Northern Cape

The Northern Cape, in the north-west corner of South Africa, is its largest and least populated province with only a population of 1,303,047 (2021). Distances between towns are enormous due to its sparse population. It is slightly larger than Germany, which has 65 times more people.

Regions

The Northern Cape can be divided into the following regions:

 Diamond Fields
A mining and agricultural district surrounding the city of Kimberley, and its famous "Big Hole"
 Northern Cape Karoo
The β€œPlace of Thirst” - is a boundless area covered by vast sheep and game farms, where broad plains roll away toward distant koppies and multilayered mountains that seem to touch the indigo sky
 Namakwa
A land of ancient history, lava mountains that display impossible rock formations, and nature reserves that are full of game and birdlife
 Green Kalahari
Famous for Augrabies Falls, an awe-inspiring waterfall, and for the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, a desert landscape with migrating herds of animals and unending red dunes
 Kalahari
Home of the biggest natural fountain in the southern hemisphere

Cities

  • 🌍 Kimberley β€” famous for its Big Hole, the world's largest hand-dug excavation
  • 🌍 Upington β€” a good starting point to the famous Augrabies Falls
  • 🌍 Kuruman β€” known for its scenic beauty and the Eye of Kuruman, a deep spring
  • 🌍 Springbok β€” visitors are drawn for the area's high floral diversity
  • 🌍 Colesberg β€” renowned for producing high-quality racehorses and many stud farms
  • 🌍 Orania β€” a last outpost of Apartheid

Other places

National parks

Other nature reserves

  • Goegap Nature Reserve
  • Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve
  • Spitskop Nature Reserve
  • Tswalu Desert Reserve
  • Thuru Lodge (Private nature reserve)
  • Witsand Nature Reserve

Understand

Although it is the largest of the nine provinces (361,000 kmΒ²), it has the smallest population (1.3 million in 2020).

The Northern Cape was part of the Cape Province from 1910 until 1994 when the old provincial boundaries were redrawn, and the Cape Province was split into the Northern Cape, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape Provinces.

The Northern Cape is a dry and sparsely populated region, and much of it is semi-desert. Nevertheless, it has a beauty of its own and is a popular destination for South African and international tourists alike.

Get in

By car

The Northern Cape Province is served by a number of excellent national roads.

By plane

Upington Airport and Kimberley Airport have flights to some of the major cities in South Africa, operated by South African Airways.

Get around

Public transport is limited, so your best option is by car. Remember to fuel up whenever you can, as distances between gas stations can be long.

See

Do

Go next

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