Northern Cape

The vast Northern Cape is one of the last true wilderness areas of Southern Africa, a secret land far to the north of the more cultivated Cape.

No one who has travelled through the Kalahari of the Northern Cape can forget its raw grandeur. It is one of the last true wilderness areas of Southern Africa – a secret land far to the north of the more cultivated Cape. The Northern Cape encompasses the southern part of the Kalahari desert with its desert-adapted wildlife, the gentle beauty of the Great Karoo as well as Namaqualand with its profusion of wild spring flowers.

However the vast Northern Cape is certainly not homogenous. It comprises three distinct areas:

• Namaqualand is the coastal strip between the Atlantic and the Karoo, known for its spring flowers after the winter rains
• Inland lies the vast open spaces of the Great Karoo
• North of the verdant Orange River lies the Kalahari, a land of desert red dunes, endless horizons and huge skies. Here you find two excellent National Parks, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the Augrabies Falls.

Northern Cape accommodation, with the exception of the superb Tswalu Game Reserve and Tutwa Desert Lodge, tends to be simple and comfortable, rather than stylish. The focus is rather on enjoying the amazing landscapes and wildlife.

There are several National Parks to visit, including the magnificent Trans Kgalagadi Park which includes part of Botswana as well. The Augrabies Falls National park comes into its own just after good summer rains. Whilst the little-visited Richtersveld has some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the country. (But accommodation here is self-catering only and you need a 4x4 for the harsh terrain.)