The Green Kalahari:
Vast tracks of bleak, shimmering semi-desert contrast dramatically with lush vineyards
filling the Orange River's fertile valleys. The massive body of water meanders through a
giant valley of its making. Home to the The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Kakamas:
A town graced with 11 Egyptian-style working waterwheels, very old hand-built irrigating
tunnels, vineyards, lucerne and cottonfields. Kakamas is a convenient stopover spot en
route to the Augrabies Falls, the Richterveld National Park and the Fish River Canyon.
Kanoneiland:
A settlement on the largest inhabited inland island in South Africa. Virtually every inch
of soil is under irrigation. A leisurely drive through the vineyards and lucerne fields is
recommended. Groups of 20 or more can enjoy a special spit-roasted sheep, together with
home-baked bread, traditional deserts and locally produced wines. Meals must be reserved
in advance.
Keimoes:
This attractive little village in the green Orange River Valley occupies a major
agricultural region. Giant waterwheels are still in operation. The Tierberg Nature Garden
is notable for prodigious numbers of aloes and a panoramic view of the Keimoes Valley.
Wine tasting and tours are offered at the Orange River Wine Cellars Co-operative.
Kenhardt:
The oldest town in the Lower Orange region is notable for a large quiver tree forest
nearby and huge nest of sociable weaver birds. Visitors can follow the Verneuk Pan Tourist
Route which leads to the remains of a Bushman settlement at Bitterputs.
Upington:
Upington developed from a Dutch Reformed mission station founded in the 1870s. Situated on
the main road to Namibia, Upington's central location means that it's within easy reach of
motorists traveling to the Augrabies Falls, the Kalarhari Gemsbok National Park and
Namibia. Besides providing a comfortable overnight stop, the prosperous town of Upington
has several other attractions. Boating and angling are popular, and there are a number of
sports facilities. The Orange River Wine Cellars is the largest wine co-operative in South
Africa. The South African Dried Fruit Co-operative covers an area of more than two
hectares. Here, all of South Africa's dried sultanas (some 250 tons) are processed,
laser-scanned and packed for export.
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. Klipspringer and Quiver trees stand in stark
silhouette against the African sky, silent sentinels in a strangely unique environment
where only those that are able to adapt ultimately survive. The 28 000 hectares on both
the northern and southern sides of the Orange River provide sanctuary to a diversity of
species, from the very smallest succulents, birds and reptiles to springbok,
gemsbok
and the endangered black rhino.
Temperature fluctuations in the region have resulted in unique adaptations in animals. The
animals in Augrabies can survive in extreme high and low temperatures. Smaller animals
make use of whatever shade is available as well as burrows, rock crevices and fallen
trees. The types of animals that have made these adaptations are the slender mongoose, the
yellow mongoose, and rock dassies. An interesting mammal found in Augrabies is the cape
clawless otter, their presence in the park indicates that the river ecosystem is
relatively healthy. The giraffes found in
Augrabies are lighter in colour than those found in the regions of the east, as a counter
measure for the extreme heat. One of the most often seen antelope is the klipspringer,
which are often seen in pairs. Other antelope found in the park are steenbok, springbok,
gemsbok, kudu and eland. Predators in Augrabies come in the form of leopard,
black backed jackals, caracal, the bat-eared fox, and the African wild cat.
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is
situated approximately 250 km from Upington in the far northern Cape and 904 km from
Johannesburg. Africa's first formally declared trans-border conservation area, the
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, on the border of South Africa and Botswana, the Kgalagadi
Transfrontier Park is located in Kgalagadi District approximately 865km south-west of
Gaborone. The combined land area of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is +/- 38,000 km˛ of
which 28,400 km˛ lies in Botswana and 9,600 km˛ lies in South Africa. The absence of
man-made barriers (except to the west and south of the Park) has provided a conservation
area large enough to maintain examples of two ecological processes that were once
widespread in the savannahs and grasslands of Africa. The large scale migratory movements
of wild ungulates; and predation by large mammalian carnivores. These processes are
impossible to maintain except in the largest of areas, and their presence in the Kalahari
makes the system of special value to conservation.
Because of the sparse vegetation and concentration of animals in the dry riverbeds of the
Auob and Nossob Rivers, Kgalagadi offers premium mammal viewing destinations anywhere. It
is especially renowned for predator watching and for the seasonal movement of large
herbivores such as blue wildebeest, springbok, eland and red hartebeest. Ground Squirrel
and Suricate (Meerkat) are two more of the park’s more prominent species. Both these
ground dwelling species live in large family groups for added protection and can easily be
seen throughout the park. Excellent chances of seeing cheetah, leopard, brown and spotted
hyena and the definitive black-maned lion exist.
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 reserve is worth a visit not only for its game, but also for the dazzling
flower carpets covering its sandy plains after the summer rains each year. Game species
include red hartebeest, eland, zebra, gemsbok, steenbok and large herds of springbok.
Typical bird species found
here are ostrich, kori bustard and Namaqua sandgrouse. Visitors can travel on good gravel
roads while watching game. For the more energetic there are three hiking trails, varying
in length, with an overnight hut. At Spitskop (the koppie) there is a sheltered viewpoint
equipped with a telescope. |
