The Northern Cape

Northern Cape Information Directory

This directory on the Northern Cape covers information from advertisers on accommodation, activities, restaurants and businesses.

The province is situated to the south of the powerful Orange River which provides the province with its good agricultural system. The Northern Cape is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west with Namibia to the north and Botswana to the north-west. The Swartberg mountain range forms part of its southern border.

The Northern Cape is South Africa’s largest province taking up about a third of the country’s total land area. The capital of the province is Kimberley - a diverse and interesting city. The province is easily accessible with two major airports situated at Kimberley and Upington and has a good road network.

The central areas of the Northern Cape are generally flat and combined with salt pans. The Karoo rocks are sprinkled with kimberlite providing the province with its most precious held diamonds.

Sutherland, a popular if bitterly cold winter town is popular with stargazers as it boasts the southern hemisphere’s largest astronomical observatory, the sponsored Southern African Large Telescope. Many keen budding and hobby astrologers flock to Sutherland to see the stars from clear skies.

The Northern Cape is home to many national parks and conservation areas including the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (an international park shared with Botswana), Ai-Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Conservation Park and Augrabies Falls National Park. Wonderlands of flora, fauna and birdlife.

A great deal of the Northern Cape lies in the dry Nama-Karoo Biome which is home to several interesting plants such as the elephant’s trunk tree; including a variety of succulents. The province is famous for its spectacular array of florals in spring, which attracts thousands of tourists from far and wide each year to the Namaqualand region.

The Northern Cape is a thriving agricultural region especially in the Orange River Valley. A variety of fruit is cultivated in Upington and the Kakamas while the Karoo area depends on sheep farming.

Things to do and see in the Northern Cape

The vast terrain of the Northern Cape lends itself to 4x4’ing motor-biking and other off-road activities. The Orange River is at its most impressive at Augrabies Falls when the river cascades over a granite plateau approximately 191m down into a 43m pool – a spectacular sight to behold. The Northern Cape has a history immersed in San rock art with cave sites including Wonderwerk Cave near Kuruman. An area favoured by keen archaeologists the site dates back nearly a million years.

Some of the fun things to do in the Northern Cape are as follows:

hiking
mountain biking
quad biking
donkey cart rides
horseriding
birdwatching
canoeing on the Orange River

Namaqualand Flowers

Every year in springtime the Namaqualand bursts into bloom with its amazing displays of wild flowers. It is after the season’s first rains that the arid desert suddenly springs to life in an endless submersion of colour and scent. At this time of year the Northern Cape is inundated by tourists and photographers wanting to capture this magnificent moment in time.

The Northern Cape’s Diamond Fields

The Northern Cape - a diamond delight ...

Diamonds were first discovered in this area in the 19th century which sparked mass diggings and diamond-fever for many years. All this manic behaviour led to what is now known as the "Big Hole", the largest artificial construction found in the world. This fantastic display can be viewed from a viewing platform at the Kimberley Mine Museum, a fascinating open-air museum.

Accommodation in the Northern Cape

Tourists will be delighted by the amount of accommodation options in this province. The distance between the towns are quite long and therefore rest-stops are recommended. There are bed and breakfasts, hotels, self-catering cottages and backpackers.

The regions covered in the Northern Cape are:

Each with their own style of accommodation - the directory of advertisers provides extensive options.

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