Kimberley

Kimberly is a picturesque city, rich with history and natural beauty. The city was found when diamond fragments were discovered on a flat-topped hill. This was to become the largest hand-dug excavation in the world: The Big Hole.

The capital city of the Northern Cape, Kimberly can be found on its eastern border, in the Diamond Fields Region, and is connected to most major South African cities by air, road and rail. This part of the province is hot and dry, but colossal thunderstorms cool the summer afternoons.

Kimberly is dotted with sites of major South African historical events. Surrounding the city are many memorials dedicated to those who died in the Anglo-Boer War. The house belonging to Sol Plaatje, a founding member of the ANC, has been turned into a museum and a national monument. The suburb of Belgravia contains 33 of the city's most historically significant sites.

Visitors to Kimberley can also enjoy the Kimberly Mine Museum and art gallery, The Cathedral of St Cyprian (which has the longest nave in South Africa), Market Square, and the William Humphries Art Gallery. Kimberly has a tram service which operates from 09.00 until 16.15 daily which takes visitors between the City Hall, the Big Hole, Star of the West pub and the Kimberly Mine Museum. Important historical sites are highlighted along the route.