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 The Kalahari Gemsbok National
park
The Kalahari Gemsbok National park with its distinctive red dunes, is one of the Northern Cape’s
jewels. It lies in the remote northwestern corner of South Africa and is one of the largest protected areas in all of Africa, over 953 000 ha, joining the Gemsbok National Park of Botswana. It is also part of the Peace Park concept, allowing for the free movement of animals across national boundaries. As the name suggests, it is
 home of the rapier-horned gemsbok, as well as the delicate springbok, red hartebeest, blue wildebeest, Burchell’s zebra, eland, steenbok, common or gray duiker, aardwolf, and the rare black-maned Kalahari lion, brown hyenas, cheetahs, and bat-eared foxes. In 1990, 87 years after the last giraffe had been shot at Kameelsleep in the Nossob River, giraffe
 were re-introduced to this part of the country. It is one of the last strongholds of vultures and eagles, excellent for watching red-necked falcon and
bateleur.
Activities
Pay a visit to the Kuruman Kalahari Rapto Rehabilitation Center, and The Eye, largest natural fountain in the southern hemisphere; roaring sands of Witsand,
Game–viewing, scenery, bird-watching (raptors), four-wheel-drive trials.
The Richtersveld National Park
The Richtersveld National Park is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts who want to get away from it all. It is barren, desolate, and hauntingly beautiful, and it is the only mountainous desert area in the country. It has a wealth of succulents, such as the ‘halfmens’ (elephant’s trunk) with its crown that always points north, and desert flowers. It is the property of the Nama people, descendants of the Khoikhoi, and they continue with livestock farming in that area. Numbers of visitors are restricted to a maximum of three vehicles (4X4 only), and 12 people.
Activities
Guided hikes of varying degrees of difficulty, 4X4 trials, various camp sites. You can canoe down the Orange River and appreciate the scenery and abundant
birdlife.
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