Keimoes welcomes you to the Green Kalahari Oasis
after a long and hot drive along arid landscapes.
Enter the lush and picturesque little town about
50 km southwest of Upington in the Northern
Cape where sultanas, other grape varieties,
lucerne, wheat and fruit are grown under irrigation
from the Orange River. Here they export the
grapes, press some of the grapes into wine and
spread the rest out on fields to let them dry
in the burning sun, to become raisins.
Be
amazed by the contrasting landscape, people
and quality of life as you enter.
The origin of this little oasis’s name
is in dispute. Legend has it that Klaas Lukas,
a Koranna river-people leader, established a
village on the banks of the Orange River near
the Tier Mountains. He called the village Keimoes
(mouse nest) after the colonies of mice living
there. A more probable origin lies in the Nama
words ‘gei’ (great) and ‘mus’
(fountain or eye).
There
are a few interesting attractions in the town.
- The
paddle wheel of the
old watermill is a particularly beautiful
setting for photographers, which still does
its work the traditional way, leading water
from the Orange River to the vineyards.
- The
Dutch Reformed mission
church, built in 1889, is now a national
monument.
- The
Tierberg Nature Reserve
lies 4 km from town on the road to Augrabies
Falls National Park. Teaming with springbok,
it covers 160ha and is noted for its many
aloes – mostly winter flowering.
- Spring
sees many succulents in full
flower. The most numerous species is
Aloe gariepensis. It is named after the Gariep
(the old Khoikhoi name for the Orange River).
At the summit of the reserve, there is a lookout
with a marvelous view across the Orange River
Valley.
- Wine
tasting and tours are also offered
at the Orange River Wine Cellars Co-operative’s
largest distillery in the lower Orange River
Valley.
- A
few kilometres north of the Orange River between
Kakamas and Keimoes a memorial
commemorates the First World War Battle of
Kakamas in 1915.
For
the more wild at heart Keimoes offer a variety
of water
sports, mountain biking and hiking trails, tubing,
canoeing and much more.
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