Northern Cape

With only a million people inhabiting its 373,000 sq km, the Northern Cape is South Africa’s last great frontier. Its scattered towns are hundreds of kilometres apart, connected by empty roads across the sublime, surreal wilderness expanses of Namakwa, the Kalahari and Upper Karoo. Under the remorseless sun, vehicles share park roads with lions, dune boards swish down roaring sands, and Kimberley’s pubs serve cold beer as they have since the 19th-century diamond rush.

It’s a raw, elemental land, where gnarly camel thorn, quiver and Halfmens trees break the boundless horizons. Yet some of nature’s greatest tricks here are instances of rejuvenating beauty. The Gariep (Orange) River waters the dry region, creating the Green Kalahari with its vineyards and epic Augrabies Falls. Following the rains, red Kalahari sands shimmer with grasses, and Namakwa’s spring blooming carpets rocky hills and plains with wildflowers.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Northern Cape.

National Park
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Welcome to the African safari of your childhood daydreams. Packs of entertaining meerkats scurry across the sand, antelopes wander the dry river beds munching on thorny vegetation, and as dusk nears the implausibly large sun dips behind orange and white sand dunes leaving behind a star-filled sky. Best of all though are the predator sightings: prides of black-maned lions relaxing in the shade, spotted hyenas roaming in pairs and cheetahs prowling for their dinner.
Museum
Big Hole
Although the R50 million that turned the Big Hole into a world-class tourist destination came from De Beers, touring the world’s largest hand-dug hole gives an honest impression of the mining industry’s chequered past in Kimberley. Visits start with an entertaining 20-minute film about mining conditions and characters in late-19th-century Kimberley, and a walk along the Big Hole viewing platform. The open-air steel contraption, jutting out over the 1.6km-round, 215m-deep chasm, enhances the vertigo-inducing view of the 40m-deep turquoise water.
National Park
Augrabies Falls National Park
The centrepiece of this park is the 56m-high waterfall created when the Gariep (Orange) River thunders through a ravine. The nearby Bridal Veil Falls drop 75m and most people simply follow the boardwalks past the falls and leave shortly afterwards, but there is plenty more to explore. Look out for dassies (cute, furry creatures that look like outsized gerbils) hopping across the rocks, tackle a day hike or take a wildlife drive deeper into the park.
Cultural Centre
Workshop Ko Kasi
Serving both as a community centre and a much-needed tourist draw, Ko Kasi is a must-stop if you're passing through Kuruman. Started by two local entrepreneurs in 2016, the award-wining start-up includes a craft shop, a traditional African spa and a cafe serving pizzas, traditional meals and homemade ginger beer. They can arrange donkey cart trips (R50) around Mothibistad and host pop-up markets and storytelling sessions. The whole place is constructed from recycled materials, including the spa built from old tyres.
National Park
|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
South Africa’s remotest national park presents a barren but undeniably striking landscape filled with weird rock formations and sandy moonscapes dotted with otherworldly trees. This transfrontier park, which straddles the South Africa-Namibia border, is not so much a place for wildlife viewing but for demanding hikes, adventurous drives and survivalist fun. The park is accessible by 4WD only and you need to be completely self-sufficient once you venture past the park gates.
Archaeological Site
Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre
On a site owned by the !Xun and Khwe San people, who were relocated from Angola and Namibia in 1990, this small sacred hill has 400-plus rock engravings dating back millennia. Visits start with a video detailing the troubled history of the !Xun and Khwe, followed by an excellent interpretative guided tour. The centre is 16km northwest of town, en route to Barkly West. A shared taxi costs R45; a private taxi costs around R390 return, including waiting time.
Observatory
South African Astronomical Observatory
During the day you can take a guided tour of the huge research telescopes, including the Southern African Large Telescope, but it's the two-hour night tours that are the real draw. After a short video, you head outside to take a sky safari, thanks to two 16in telescopes. Times vary depending on the time of year and bookings are essential. Dress very warmly, even in summer.
Gallery
William Humphreys Art Gallery
One of the country’s best public galleries, with changing exhibitions of contemporary South African work, as well as a surprisingly good collection of European masters. The cafe (mains R30 to R80) sits in a lovely garden and is a perfect spot for tea and cake.
Historic Site
Moffat Mission
Established by the London Missionary Society in 1816, the mission was named after long-serving Scottish missionaries Robert and Mary Moffat. They converted the local Batlhaping people to Christianity, started a school and translated the Bible into Tswana. The mission became a famous staging point for explorers and missionaries heading further into Africa. The Moffats’ daughter married David Livingstone in the mission church, a stone-and-thatch building with 800 seats.