Hopetown, Upper Karoo
The first diamond discovered in South Africa was found at Hopetown. It was the 23,25 carat Eureka, and soon after its discovery the 83,5 carat Star of Africa was found nearby. It was the discovery of this second diamond which started the great South African diamond rush.
Hopetown lies at the edge of the Great Karoo on an arid slope leading down to the Orange River, named by the great explorer Colonel Robert Gordon in honour of William Prince of Orange. The Bushmen called this The Great River, "Nu Gariep", as it carries 23 per cent of the total water run -off of South Africa to the sea. Hopetown serves the surrounding fruit, stock, wheat and potato farms. The Gazella Game Reserve, on the banks of the Orange River, provides sanctuary for gemsbok, eland, kudu and springbok.
The ultimate outdoor experience in the vicinity includes white water rafting, game-viewing, bird-watching and hiking.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Witgatboom Verblyf
Witgatboom Verblyf is a self-catering holiday house in Hopetown, located in a game camp on a working sheep and game farm, in the heart of the Bo-...
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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