Green Kalahari, Northern Cape
Once you've booked your hotel or Green Kalahari accommodation explore our destination pages below for info on attractions and what to do in the Green Kalahari.
The Green Kalahari is a world full of wonders and contrasts. Here is where the lush green vineyards stand proud in the valley bearing magical fruits not far from where the shimmering Orange River thunders into a deep granite gorge to create the mighty Augrabies Falls. It’s a land of genuine natural beauty where the lions and the leopard, cheetah, gemsbok, springbok, and hyena roam free through beckoning bushman grass, camel thorn and shepherd trees. As you enter this land, you will soon understand and come to appreciate the land we call the Green Kalahari. The Green Kalahari boasts the best of both worlds: unspoiled semi-desert against the lush vineyards that fill the fertile valleys of the Orange River. This massive body of water makes its way through this harsh and dry landscape bringing life to the region and an oasis to locals and animals alike.
The history of the Southern Kalahari blends with the history of the people. The San (also known as the Bushmen) are Southern Africa’s original inhabitants. Many years ago, these hunter-gatherer people roamed the plains of the Southern Kalahari managing to live happily in these harsh landscapes. Today, there are only a few San people living near the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park. Their ancestors have left behind many unique attractions detailing their lives and hunting antics. These include the remains of permanent settlements on the farm Bitterputs in the Verneuk Pan near the town Kenhardt as well as many fascinating cave drawings and engravings.
Other historical attractions in the Green Kalari include Schröder’s and other old mission churches, his original home, the first water-driven mill, hand-built irrigation tunnels, waterwheels, an Egyptian-styled hydro power transformer station, a historical camel thorn tree under which the first town in the region was found, war graves as well as a date palm avenue in Upington. The Green Kalahari is a word that provokes both the traveller’s imagination and emotions. It’s a completely different world boasting huge vistas, climatic extremes and fascinating adaptations to harsh conditions. Nowhere else in South Africa is the build-up of a thunderstorm as beautiful and dramatic.
Life in the green Kalahari is not only provided by the rare and strange plants, animal life or vineyards but also comes in a package full of sunlit travel delights. These include camel back trips, thrilling white water rafting, parasailing on the many pans in the region, as well as a spectacular afternoon microlight glides above the undulating red dunes and jagged mountains of Riemvasmaak and the Mier Kalahari with its 35 to 40 meters high sand dunes. There is plenty to do and see here and something for all different tastes. For the less adventurous traveller one can explore the abundance of hiking trails or enjoy canoeing, mountain biking, bird watching, game drives in the national and many exquisite private game reserves, camping and fly-in safaris.
Destinations / Town & Suburbs of Green Kalahari
Askham
Where to Stay: Green Kalahari Accommodation
When travelling from Upington and making your way to the Kgalagadi National Park, you will come across the little town of Askham. Askham is situated just 73 km from the park entrance at Twee Rivieren. Askham ... Askham information
Augrabies
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Augrabies
The little town of Augrabies that lies on the banks of the Orange River has been totally overshadowed by the Augrabies Falls National Park. Not only does it lie on the border of the park with which people assume it is ... Augrabies information
Danielskuil
Where to Stay: Green Kalahari Accommodation
Danielskuil is a rather quiet little town situated in the Northern Cape in South Africa. Fantastic fertile soil and an abundance of water saw to it that man dwelled in the Daniëlskuil area since prehistoric times. ... Danielskuil information
Groblershoop
Where to Stay: Green Kalahari Accommodation
Situated in a land of contrasts, at the gateway to the Green Kalahari you will find the little village of Groblershoop. Imagine arid, undulating hills penetrated by the shimmering Orange River valley creating a green ... Groblershoop information
Grootdrink
Where to Stay: Green Kalahari Accommodation
Despite the town's allusion to bigness - Grootdrink, translated from the Afrikaans, means 'big drink' - it is little more than a small town in the nether reaches of the Northern Cape on the N10, which leaves the N14 linking ... grootdrink information
Kakamas
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Kakamas
Kakamas is a rather small town situated in the Northern Cape of South Africa. This interesting town was originally built by a church and named after the Khoi word for 'poor pasture'. Today, this name poorly reflects on ... Kakamas information
Kanoneiland
Where to Stay: Green Kalahari Accommodation
Kanoneiland is a beautiful settlement situated in the Northern Cape in South Africa. What makes this settlement stand out from the rest is that it is situated on the largest inland island in the gorgeous Orange River ... Kanoneiland information
Keimoes
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Keimoes
Keimos is a beautiful little village which probably owes its name and attractiveness to the local shimmering fountain. Situated in the Northern Cape in South Africa, Keimoes boasts an abundance of green foliage and ... Keimoes information
Kenhardt
Where to Stay: Green Kalahari Accommodation
Interestingly, the area in which Kenhardt is situated was home to outlaws in the frontier days. In 1868, the Cape Government established a post here under magistrate Maximillian Jackson as well as 50 policemen in order ... Kenhardt information
Mier
