| Granite outcrops characterize the topography of Namaqualand with large round or flat exposed rock separated by sandy alluvial valleys. It is situated some 495 km from Cape Town off the N7 route to Namibia, and 67 km from the town of Springbok in the north. The Richtersveld part of Namakwaland is a good example of one of the most interesting mega-ecosystems of the world. There is no desert flora on earth possessing similar species richness and individuality of flora. The Richtersveld Mountain Desert is one of the most remote and isolated places in South Africa. With rugged mountain ranges and interspersed wide sandy plains, this near lunar landscape contains a unrivalled variety of strange and unique botany and flora species This is a harsh and unpredictable land where water is scarce and life-sustaining moisture comes in the form of early morning fog - called 'Ihuries' or 'Malmokkies' by the local people - which rolls in from the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, sustaining a remarkable range of small reptiles, birds and mammals.
A staggering assortment of plant life, some species occurring nowhere else, is to be found here … Two trees are particularly associated with the Richtersveld: the bastard Quiver Tree and the "Halfmens" (half-human), Pachypodium Namakwanum Enjoy the mysterious Diamond Coast between Kleinzee and Koingnaas with the friendly people of De Beers - Namakwaland Mines.
A visit to this unspoilt part of the West Coast with its natural beauty, fauna and flora and cultural diversity will be an unforgettable experience. Diamond mining started in 1927 on the farm Kleyne Zee after Jack Carstens discovered diamonds on the farm the previous year. Kleinzee has since evolved into a modern town serving one of the world's foremost alluvial diamond mines. Make time to visit the unspoilt part of the West Coast with its natural beauty, fauna and flora and cultural diversity will be an unforgettable experience. This Shipwreck Coastal Trail is 37km of 4x4 fun! Over the years the stormy Atlantic Ocean has prevented many ships from completing their voyages, sending them to final resting-places along the Namakwa Coast. During early August and September, seemingly overnight, the dusty valleys of Namaqualand are transformed into a wonderland, carpeted with wildflowers. With its winter rainfall, Namaqualand is home to the richest bulb flora of any arid region in the world and more than a 1 000 of its estimated 3 500 plant species are found nowhere else on earth. Escape to the land of contrasts, where the rigorous climate has created a myriad of life forms superbly adapted to their specific habitat. Fields of flowers, star studded nights, quiver trees, enormous granite outcrops and the icy Atlantic are but a few wonders that await the visitor to what is truly the Creators’ playground. |
