Northern Cape

The Northern Cape is South Africa's largest province covering a land area of approximately 362 000 km2.

Kimberley is the capital city of the Northern Cape Province, and can be accessed by air or rail from most major South African cities. Other major cities in the Northern Cape Province are Calvinia, Colesburg, Kuruman, Springbok and Upington. Upington also has air links with most major South African cities.

The Northern Cape offers a variety of breath-taking scenery even though it is classified as a semi desert area. The western areas (Namaqualand and part of the Green Kalahari), which experience winter rainfall (i.e. April to September) offer magnificent displays of natural wild flowers from late August to October. The Northern Cape is an area of low rainfall and high summer temperatures (33 to 36°C). In winter the days are generally warm but the nights can get chilly. Watch out for Sutherland, one of the coldest towns in South Africa, whose average winter temperature is -6°C. In winter snow can often been seen on the mountains surrounding Sutherland.

Some tourist attractions in the Northern Cape include:

Namaqualand Flowers

The arid hotspot of the Namaqualand provides tourists with a magnificent display of colour and natural beauty in the form of wild flowers from late August to October. Namaqualand falls partly in the Northern Cape Province and partly in the Western Cape Province. Accommodation in the Northern Cape Province for good flower viewing includes towns such as Nieuwoudtville, Garies, Kamieskroon, Springbok and Nababeep. Accommodation in the Western Cape Province is available in towns such as Vanrhynsdorp, Vredendal and Lutzville.

South African Delights

The Northern Cape is home to many small unique quaint towns which offer local specialities (such as melkkos, potjiekos, pumpkin fritters, mielie bread, skuinskoek, vetkoek and lamb chops on the braai) and warm hospitality. Victoria West, Springbok and Sutherland are definitely worth visiting.

San Rock Art

The rich heritage of the San has been preserved in the numerous paintings which can be found in caves throughout the Northern Cape Province.

Diamond Diggings

Visit the Kimberley Mine Museum located in Kimberley, and experience a trip back in time. The museum boasts shops, restaurants/bars, churches etc. which make it seem as if you are walking around a town as it was back in the diamond digging days.

Not far from Kimberley lies Barkly West, where alluvial diamond diggings are still in existence today. Here you can go on the world's only guided tour of an operational diamond mine. You will be kitted out in miner's gear before plunging some 840m underground to explore one of the world's oldest diamond mines.

Kimberley's Big Hole

The 240m deep Big Hole situated in Kimberley, which was dug manually by pick and shovel by diamond miners, is a major tourist attraction in the Northern Cape.

4X4 Routes

The Northern Cape offers some impressive and exciting 4x4 trails, such as the Diamond Coast Shipwreck Trail and the Amam Dune Trail. For more information on 4x4 routes in the Northern Cape please visit http://www.trailguide.co.za/trailsnortherncape.html

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park lies in the southern Kalahari. It is a single ecological unit comprised of the Gemsbok National Park in Botswana and the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa. There are no physical barriers between the two parks, thus allowing the free movement of animals across the international border between Botswana and South Africa.

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is home to a variety of large predators, such as lion, leopard, brown and spotted hyena, and cheetah; as well as other carnivores including the bat-eared fox, cape fox, caracal, wild dog and black-backed jackal. For the bird lovers, 307 bird species have been identified in the park.

 

 

Orange River Wine Route

The Orange River Wine Route consists of five wineries situated in Upington, Kakamas, Keimoes, Grootdrink and Groblershoop. The cellars offer a large range of wines: natural sweet and dry white, dry red, and dessert wines.

The Richtersveld National Park

Located in north-western Namaqualand, its rough a rugged landscape makes it a very popular area of exploration for nature lovers and 4x4 fanatics.

Orange River Adventures

Not for the faint hearted! Trips down the Orange River are organised by a variety of accredited tour operators, and are sure to provide the adventurous tourist with a combination of adrenalin and scenic beauty.

Augrabies Falls National Park

The Augrabies Fall National Park is located approximately 120km from Upington. This national park not only boasts a wide range of wildlife and bird species, but also the magnificent 56m Augrabies Waterfall. The Khoi people call the Augrabies Falls the 'Place of Great Noise' for a very good reason. When the Orange River is in full flood, the sound of the water plummeting down into the Orange River Gorge is powerful and thunderous! Plenty of accommodation is available in and around the Augrabies Falls National Park.