MUST DO:
Waterfalls, deep gorges, majestic black-maned lions and blood-red sands are all part of the vast, unspoiled panorama which makes up the landscape of the Northern Cape. If it’s pure, natural beauty and wildlife you’re after, prepare to be captivated by the extraordinary wealth of both, found throughout the magnificent Northern Cape region.
Watch the mighty Orange River plunge wildly into a gaping granite chasm at the Augrabies Falls, the sixth largest waterfall in the world. Spot the black-maned lion in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, sharing an unfenced boundary with Botswana’s Gemsbok National Park. Don’t miss the diamond-mining town of Kimberley and its famous, awe-inspiring ‘Big Hole’, where diamonds were extracted at enormous cost of human labour and lives. View one of the world’s most breathtaking natural sights, the Namaqualand springtime where, as far as the eye can see in every direction, the windswept landscape is carpeted with colourful daisies.
From the awe-inspiring sandstone towers of the Golden Gate National Park to the enchanting artist’s haven of Clarens, this region will tug at your heart-strings with its mix of quaint, imposing and historical features. The Free State is fascinating and impressive, with its delightful mix of scenery, history and art.
MUST DO: Join in the annual Cherry Festival in Ficksburg, held every November. Celebrate the harvesting of cherries with music, theatre - and cherry-picking. Pay a visit to the First Raadsaal, the earliest seat of government, church and education in the Free State, unchanged since it was built in 1848. Stroll around art galleries, guest houses and funky restaurants, and enjoy a cup of genuine Free State coffee in quaint and colourful Clarens. Stand in awe before the giant sandstone formations in the Golden Gate National Park, an inspiration to local and visiting artists. In Bloemfontein, the City of Flowers, visit the National Botanical Gardens, the home of a petrified tree dating back about 150 million years! Take a brilliant panoramic view of Bloemfontein.
