The eight Northern Cape Routes are specifically packaged to give you, the visitor, an easy do-it-yourself option to explore the province.
Incredible year-round experiences coupled with warm hospitality, the peace and tranquillity offered by the off-the-beaten track, small dorpies, villages and townships as well as our vast uninterrupted landscapes allow visitors to recharge and reconnect with loved ones.
Here’s a foretaste of what to expect:
Namaqua Coastal Route
The route includes hidden gems like Garies, Kamieskroon, Hondeklip Bay, Koiingnaas and Kleinzee. Dozens of adventure and leisure options are available: Namaqua National Park, nature reserves, some of the most remote hiking and 4×4 trails imaginable… Go succulent sleuthing with a botanical guide, hike the Springbok Klipkoppie for a dose of Anglo-Boer War history, explore the countless shipwrecks along the coastline. Breathtaking scenes of the Atlantic Ocean with sightings of dolphins and whales – combined with great vistas of mountains and veld with endemic wildlife – makes travelling in this area remarkable.
Don’t miss: Slack-packing through the Namaqua National Park in early spring (September) when the usually dusty plains are transformed into kaleidoscopic flower carpets of colour.
Contact: +27 (0) 83 305 2569
Quiver Tree Route
Named after the indigenous quiver tree, the Quiver Tree Food & Wine Route stretches along the mighty Orange River. It features the quaint towns of Upington, Kakamas, Keimoes, Augrabies, Marchand, Kanoneiland, Kenhardt and Riemvasmaak. The route will appeal greatly to families, adventure and adrenaline seekers: Riemvasmaak’s hot springs, river rafting, fly fishing, kayaking, river cruises, 4×4, hiking and mountain biking trails and excellent birdwatching. With the longest wine-producing area in the southern hemisphere, there are many opportunities for world-class wine and brandy tasting along the route.
Don’t miss: A visit to the Augrabies National Park and the world’s six largest waterfall, the Augrabies Falls.
Contact: +27 (0) 82 685 2069
Kalahari Red Dune Route
Discover the essence of the province in the heart of the Kalahari. Golden dunes, wide-open skies and flat-topped acacia trees epitomise the Kalahari Red Dune Route. Stretching from Upington right to the Namibian border, visitors traverse the villages of Ashkam, Groot and Klein Mier, and Rietfontein. Adventure-loving families and adrenaline seekers can enjoy dune hikes at dawn, eagle- owl encounters, sand duning and surfing in the red sand, plus close encounters with meerkats. Explore a World Heritage Site – The Khomani San Cultural Landscape – and join a guided walk with the San Khomani to rediscover the ancient wisdom, customs and folklore of this ancient tribe.
Don’t miss: A visit to the world-famous Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a must. Encounter magnificent oryx holding sway on the sandy swathes and discover the mighty Kalahari male lion high on a dune, silhouetted against the sky. The largest conservation area within Africa, it is also one of only two Dark Sky Sanctuaries in Africa and 10 worldwide.
Contact: +27 (0) 82 492 3469
Battlefields Route
The Battlefields Route allows visitors to relive the war between Great Britain and the Boer Republics of Transvaal and the Orange Free State from 1899 to 1902. The Northern Cape played a decisive role in the war, with the famous Kimberley siege – you can relive the siege, its victories and setbacks suffered at the Magersfontein and McGregor Museums. Travelling a short distance to Hopetown, one can visit the Hopetown Concentration Camp Cemetery situated on the farm Doornbult. It was voted one of the best Anglo War memorial sites within South Africa. Other Anglo-Boer War historical and archaeological sites such as Orange River Station, British Military Camps and a well-preserved Block House can be found in close proximity to the farm.
Contact: +27 (0) 82 879 7377
Karoo Oasis Route
This route traverses the towns of Warrenton, Kimberley, Hopetown, Britstown and Victoria West along the N12, and is the perfect stopover for travellers between Johannesburg and Cape Town. Stop along the route to trace the rich mining history of the Diamond Fields region before stopping at one of the myriad national game and nature reserves to enjoy fly-fishing, kayaking, mountain biking, trail running, game drives and world-class birding. Anglo-Boer War enthusiasts can relive the skirmishes and tribulations of the conflict at the McGregor and Magersfontein Museums and at Hopetown. Beautiful arts and crafts are for sale throughout the route, and there are opportunities to meet the local artists.
Don’t miss: Should your route take you to the Eastern Cape, you will pass through the small town of Hanover and encounter South Africa’s largest privately owned Karoo nature reserve: Karoo Gariep Nature Reserve.
Contact: +27 (0) 78 212 2441
The Northern Cape is all about real people, real culture, real adventure and real nature. Come visit us, and make life-changing memories.
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