Must-see attractions in Northern Cape

  • Big Hole

    Northern Cape

    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…

  • Building of the SALT 11-meter telescope at the South African Astronomical Observatory near Sutherland.

    South African Astronomical Observatory

    Northern Cape

    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…

  • Workshop Ko Kasi

    Northern Cape

    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…

  • lioness in front of a 4x4 safari car crossing a dirt road in Kalahari desert, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Botswana, Africa

    Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

    Northern Cape

    Welcome to the African safari of your childhood daydreams. Packs of entertaining meerkats scurry across the sand, antelopes wander the dry river beds…

  • Augrabies Falls in the northern Cape during the late afternoon.

    Augrabies Falls National Park

    Northern Cape

    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…

  • The Orange River in |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, straddling the border between South Africa and Namibia.

    |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park

    Northern Cape

    South Africa’s remotest national park presents a barren but undeniably striking landscape filled with weird rock formations and sandy moonscapes dotted…

  • Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre

    Northern Cape

    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…

  • Close up of mature male artist working on canvas

    William Humphreys Art Gallery

    Northern Cape

    One of the country’s best public galleries, with changing exhibitions of contemporary South African work, as well as a surprisingly good collection of…

  • Moffat Mission

    Northern Cape

    Established by the London Missionary Society in 1816, the mission was named after long-serving Scottish missionaries Robert and Mary Moffat. They…

  • Mokala National Park

    Northern Cape

    Mokala is a land of grassy plains studded with rocky hills and indigenous camel thorn trees (Tswana for the latter is 'mokala'). The species of tree is an…

  • Namaqua National Park

    Northern Cape

    Your experience at Namaqua National Park depends a lot on when you visit. From October to July it's an extremely quiet place to hike or spot birds against…

  • McGregor Museum

    Northern Cape

    This comprehensive museum warrants a visit of an hour or two. It covers the Second Anglo-Boer War and South Africa's role in WWI. The star though is the…

  • Witsand Nature Reserve

    Northern Cape

    Hidden away amid a network of gravel roads, Witsand is an offbeat reserve offering up photogenic beauty and absolute serenity in equal doses. One sound…

  • Goegap Nature Reserve

    Northern Cape

    This 150-sq-km semidesert reserve, 8km east of Springbok past the airstrip, supports some 600 indigenous plant species, 45 mammal species and 94 types of…

  • Republic of Rustica

    Northern Cape

    Stop at this ‘rustic art’ emporium to marvel at owner Dirk’s collection of found objects, vintage gear and general junk. Road signs, sheep skulls, tin…

  • Magersfontein

    Northern Cape

    This was the site of an important battle in the Second Anglo-Boer War. There's a small museum, as well as a decent audio-visual exhibit that shows what…

  • Die Mas Van Kakamas

    Northern Cape

    The winemaker here experiments with a range of grape varieties, though the hanepoot wines that the region is known for are still the best. Brandy and gin…

  • Tankwa Karoo National Park

    Northern Cape

    With a car with good clearance, you can access this 1430-sq-km park, where Tankwa desert moonscapes meet sheer Roggeveld cliffs. There's great…

  • Duggan-Cronin Gallery

    Northern Cape

    This ethnographic gallery holds a wonderful collection of photographs of Southern African tribes taken in the 1920s and 1930s, before many aspects of…

  • Orange River Cellars

    Northern Cape

    At this smart new tasting centre there's a vast range of well-priced wines to taste, including dessert and sparkling wines. The colombard and muscadel are…

  • Wonderwerk Cave

    Northern Cape

    There have been important archaeological finds in this dolomite cave, including evidence of hominids using fire. It has a longer record of human…

  • Bezalel

    Northern Cape

    Possibly the most varied tasting of any estate in the country, with samples of wine, port, brandy, liqueurs and the challenge of swigging mampoer …

  • Sol Plaatje Museum & Library

    Northern Cape

    This museum, dedicated to activist and writer Sol Plaatje, occupies the house where he lived until his death in 1932. Panels tell the story of his life –…

  • Port Nolloth Museum

    Northern Cape

    A ramshackle and well-loved little museum covering the region's diamond industry. The hotchpotch of exhibits is interesting enough but it's a chat with…

  • Alexander McGregor Memorial Museum

    Northern Cape

    Based in a grand old building in the city centre, this museum focuses on Kimberley's history. There's information on the early settlers and forced…

  • Calvinia Museum

    Northern Cape

    Housed in a former synagogue, this museum is surprisingly large and interesting for a small town. It concentrates on the white settlement of the region,…

  • Akkerendam Nature Reserve

    Northern Cape

    North of town, this 275-sq-km reserve has one- and two-day hiking trails. The best time to visit is spring, when the wildflower bloom carpets the…

  • Honoured Dead Memorial

    Northern Cape

    This sandstone memorial remembers the soldiers who died defending the British-held city in the 124-day Siege of Kimberley, which took place during the…

  • Interpretation Centre

    Northern Cape

    It's a good idea to start your Mokala visit at this small museum, which gives information on the history and geology of the park. There's a touch station…

  • Hantam National Botanical Garden

    Northern Cape

    There are gentle walks through this park, 4km south of the town. From August to October, this is a good place to spot wildflowers. Opening times are…

  • Dunluce

    Northern Cape

    An elaborately decorated Victorian mansion, built in 1897. It forms a part of the McGregor Museum.

  • Cecil Rhodes Statue

    Northern Cape

    Cecil John Rhodes is immortalised sitting atop his horse, map in hand, gazing northwards to the continent he wanted to colonise.

  • Namakwaland Museum

    Northern Cape

    Springbok's former synagogue, built in 1929, has been converted into the town’s small museum. It's mostly a ramshackle collection of bric-a-brac, though…

  • Eye of Kuruman

    Northern Cape

    The town’s famed natural spring is in the park between the tourist office and Palmgate Centre. Discovered in 1801, the prolific spring produces about 20…

  • Kalahari-Orange Museum

    Northern Cape

    The highlight of this museum, which occupies the mission station established by Reverend Schröder in 1875, is the story of the Upington 26, who were…

  • Rudd House

    Northern Cape

    This townhouse is a fine example of the residences constructed for rich Kimberlites in the 19th century. Named after Rhodes’ business partner, who moved…

  • Flower Post Box

    Northern Cape

    A water tower has been converted into this giant post box. Letters and postcards posted here receive a special flower postmark.

  • St John's Church

    Northern Cape

    This quaint whitewashed church on the main road was built in 1869.