Where to Stay: Green Kalahari Accommodation
Mier is a municipality bigger than the Free State Province. This beautiful area includes the communities of Rietfontein, Philandersbron, Loubos, Klein Mier, Groot Mier, Welkom, Askham and Noenieput. Mier is situated ... Mier information
Olifantshoek
Where to Stay: Green Kalahari Accommodation
Olifantshoek lies at the foot of the spectacular Lange Mountains, on the Namakwari Route. It was officially founded in 1912. Olifantshoek is named after the tusk of an elephant which was used as payment for the farm on ... Olifantshoek information
Postmasburg
Where to Stay: Green Kalahari Accommodation
Situated in the Northern Cape in South Africa, Postmasburg is completely surrounded by beautiful green foliage fed by a dam and several shimmering fountains. Postmasburg was proclaimed a town in 1892 and named after ... Postmasburg information
Upington
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Upington
Upington is the chief city in the Northern Region of South Africa. This dry and hot area is characterised by desolate deserts and harsh landscapes. However, do not let that deter you. Upington boasts a marvellous oasis: ... Upington information
Green Kalahari
Featured and "Must See" Attractions in Green Kalahari
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Africa's first formally declared trans-border conservation area, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, on the border of South Africa and Botswana, was officially launched on May 12, 2000. The combined land area of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is +/- 38,000 km² of which 28,400 km² lies in Botswana and ... more information
Northern Cape Wine Estates
With a completely different climate to the Cape Winelands, the Northern Cape produces a number of ranges of wines that boast unique flavours. The wine farms in the east have soils with a higher natural acid content and a lower pH level, which results in wines that are crisp and ... more information
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape
Recently inscribed as the eighth World Heritage Site in South Africa, the Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape is a remarkable mountainous desert in the north-west of the country that is uniquely owned and managed by the Nama community, descendents of the Khoi-Khoi people. The Richtersveld Cultural and ... more information
Augrabies Falls National Park
The Khoi people called it 'Aukoerebis', the place of the Great Noise, referring to the Orange River thundering its way downwards for 60 metres in a spectacular waterfall. Picturesque names such as Moon Rock, Ararat and Echo Corner are descriptive of this rocky region, characterised by the 18 ... more information
Riemvasmaak Community Conservancy
North west of the town of Kakamas and bordering the Augrabies National Park is the Riemvasmaak Community Conservancy - 75 00 hectares of land between the flowing Orange and dry Molopo rivers. Pronounced 'reem fuss mark', meaning 'tighten the strap', the conservancy is the very first land restitution story ... more information
Spitskop Nature Reserve
The Spitskop Nature Reserve was named after Spitskop, an impressive granite koppie just outside the small town of Upington. Consisting mainly of sandy flats interrupted by two rocky outcrops, the Spitskop Nature Reserve is worth a visit not only for its game but also for the dazzling flower carpets covering its ... more information
Witsand Nature Reserve
The Witsand (White Sands) Nature Reserve is a 2 500 hectares island of brilliant white sands surrounded by a sea of regular Red Kalahari sand. Also known as Brulsand, or Roaring Sands. Geologists who have studied the region claim that the white sand owes its existence to an isolated range of hillocks that lie ... more information
Orange River Wine Route
In a part of South Africa that is, for all intents and purposes, practically desert, one does not expect to find a wine route. But the Orange River, the life blood of this part of the Northern Cape, supports row upon row of land under vine – an incomprehensible stretch of intense green on either bank, in ... more information
Green Kalahari
Featured Things To Do in Green Kalahari
Wine Tour at Orange River Wine Cellars
Where: Upington
How much (per person): On Request
Our wines are renowned for their healthy colours and distinctive aromatic and flavour properties, all of which are inherited from the prevai ... more information
Canoeing on the Orange River
Where: Upington
How much (per person): On Request
Swift River Adventures invite you to experience the Orange River running through Upington in all its glory. Our half-day river rafting trip ... more information
Green Kalahari
Holiday Accommodation in Green Kalahari
For accommodation in Green Kalahari see:
• Augrabies • Kakamas • Keimoes • Upington
Or to see all accommodation in this region at once, visit Green Kalahari Accommodation.
Visiting Green Kalahari?
Also see Things To Do in Northern Cape or check out Things To Do in South Africa to view activities by category, including watersports, sightseeing activities, arts & crafts and many, many more.
- Introduction to the Northern Cape
- Destination Guide
- Accommodation Guide
- Northern Cape Accommodation
- Northern Cape Hotels
- Northern Cape Guest Houses
- Northern Cape Bed & Breakfast
- Northern Cape Self Catering
- Holiday Apartments & Suites
- Holiday Cottages & Chalets
- Holiday Homes & Villas
- By Special Category
- By Star Grading
- By AA Grading
- By Alphabetised List
- Special Offers / Discounts
- Northern Cape Search by Map
- Northern Cape Conferences
- Wedding Guide
- Touring the Northern Cape
- Transport & Travel Arrangements
- Out and About
- Südafrika Reise
Für Deutsche Besucher
Suedafrika-Reise.net bringt Ihnen das umfangreichste Angebot an Links, um Südafrika zu "bereisen": hier und jetzt auf Ihrem Bildschirm.
Urlaub in dem Nördlichen Kap
destinations / attractions in the northern cape
