The Northern Cape offers you unique scenery, abundant wildlife and a true haven for outdoor lovers. With a long history dating back thousands of years, it is a land with a variety of cultures. We bring you a list of 10 must-see places while traveling through the North Cape.
1. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
This mysterious desert wilderness situated on the edge of the Kalahari covers some 102,000 ha of land. Tswalu pledged to “restore the Kalahari itself” is South Africa’s largest private game reserve and a conservation vision in progress. Some of the highlights include the true Kalahari lions, the majestic cheetah, and the desert black rhino. Tswalu, with more than 250 species of birds, is also home to 70 species of mammals, including Sable and Roan Antelope. Tswalu offers unparalleled safari experiences including guided walks, horseback safaris and hot air balloon flights over the desert landscape. As a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux, you can be sure that guests will enjoy luxurious accommodation and superb cuisine.
2. The Orange River
The river, which stretches for 2,340 km, is ideal for canoeing and rafting with long stretches of flat open water dotted with rapids and warm weather year-round. 10% of South Africa’s vineyards are made up of the Orange River Wine Route, which will be of interest to wine lovers. The wineries are made up of five wineries and Oranjerivier Wine Cellars wine grapes come from 794 growers along the Orange River.
3. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
This park is the result of the unification of South Africa’s Kalahari Gemsbok Park and Botswana’s Gemsbok National Park and a truly pristine ecosystem. The park, with 3.7 million hectares, is one of the largest conservation areas in the world.
4. The Great Kimberley Hole
In 1871, diamonds found on what was once a flat-topped hill resulted in a mad rush for fame and fortune. Now the impressive Kimberley Big Hole is the largest manual excavation in the world. Excavated with a pick, shovel and tenacity, with a depth of 215 meters and an area of 17 hectares, the mine yielded 2,722 kilograms of diamonds.
5. Augrabies Falls National Park
The sixth largest waterfall in the world is where the mighty Orange River meets at its most impressive. Making its way through a ravine and into a pool with sheer granite walls, creating the Augrabies Falls. The name of the falls originated from the Khoi word meaning “place of great noise”, describing the roar when the falls plummet 56m into the ravine.
6.Sutherland
Sutherland is known for its brilliant night skies and the world famous Southern Africa Astronomical Observatory, a site that is home to 10 telescopes, one of which is ‘SALT’ (Southern Africa’s Largest Telescope). Distant stars and galaxies a billion times too faint to be seen with the naked eye can be recorded.
7. Kuruman
This small town is blessed with a permanent and abundant source of water. Commonly known as the Eye of Kuruman, the water flows from the Gasegonyana with denser vegetation than most oases. The Eye is a natural spring that delivers approximately 20-30 million liters of crystal clear water daily, supplying the city with water, feeding the Kuruman River and spilling even more water into two 7 km irrigation canals. It was this source of fresh water that led to the establishment of the Moffat Mission Station here in the early 1900s, naming the eye the ‘fountain of Christianity’.
8. Richterveld National Park
The Richtersveld is hauntingly beautiful, with mountains and sandy plains forming the largest mountainous desert park in southern Africa, an area covering 160,000 hectares. Although harsh and dry, the Richtersveld is a botanist’s living laboratory, home to around 30% of all succulent plant species in South Africa. With less than 50mm of annual precipitation, the Richtersveld is an extremely fragile ecosystem. Surprisingly impressive, it offers the rarely seen purity of unspoiled country.
9. Kathu, “the village under the trees”
The name arose due to the iron ore extraction activities of Kumba, one of the largest open cast iron mines in the world. The mine is also home to one of South Africa’s greatest golf gems, the Sishen Golf Course, a truly unique setting for playing a round of golf that weaves its way through a 500-hectare Camelthorn forest on the edge of the desert. Kalahari. This 18-hole, par 72 course is Robert Grimsdell’s latest masterpiece and is currently ranked in the top 30 golf courses in South Africa. Being situated off the beaten track, the course is blissfully uncrowded and visitors are always assured of playing here.
10. Namaqua National Park
Between July and September, Namakwa sheds its drab façade and bathes the world in a riot of flowers of all hues, offering a rich and splendid glow. It contains more than 6,000 plant species, 250 bird species, 78 mammal species, 132 reptile and amphibian species, and an unknown number of insects, making it the most diverse arid environment in the world. 40% or more of these species are found nowhere else on Earth.
