by the campfire, the Milky Way right above your head, and food cooked over the fire?

The best way to start a camping weekend

Just before we went to sleep, we had a quick visit from one of the farm residents (I wonder whether it was the smell of bacon that prompted a visit). There are three pigs wandering around the farm, and we often saw them sleeping somewhere under a tree. There’s also a tame springbok, oryx, goats and dogs … oh, and a 5-day-old little ostrich – yes, we really are on a farm.

Evening visitor

After a good night’s rest, we woke up early. We could hear the soft bleating of the sheep, and it was wonderful to see the sun rising over the Tankwa Karoo.

Early morning at Die Mond

I looked at the weather report for the Tankwa Karoo earlier in the week and saw that it’s going to be 30°C/86°F over the weekend. We could feel that it was going to be a hot day – it seems our cold camping weekends are a thing of the past.

Beautiful morning

Weavers looking for a few crumbs at our campsite

The right way to start a camping morning is of course with breakfast. Berto made delicious breakfast buns with egg and bacon that we enjoyed in the shade of the big trees.

Berto preparing breakfast

Breakfast

While we were washing the dishes, Berto noticed a few farm animals on the riverbank and walked closer. The springbok didn’t even run away, and Berto could take as many photos of it as he wanted.

Springbok and sheep

‘This is my better side if you wanna take a photo’

We could also see the herd of sheep grazing on the other side of the river. It still amazes me to see so much water in the dry Tankwa Karoo.

Grazing sheep

Are you perhaps not a camper, but would like to visit Die Mond? Well, there’s good news – a few self-catering chalets make it easy for anyone to get away for a weekend (or longer) from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Self-catering chalet

We are, however, very happy with our camping trailer. And although there is no electricity at the campsites, this is of course no problem for us thanks to the availability of solar panels and batteries in our ‘bakkie’ and camping trailer.

Our campsite next to the Groot Rivier

There are canoes that visitors can rent, or you can go for a hike if you’re in the mood for a bit of exercise. However, we decided it’s much better to open a cold beer and just enjoy the tranquility by the river. Two of the smaller pigs came by for a visit, but quickly lost interest when they saw there were no scraps to eat.

Time for a cold beer

Visitors at our campsite

With lunchtime approching, we decided it was a good idea to make a campfire again to ‘braai‘ patties for jaffles. These are one of our favourite go-to dishes when we camp. Today’s jaffles however looked more like hamburgers – it just shows how versatile a jaffle can be.

Patties on the fire for our jaffles

Toppings for our jaffles

Ready for the jaffle pan

Lunch is ready

The temperature quickly rose after lunch and Berto spotted a swing you could use to swing over the river and then jump into the cold water. I, however, had a much better plan – I spread out our picnic blanket on the grass, along with our pillows, books to read, and something sweet. Now, don’t tell me it’s a brilliant plan (especially if you also want to take a nap).

Swing over the water

My kind of a lazy camping afternoon

In the late afternoon, the sun cast beautiful sparkling lights on the water. How unexpectedly beautiful is this place?

Lovely afternoon at Die Mond

After our lazy afternoon, we made a pasta salad as a side dish with the chicken that Berto prepared on the campfire. The setting sun painted soft pastel colours in the sky – just so beautiful and peaceful.

Last campfire and dinner of the weekend

Sunset colours at Die Mond

We soaked up the last bit of tranquility on our last morning and enjoyed coffee/tea and rusks by the river. The goats were the last of the farm animals that paid us a visit before we left. I was amazed at how nimble they are, climbing the tree so easily to get to the juicy green leaves.

Early morning hot drinks and rusks

‘Come on brother, catch me if you can’

In the heart of the Tankwa Karoo, where dust reign, we found an oasis of green grass and a river – a rare gift in this desert‑like land. We loved our time between the farm animals, our campfires, and the brilliance of the star‑studded sky. Die Mond surprised us and we will not hesitate to come back for more of its magic.

Die Mond – in the middle of nowhere in the Tankwa Karoo