Diamond Fields

The late 1800s saw the discovery of diamonds in places like Barkly West and Kimberley.  Overnight, tent cities sprang up and thousands of miners flocked to the area in search of riches.  Today, there is a living museum of the original ‘rush town’ has been recreated near the famous Big Hole - the largest hand-dug, open-cast mine in the world.  Here, visitors can get a glimpse into those turbulent days where fortunes, reputations and lives could be made ... or lost ... in a matter of minutes. 

Later, the area bore witness to  the Anglo-Boer War (1899 - 1902), with the town of Kimberley besieged by the Boers for four months.  The town is a treasure trove of historic buildings, memorials to Malay, African and San cultures, battlefields, mansions of former diamond magnates, libraries of African literature, golf museums, clubs and drill halls.

But these are 'modern' events in the area's rich archeological heritage - which reaches back across time to the very origins of humankind.

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Top 10 attractions:

• Diamonds & Destiny Visitor Centre, Kimberley
• The Big Hole, Kimberley
• William Humphreys Art Gallery of South African and San art.
• Mokala National Park (80 km south of Kimberley)
• Kamfers Dam - breeding ground for greater & lesser flamingos
• Flamingo Casino (next to Kimberley Golf Club)
• McGregor Museum of Natural History
• Barkly West Geological Museum
• The Kimberley Tramway
• Halfway House historic drive-through pub

For more info, visit Northern Cape Tourism