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South Africa Travel + Tourism Guide: Kimberley

Kimberley, Northern Cape

City Guide I Tourist Office I Arrival I Accommodation I Entertainment I Internet Cafes

• capital of Northern Cape
• located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers
• historic center of the diamond industry
• under siege in the Anglo-Boer War
• population around 170,500
• located in the center of South Africa
• one of South Africa's safest cities

Kimberley occupies a special place in South Africa's history. It was here that diamonds were discovered in the mid-19th century. However, the place was not known as Kimberley at the time but was renamed after the British Colonial Secretary of the time, Lord Kimberley, who was not impressed with the town's ad hoc name of "New Rush."

Soon after the first diamond was discovered in 1866, thousands of prospectors had arrived and Kimberley grew into a town of some size and sophistication, with libraries, streetlights, and a tramway as well as gruesome murders and South Africa's first separated "location" for Blacks and Coloureds.

The hill where the diamonds were discovered soon became the Big Hole (pictured below) the largest hand-dug hole in the world. Between 1871 and 1914, 50,000 miners dug the hole with picks and shovels, uncovering 2,722ûkg of diamonds. During this time huge fortunes were made including that of the local De Beers brothers, Barney Barnato and Cecil Rhodes.

After a recent renovation, the Big Hole has become a tourist attraction included in a recommended tour organized by the Kimberley Mine Museum (Tel: 053 830 4417) with information on the history of the mine, a trip to a viewing platform at the edge, a reconstructed 1880s' mining camp from original buildings of the time and a visit to the De Beers diamond vault, where you can see the 616 diamond, the world's biggest 8-sided diamond.

A restored tram travels out from Market Square to the Big Hole.

Kimberley was also the site of a prolonged siege during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) and it is possible to visit the battlefields of Magersfontein, 32km south of the city, where the original Boer trenches still remain and there is a small museum with exhibits from the bloody battle, which saw the Boers cause devastation among the ranks of the High Brigade, the pride of the British army at the time.

Back in Kimberley, the Honoured Dead Memorial at the crossroads of Memorial Drive and Dalham Road is dedicated to the victims of the siege and in front of the memorial is "Long Cecil," a huge gun fired by the British in defence of the city. The Boers responded with a huge gun of their own "Long Tom," which ironically killed the American designer of Long Cecil.

The McGregor House Museum (Tel: 053 442 0099) in Belgravia was where Cecil Rhodes spent the siege and the historic Victorian-era mansion has more Anglo-Boer War exhibits. Belgravia, south west of the city center, was where the diamond magnates built their houses and the wonderful Halfway House Pub (Tel 053 831 6324) here dates from the late 19th century. Belgravia has a number of historic mansions dating from the 19th century that may be visited by appointment.

Around Market Square, where diamonds were once bought and sold, are the offices of De Beers and City Hall. South of here is the Kimberley Club, built in 1881 as a gentleman's club for the nouveau riche diamond magnates. A step-back in time, the club is full of fascinating features and still maintains a strict dress code and club rules. Across the road is the interesting Africana Library.

The CBD is situated around the Oppenheimer Memorial Gardens with its Diggers' Fountain depicting five bare-chested miners holding aloft a huge sieve. Harry Oppenheimer House (HOH) is a large skyscraper housing the De Beers Diamond Trading Company. Across the gardens from HOH is the excellent William Humpreys Art Gallery (Tel: 053 831 1724), possibly South Africa's best art gallery with European masters, contemporary South African art and San rock paintings. Nearby is the Duggan Cronin Gallery (Tel: 053 842 0099) with photographs from the 1920s and 1930s of traditional African life.

The Galeshewe Township is relatively unthreatening during the day and played a significant part in the freedom struggle. The house of Robert Sobukwe, the founder of the Pan-African Congress is here as is the home of Sol Plaatje, a founding father of the ANC.

Wildebeest Kuil, 15km from Kimberley on the road to Barkly West is an important San rock-art site with hundreds of engravings some dating back over a thousand years.

Tourist Offices

Diamantveld Visitor Centre (Tel: 053 832 7298) 121 Bultfontein Road.
Northern Cape Tourism Authority (Tel: 053 832 2656)

Getting To Kimberley

Air

Kimberley Airport (Tel: 053 861 4015) is 7km west of town on the N8 and has flights from Johannesburg (90 minutes). Take a taxi into town, there is no public transport connection.

Rail

The Shosholozameyl train service from Cape Town via Durban to Jo'burg stops in Kimberley as does the luxury Blue Train.

Bus

There are services to Pretoria and Johannesburg (7 hours), Bloemfontein (2 hours, 30 mins) and Cape Town (12 hours).

There are also international services to Harare, Zimbabwe (12 hours) and Lusaka, Zambia (24 hours).

Getting Around

The minibus taxi park is on the corner of Devenish Street and President Kruger Street.

Security

The South African government are aware that public safety is a major issue and are determined to increase the quantity and proficiency of the police force over the next couple of years. Use taxis to travel at night.

Car Hire

All the major car hire companies are well represented in all major cities and at the airports. Cheaper, less exclusive local companies also offer vehicles for hire.

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Accommodation

Featured Hotels in Kimberley

Protea Diamond Hotel - 3 Star Hotel

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Eating in Kimberley

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Drinking

Kimberley has a number of historic pubs dating from the "diamond rush" including the Halfway House Pub in Belgravia and a number of reconstructed saloons at the Big Hole.

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Internet Cafes in Kimberley

Small World Net Cafe (Tel: 053 831 3484), 42 Sydney Street.

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