Northern Cape

In a Nutshell
The country's largest and most sparsely populated province has plenty to offer visitors, whether their interests lie in the origins of the diamond industry, the Anglo Boer War, wildlife, the spring flowers of Namaqualand, rafting on the mighty Orange River or experiencing the brilliant skies and open spaces of the Hantam and Upper Karoo.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW - 4 Days Northern Cape - Experience nature in all its facets, incorporating archaeology, geology and current day botany and zoology, in all its rich diversity, the Northern Cape offers it all...

Area 361,830 sq kms

Population 0.8 million

Regions

• Diamond Fields The discovery of diamonds in 1871 led to a rush of over 50 000 fortune-seekers into the region, and to the founding of Kimberley, South Africa's and the world's diamond capital, two years later.

• Hantam Karoo Calvinia is the main town in this sheep-farming region, noted for its spring flowers, brilliantly clear skies and wide open spaces.

• Upper Karoo Colesberg, in the heart of the Karoo and on the main Cape-Gauteng highway, is a good place to stop for the night or for a few days at one of the many holiday farms nearby.

• Kalahari The famous mission town of Kuruman, with its lovely natural spring The Eye, is the principal town of the region

• Green Kalahari Upington, the region's main town, is an attractive base from which to explore the spectacular Augrabies Falls, sixth biggest waterfall in the world, and the incomparable Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

• Namaqualand Remote and wide open, the region has a wealth of attractions for visitors, including spectacular spring flowers, the arid and beautiful Richtersveld National Park, and trailing and rafting expeditions on on the mighty Orange River.

Top Attractions

• The diamond fields around Kimberley, home of De Beers, the world's greatest diamond company, and site of the Big Hole and adjacent Mine Museum, the latter a replica of the city in the frenetic days of the diamond rush

• The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, previously the Kalahari Gemsbok Park, a huge grass covered dune area and home to the majestic gemsbok and the black-maned Kalahari lion.

• The spring flowers of Namaqualand, which offer, annually, one of the most spectacular floral extravaganzas on earth.

• The Richtersveld National Park, the country's largest desert park, a wilderness of rare beauty and a botanist's delight .
  
• The Augrabies Falls National Park, where the spectacular Orange River is at its best, and the scarce, and fierce, black rhino may be found.

Getting there/around

Kimberley has air and rail links with most major cities.

Air: SA Express (053 838 3337)
SA Airlink (053 838 3337)

The airport is eight miles from the city. There is no airport shuttle, but taxis are available on request (0531 861 4015)

Rail: Spoornet (053 838 2709/838

The railway station is on Florence Street, close to the city centre
The Kimberley tram service carries passengers from the City Hall to the Mine Museum (053 832 7295)

Bus: Intercape 053 832 6040
Greyhound 053 832 6040
Translux 053 832 6040
Big Sky Coaches 051 523 3620

Upington also has air links with all major cities. Call SA Airlink (054 332 2161

Visitor information

Northern Cape Tourism Authority 053 832 2657 or ww.northerncape.org.za
Diamantveld Visitor Centre 053 832 7298
Kalahari Regional Tourism Office 053 712 1001

Useful numbers

Kimberley Mine Museum 053 833 1557
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Reservations 011 422 2810
Richtersveld National Park 027 831 1506
Flowerline 3 910 1028 or 027 712 2011

Links to Useful Sites

www.northerncape.org.za

 

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