Travel the Northern Cape With a Self-Drive Tour

Because it is such a vast area, the best way to explore it is by hiring a vehicle and travelling from one point to another. Remember that the distances between towns are very far apart in the Northern Cape. It is best to plan your route with your hire car well in advance as you pay for the number of kilometres driven.

A vast amount of the Northern Cape consists of a semi desert. The south of the province consists of the main mountains and in the west, you will find the Namaqualand area. Minerals that the region is rich in are diamonds. For years diamonds have been mined in Kimberley and Alexander Bay. The main towns are Kimberley, Colesberg, Upington and Springbok. As Kimberley is the capital of the province, it will be best to start off your tour from there.

Kimberley is on the N12 route that runs through the middle of S.A. Take the Johannesburg road and turn off onto the N8 from the east or the west towards Kimberley.

The history of Kimberley is a vast one, known for its natural resources such as diamonds. The first diamonds were found on a farm owned by the De Beers brothers. There was much excitement because of the find and the diggings went on, resulting in Kimberley's Big Hole, the largest man-made hole in the world! The town was developed during that time and grew into the beautiful, quaint town that it is today. Other attractions in this area include the Kimberley Mine Museum and Bulfontein Mine.

About 39km past Kimberley you will find Modder River which is joined by the Riet River. There you will find war memorials for the battle of Modder River which took place during the Boer War.

You could also travel to Barkly West which has a few museums about the history of diamonds. In that area are Barkly bridge and Barkly West Museum.

You could include sights along your routes like the Battlefield Route, Hopetown, Springbok, Goegap nature Reserve, Colesberg and the Augrabies Falls National Park.

The battlefield route was opened in 1998, stretching from Kimberley to Hopetown.

Springbok is 550km north of Cape Town on the N7. This town also started during the diamond era.

Goegap Nature Reserve is 15km from Springbok in the Namaqualand area and is definitely worth the visit. This reserve is full of riches, including 45 mammal species, 94 bird species and 600 types of flowers and provides accommodation so you might want to spend the evening there before you travel further.

Colesberg is the largest town in the area. It is a popular stop-off point for people travelling to the Cape from Johannesburg and there are many things to do and see there. There are museums, and beautiful architecture and the Gariep Dam Nature Reserve is not far from there either.

The Augrabies Falls National Park is really a must-see. Beautiful river gorges and waterfalls adorn the area. If you travel further you will find the town called Upington. It is the commercial centre of the Kahlahari Desert.

You could just as well visit the Kgalagadi Transfrontier park while you are in this area. There are many animal species in the park. Accommodation and guided tours are also available.

As you can see the Northern Cape Province has much to do and see. You can see everything if you plan your trip with Empire Fleet Solutions.

By doing a self-drive tour of the Cape, you can experience everything first-hand. Book a rental car from a trustworthy Cape Town car hire company like Empire Fleet, and you are on your way.

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