Marydale, Upper Karoo
To the average person Marydale seems in the middle of nowhere. It lies far north west – only the town of Kenhardt stands between it and the Augrabies Falls National Park on the border with Namibia.
Marydale's NG Church, the reason for the little town's existence, still stands on Snyman Street across the street from the Marydale Supermarket with its own in store Standard Bank ATM. The town was named after the wife of the man who sold the church a portion of his farm for its use.
The river that is supposed to run through town is invariably dry and, on the face of it, this is a little town that time forgot.
Yet drive Connan Street and the little Karoo huisies are pleasing. Those who want a break from it all to a place where crime is almost unheard of and the locals greet you like a long lost friend head here. It's a great place to chill and watch the world go by. But the emphasis is on complete down time. Not much happens in Marydale, but the nothingness is attractive.
The Orange River and Boegoeberg Dam near Groblershoop provide watery diversion, whilst 8 km outside Kenhardt there is a quiver tree forest. The kokerboom, or quiver tree, is one of the most distinctive plants of the far north-western parts of South Africa and critically endangered due to climate change. The Kenhardt to Cape Town road is littered with hundreds of these unusual trees.
Most people, if they've heard of Marydale at all, know it as the town closest to the Putsonderwater railway station (yes, it really does exist, and there is a well without water). Putsonderwater might have been voted 'best railway station in the country' during the late '80s but today it serves as little more than a whirlwind photo moment stop.
Travellers' Reviews
1 Review from SA-Venues.com travellers. All reviews are verified.
Verified review
We were looking for a break away place to buy and found it in Marydale.This is where we will take our breaks and annual holidays.The town is almost a forgotten place and yet one can really take a well earned break in this little dorp.It is so peaceful and the locals are very friendly with almost no crime.The ideal place to chill and not far from the Orange river and a dam.We believe this town will become a lot more vibrant as there are projects being started to help the local residents.An ideal place to purchase that breakaway house with large grounds.
ANDREW STURGISS (cape town)
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options

Karoo Gariep Tented Camp
The Karoo Gariep Nature Reserve Tented Camp is situated halfway between Johannesburg, Cape Town and Upington making it an ideal stopover. The ten...

Karos Gastehuis
Karos Guest House offers luxury accommodation and genuine country hospitality. The guest house is located in the quaint town of Loxton in the hea...

Stoffels Rus Log Cabin
Situated in Hanover, Stoffels Rus Log Cabin comfortably accommodates up to four guests in a quaint log home. Here you are near to various attract...

Joalani Guest Farm
Joalani Guest Farm is located on a working farm in Victoria West in the Karoo. The farm is situated just 500m down a gravel road from the N1 maki...

The Barracks
The comfortable and spacious double rooms all have private access, have their own bathrooms (each with a bath and separate shower) and private pa...

Rondekraal at Papkuilsfontein
Rondekraal is a romantic escape for two in the area of Nieuwoudtville. Built with sandstone and a thatched roof, furnished to maintains its histo...

Wolskuur Cottage
Wolskuur was the original shearing barn of the Rogge Cloof farm, hence the name 'Wolskuur' or ‘Woolshed'. The cottage is situated within the Rogg...

Three Birds Country House
At Three Birds Country House we offer spacious luxury suites and family rooms. Each room has an en-suite bathroom, a plasma TV with certain DStv ...

Peperboom Cottage
Peperboom Cottage on Willemsrivier farm is perfectly suited for a family or students. Willemsrivier is more than just a farm, also a historical b...
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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