Tourism

Dark skies make for great stargazing.

The Northern Cape has long been known as the best location for astronomy. The town of Sutherland is the site of several huge optical telescopes that attract scientists and tourists every year.

Even though the massive radio astronomy project under construction around Carnarvon, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), does not need dark skies, the huge number of dishes spread across the countryside will probably start attracting its own quota of tourists. Rather than darkness, the SKA needs minimal radio interference and actually operates in daytime.

The best kind of star-gazing can be enjoyed without any telescopes at all in the Northern Cape, so spectacular are the nightly displays in the wide-open outdoors. The view is wonderful, whether one is setting up a simple campsite or visiting the intriguing address of the !Kaus Lodge, 91st Dune, off the Auob River Road, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (pictured).

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (with Botswana) encompasses 3.7-million hectares, making it one of the biggest conservation areas in the world.

There are six national parks in the province, each with distinct geographical and biological features. Most of the province lies in the Nama-Karoo Biome and the annual display of spring flowers is spectacular. The Kalahari in the north-east is home to many of the province’s biggest mines, but also to great numbers of raptors, vultures and owls.

The Diamond Fields region contains the spectacular Big Hole, the Mokala National Park and portions of the famed South African War or Battlefields Route. The Magersfontein War Memorial is an iconic attraction.

The Karoo region encompasses the south-eastern portion of the province. While most of the region is dry, the Vanderkloof Dam is a major tourism asset.

The Namakwa region is famous for its flowers, but it also hosts the South African Astronomical Observatory, several historic mission settlements, the Namaqua National Park and the awe-inspiring Richtersveld Transfrontier Park.

The Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Springbok and Calvinia are the two major towns in this huge district, which is also the only Northern Cape region with a coastline and soon to be the home of a new harbour.

Hotels

Tourists approaching Kimberely from the south on the N12 highway (Memorial Road) are spoilt for accommodation choices. The Horseshoe Inn, with 63 rooms and two flats, is conveniently situated in terms of tourist amenities and the city centre. The Inn is wellknown as a wedding and conference facility and it is home to the Crazy Horse Steak Ranch.

At the intersection with Landbou (the R31) is the Kalahari Lodge, with 30 rooms and further along the road is the Airport Hotel (52 rooms).

The Flamingo Casino in Kimberley is run by Sun International and offers gaming tables, slot machines and conference facilities. The Protea Hotel by Marriott Kimberley has 117 rooms and three suites and is located next to the Big Hole. Also near the capital city’s biggest attraction is the historic Kimberley Club Boutique Hotel. Tsogo Sun has two properties in Kimberley: a 135-room Garden Court and a 64room budget hotel, SUN1.

Online Resources

Northern Cape Tourism Authority: www.northerncape.org.za

Richtersveld: www.richtersveld-conservancy.org

South African National Parks: www.sanparks.co.za

World Wide Fund for Nature: www.wwf.org.za

With eight properties in the Northern Cape covering a range of accommodation options from camping to hotels, the investment strategy of Country Hotels has reached maturity. The group also has hotels in the northern Western Cape, catering to the same market of flower-lovers and tourists in search of the beauty of arid landscapes.

The riverside town of Upington has a large number of guesthouses and bed-andbreakfast establishments, together with a 90-room Protea Hotel by Marriott. ■