Map of the Northern Cape

Northern Cape, close to the Namibian border.

A typical Northern Cape scene

The Northern Cape is situated in the north-west corner of South Africa. Although it is the largest of the nine provinces (361,000 km²), it has the smallest population (900,000).

Regions

The Northern Cape can be divided into the following regions:

Northern Cape regions - Color-coded map

Diamond Fields Eastern edge of the Northern Cape

Karoo The south eastern region

Namakwa The west coast and bordering onto the Western Cape

Green Kalahari In the north, bordering on Namibia and Botswana

Kalahari North eastern region

Cities

• Kimberley - provincial capital.
• 1 Upington
• 2 Kuruman
• 3 Springbok
• 4 Colesberg
• 5 Orania

Other destinations

National parks

• 1 Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
• 2 Augrabies Falls National Park
• 3 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
• 4 Namaqua National Park
• Tankwa Karoo National Park
• Mokala National Park - Newest park in South Africa, replaces the old Vaalbos National Park.

Other nature reserves

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

Understand

Originally the Northern Cape was part of what used to be known as the Cape Province. However, after the 1994 elections 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.

• The N1 runs from Cape Town to Gauteng via the south-eastern edge of the Northern Cape and Bloemfontein.
• The N7 runs from Cape Town and the Western Cape, goes through Springbok and then on up north to Namibia.
• The N8 runs from near Upington across through Kimberley and Bloemfontein, and then goes on to Maseru Bridge (border post to Lesotho).
• The N10 runs from the Namibia border down through Upington and then on to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.
• The N12 runs from George in the Western Cape to Gauteng, going via Kimberley.
• The N14 runs from Springbok to Upington and then on to Johannesburg and Pretoria in Gauteng.

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

• The historic diamond mining town of Kimberley with its world-famous Big Hole and many other attractions.
• The Augrabies Falls near Upington
• The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park at the border to Botswana

Do

• Rock Climbing