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The Diamond Fields
This region includes Kimberley the capital of the Northern
Cape. Many important battles of the devastating Anglo- Boer
War (1899 -1902) were fought in this region. The region offers
opportunities for adventure tourism such as hiking and 4x4
enthusiasts.
- The Big Hole - Known to be the largest man-made
excavation sight in the world Manually dug by pick and shovels
by diamond miners, it was mined to a depth of about 800m.
- Kimberley Mine Museum - Includes the viewing decks
into the Big Hole, as well as a number of historical buildings.
Known as a `living museum' a visit here is like stepping
back in time.
- Kimberly Railway Station - South Africa's famous
and luxury Blue Train stops over in Kimberley, en route
to Cape Town or Johannesburg.
- Star of the West pub: This South Africa's oldest
continuously operating bar dating back to the 1870's. The
bar counter and the shelves behind the bar are from the
original building.
- Mine tours: The Bultfontein Mine - the only diamond
mine in the world to offer underground tours.
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Green Kalahari Region
Home to endless spaces and huge African skies, it gets its
name from the San word `kglagagadi', which means 'thirsty
land'. The almost lunar landscape boasts a wide variety of
unique flora and fauna and is home to species of raptors and
vultures, and owls.
- Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park - Africa's first transfrontier game park, consisting of the South African Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and the Botswana Gemsbok National Park. It is one of the largest nature conservation areas in southern Africa and provides unfenced access to a variety of game.
- Augrabies Falls National Park–One of the lesser-known game parks in the country. It is here that Africa’s second largest waterfall thunders down into a granite gorge.
- Roaring Sands, Witsand Nature Reserve –These long white dunes contrast sharply with the surrounding red Kalahari dunes and emit strange roaring sounds when disturbed by wind in hot, dry weather. The white colour of the sands is caused by water that seeps to the surface, leaching out the red iron oxides.
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Karoo Region
This semi-desert interior region is a unique, arid zone
and considered a wonder of the scientific world where animals,
plants and humans have been defying the odds for many centuries.
It also boasts the richest diversity of succulents.
- Karoo National Park -This is the best preserved
conservation area for Karoo vegetation as well as a fossil
rich area and one of the world's great scientific wonders.
The park is particularly beautiful in spring when the rugged
landscape is transformed into a multi-coloured carpet of
flowers.
- Rock Art - The San were hunter-gatherers who lived
off the desert. Their rich heritage has been preserved in
numerous paintings found in caves all over the Northern
Cape region.
- Sutherland Observatory -Housing the largest telescope
in the southern hemisphere - known as ''SALT'' (South African
Largest Telescope) it is able to observe a candle flame
on the moon.
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