Fraserburg, Upper Karoo
Lying perched on a Karoo plateau north west of the Karoo National Park, Fraserburg is regarded as one of the most authentic little Karoo towns in the Nuweveld Mountains, just five hours from Cape Town.
Lying on Route 353, off the N1 the town is fairly remote: the nearest railway station is at Leeu Gamka on the N1, and the town's neighbours - Sutherland, Williston and Loxton - are a good hour and a half's drive away. It is dry and hot during summer and freezing during winter. If first impressions were all that mattered, you might be forgiven for driving right through.
But Fraserburg is also rather beautiful and unspoilt - the night skies are clear and filled with stars so far away from the lights of a city (small surprise then that neighbour Sutherland is the site of the largest single optical telescope in the southern hemisphere (SALT)); the abundance of spring flowers and the array of biodiversity of this part of the succulent Karoo is incredible; and the town is filled with a number of historical attractions.
Fraserburg forms part of the Flower Route. Between July and September people head to the Namaqualand for the incredible annual display of colourful flowers.
This region might be the most arid in the country, but it is also one of the most diverse in the world – 6000 plant species, 250 birds species, 78 mammal (including the riverine rabbit, both rare and endangered), and 132 reptile and amphibian creatures.
Fraserburg has numerous beautiful examples of Victorian-style architecture, is famous for its hexagonal shaped Pepper Pot (also known as the Peperbus and the only such building in the country), a fine specimen of a Corbelled house (also unique to the area), and fossil evidence that are of intrigue to palaeontologists.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Glashuis @ Aarfontein
Glashuis is a chalet with vast windows and beautiful views of the valley. The accommodation is situated on Aarfontein Farm, a working sheep farm,...
Kraalhuisie @ Aarfontein
Kraalhuisie is a self-catering cottage situated on Aarfontein Farm, a working sheep farm, between Fraserburg and Sutherland in the Northern Cape....
Ver-huisie @ Aarfontein
Vêr-huisie is a self-catering cottage situated on Aarfontein Farm, a working sheep farm, between Fraserburg and Sutherland in the Northern Cape. ...
MuggefonteinKaroo
Offering self catering accommodation, Muggefontein is a working merino wool sheep and olive farm, situated on the R353 and a mere 40km from Frase...
Asgat Huisie @ Aarfontein
Asgat Huisie is a stone cottage situated on Aarfontein Farm, a working sheep farm, between Fraserburg and Sutherland in the Northern Cape. The ar...
Things to do in the area
Skurweberg Trail
Enjoy a very scenic ride with spectacular views and magnificent wildlife. The terrain is rough and rugged with steep inclines, sandy river banks ...
Noteworthy attractions
Karoo Gariep Conservancy
Karoo is a “quenna” word meaning “dry and hard”. Gariep is also a “quenna” word meaning “big water”or river. The Karoo Gariep Concervancy is foun...
Tankwa Karoo National Park
The 80 000 hectare Tankwa Karoo National Park, proclaimed in 1986 and still in a development stage, is at present in a veld recovery phase and it...
Gariep Dam Nature Reserve
The Free State's largest nature reserve is a combination of the 36 487 ha Gariep Dam on the Orange River and an 11 237 ha game sanctuary on its n...
Akkerendam Nature Reserve
Akkerdam Nature Reserve lies just outside the little town of Calvinia, which is found at the foot of the Hantam Mountain (mountain of the red bul...
Rolfontein Nature Reserve
Situated in the upper Karoo where an infinite sky and horizon seem to go on without end, the Rolfontein Nature Reserve is found roughly 16 kilome...
Doornkloof Nature Reserve
Lying peacefully in the mountainous upper Karoo of the Northern Cape, just outside the little town of Colesberg, Doornkloof Nature Reserve is pos...
Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve
Just 10 kilometres outside of the little town of Nieuwoudtville, between the towns of Van Rhynsdorp and Calvinia, lies the Oorlogskloof (war gorg...
Hantam National Botanical Garden
Established in 2007, the Hantam National Botanical Garden lies on the Bokkeveld Plateau just outside the town of Nieuwoudtville. It is regarded a...
Molteno Pass
Said to be South Africa's first mountain pass, Molteno Pass links Beaufort West to Loxton, in effect joining the oldest town in the area to the N...
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