Carnarvon, Upper Karoo
One of numerous little towns in the heart of the vast inland basin known as the Karoo, Carnarvon lies surrounded by the rather famous flat topped koppies of the Karee Mountains, west of Williston and directly north of Loxton.
These hills have become something of a landmark of the Northern Cape and people visit Carnarvon every year just to see them.
Carnarvon was originally known as the village of Harmsfontein, within a territory known as Schietfontein. This area was the site of a Rhenish mission station and the only source water in the vicinity. One needs this history to make sense of the town today, as many of the road names are of the early Rhenish missionaries – Alheit, Sterrenberg, Biesenbach, Stremme and Hartwig.
The beautiful NG church has been standing here since 1875, the original having been built using stone. And one of the main reasons for visiting Carnarvon is the little Karoo style buildings and corbelled houses.
Corbelled houses represent the first true north-west Karoo architectural style of building. These domed roofed buildings are made completely out of flat stones in a beehive-shape, built this way by the Trekboers because there was no wood for trusses. The only other evidence of such structures is in the Mediterranean parts of Europe.
Carnarvon also lays claim to the one fort in the region, atop its koppie, whilst the museum, now in an old church hall and worth a visit, lies right next to a corbelled house rebuilt as a monument.
Don't miss the Tortoise Reserve whilst in Carnarvon. Some sixty mountain tortoises live here, respond to their names, and will take treats from your hand. And the Carnarvon Hotel's Blikkiesbar is said to have a huge collection of whiskies and beer cans on display.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Dellville Country House
Dellville Country House is a working farm in the heart of the Great Karoo and offers guests the opportunity to reconnect with nature and discover...
Osfontein Guest Farm
Situated in Carnarvon in the Upper Karoo, Osfontein Guest Farm offers self catering accommodation in corbelled houses, an old stone shed and a tr...
Things to do in the area
Carnarvon Museum
The museum in Carnarvon was built as a community spot for the Dutch reformed Church in 1907 but was given to the municipality and converted into ...
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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