Garies
Geography and History
Garies is a small agricultural centre in South Africa's Northern Cape province situated about 110 km south of Springbok, the chief town of the Namaqualand district.
In 1845, Garies sprang up on land given to the Dutch Reformed Church by the owner of the farm Goedeverwagting. Originally named after the farm, its present name, a Khoisan word meaning ‘couch-grass’, was given it by former Cape premier John X Merriman.
The village of Garies consists of one long street with a church, a cluster of houses and shops that are built on the banks of the stream Garies. The Nama people named this area "Th’aries" after the couch grass that grew along the banks of the stream and this was later changed to Garies.
Activities
A flood of visitors descend to this area during the flower season in August to September depending on the recent rain.
Letterklip - (letter stone) A road from Garies leads northwest to the Letterklip formations. It comprises several enormous, megalithic boulders on top of a hill carrying the names of early Namaqualand travellers who, it is claimed, used it as a post office.
Rooiberg Hiking Trail – Tel: 027 652 8000
Spring flowers - Garies is a centre for those setting out to enjoy spring’s show in the Kamiesberg.
Accommodation
Accommodation in Garies includes B&B’s, Guesthouses, Farm Stays, Camping and Self Catering.
| Garies Tourism Office Information | |
|---|---|
| Web address: | http://experiencenortherncape.com |
| Telephone: | +27 (0)27 712 8035/6 |
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