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.
Nature
The Green Kalahari is a world full of wonders and
contrasts. Here is where the lush green vineyards
stand proud in the valley bearing magical fruits not
far from where the magestic Orange River thunders
into a deep granite gorge to create the mighty Augrabies
Falls.
It’s
a land of genuine natural beauty where the lions and
the leopard, cheetah, gemsbok, springbok, and hyena
roam free through beckoning bushman grass, camel thorn
and shepherd trees. As you enter this land, you will
soon understand and come to appreciate the land we
call the Green Kalahari.
History
The history of the Southern Kalahari blends with the
history of the people. The San (also known as the
Bushmen) are Southern Africa’s original inhabitants.
Many years ago, these hunter-gatherer people roamed
the plains of the Southern Kalahari managing to live
happily in these harsh landscapes. Today, there are
only a few San people living near the Kalahari Gemsbok
National Park. Their ancestors have left behind many
unique attractions detailing their lives and hunting
antics. These include the remains of permanent settlements
on the farm Bitterputs in the Verneuk Pan near the
town Kenhardt as well as many fascinating cave drawings
and engravings.
Other
historical attractions include Schröder’s
and other old mission churches, his original home,
the first water-driven mill, hand-built irrigation
tunnels, waterwheels, an Egyptian-styled hydro power
transformer station, a historical camel thorn tree
under which the first town in the region was found,
war graves as well as a date palm avenue in Upington.
The Green Kalahari is a word that provokes both the
traveller’s imagination and emotions. It’s
a completely different world boasting huge vistas,
climatic extremes and fascinating adaptations to harsh
conditions. Nowhere else in South Africa is the build-up
of a thunderstorm as beautiful and dramatic.
Activities
Life
in the green Kalahari is not only provided by the
rare and strange plants, animal life or vineyards
but also comes in a package full of sunlit travel
delights. These include camel
back trips,
thrilling white water rafting, parasailing
on the many pans in the region, as
well as a spectacular afternoon microlight
glides above the undulating red dunes
and jagged mountains of Riemvasmaak and the Mier Kalahari
with its 35 to 40 meters high sand dunes. There is
plenty to do and see here and something for all different
tastes. For the less adventurous traveller one can
explore the abundance of hiking
trails or enjoy canoeing,
mountain biking, bird watching, game drives in
the national and many exquisite private game reserves,
camping and fly-in safaris.
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