Northern Cape Travel

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The Northern Cape lies to the south of its most important asset, the mighty Orange River, which provides the basis for a healthy agricultural industry. The landscape is characterised by vast arid plains with outcroppings of haphazard rock piles. The cold Atlantic Ocean forms the western boundary. Characterised by its vast expanses of space and silence, blazing summer sunshine and interesting and friendly people, the Northern Cape is a province rich with culture.

This region covers the largest area of all the provinces and has the smallest population. Its major airports are situated at Kimberley, the capital, and at Upington. The Northern Cape has an excellent road network, which makes its interior easily accessible from South Africa’s major cities, harbours and airports.

Province profile

• The Northern Cape is home of the Southern African Large Telescope (Salt).
• The Big Hole in Kimberley is the largest man-made excavation in the world.
• The Kimberley Mine Museum is South Africa’s largest full-scale open-air museum.
• The Freddy Tate Golf Museum at the Kimberley Golf Club was the first golfing museum in Africa.
• The South African Dried Fruit Co-operative is the second-largest in the world.
• A cultural centre at Wildebeestkuil outside Kimberley features !Xun and Khwe artwork for sale and a tour of rock engravings by these indigenous people.
• The Witsand Nature Reserve near Postmasburg features a 100-m high, 9-km long, 2-km wide white sand dune.
• The province is the South Africa’s most northerly wine-making region.
• It is home to the world’s sixth-largest waterfall.
  
  

The Northern Cape is host to the southern hemisphere’s largest astronomical observatory, the multinational-sponsored Southern African Large Telescope, at Sutherland. South Africa's shortlisting, and the Northern Cape in particular, as one of two possible sites for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope is a great step for science in South Africa. The SKA will be the biggest telescope ever built and will be the only one of its kind to be built in the world. It is the only instrument which can solve the most basic questions of the origin of the Universe and the birth and evolution of stars and galaxies. The recent announcement demonstrates the world’s recognition of South Africa’s growing capacity to contribute to the global astronomy knowledge base through leading-edge facilities and highly capable specialised professionals.

Places to see in South Africa

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