The N12 Route branches off of the N1 at Three Sisters and is the gateway to the maize and gold fields of the North West. Also known as the Karoo’s Diamond Way, the route twists its way through rocky hills and harsh arid terrain roughly following the course of the Soutrivier. The semi-desert landscape is dotted with occasional peppercorn trees which provide welcome stopping opportunities for the motorist en route to the oasis town of Victoria West.

Victoria West

The Karoo wool producing town of Victoria West was founded in 1843.
The town is relatively small yet it possesses attributes that some larger towns and cities don’t have, namely tradition, a long history and an atmosphere of pride and friendliness.
The second Standard Bank in South Africa was opened here in 1856.
This bank, although in a new building, is still in existence today and the signatures of the first stock holders appear on a piece of pig skin several metres long.
This pig skin along with other notable Stone Age exhibits
and remarkable fossil fish can be viewed at the interesting museum.
Arguably one of the most historical, yet tragic events in the history of Victoria West
was the great flood of 1909. The combined casualties of the 1871 and 1909 floods led to the
construction of the dam wall which was completed  in 1918.
This” little” Karoo town also boasts the only very early Art Decco bioscope in the country
called “the Apollo”.

Last Resort, Victoria West

A gem of a place in the quiet and peaceful little Karoo town of Victoria West where “a traffic jam is 4 cars going in different directions!” as quoted by the friendly and warm owner Liz van der Merwe.

Last Resort is a self-catering establishment situated on a large smallholding bordering a nature reserve amongst koppies, 100m from the Loxton road which takes you to Carnarvon at the border of the Hantam and Tankwa Karoo.
Accommodation: Two self-catering units apart from the main house.  One offers accommodation for 2 adults and 2 children with shower, toilet etc. and a kitchen.  The chalet, which once was a dam, has a large room with double bed and single bed, and is fully equipped for self-catering.  Both units provide  coffee, tea, milk, cereals and homemade rusks. Breakfast and lunch can be provided on request. 2 En-suite bedrooms in main house on Bed and Breakfast basis for family of 3 with double bedroom and single bedroom. Pets welcome. Lots of off-road parking right next to the units in a very safe environment.
Activities: There is a golf course and museum in town.
Directions: Last Resort is approximately 2kms from the last house outside of Victoria West town at Kapoksfontein on the road to Loxton (going west).
Liz will have many historic tales to share with you during your stay, she’s also known as the “Karoo Doll Restorer”  and repairs and restores antique dolls dressing them with authentic early materials. There is a shop in Victoria West displaying her work.

Tel: +27 (0)74 102 6564	e-mail: deestates@gmail.com Last Resort at Kapoksfontein

Melton Wold Guest Farm, Victoria West

A photographer and nature lovers dream with 210 different bird species as well as fossil remains that make this a wonderful destination in the middle of the Great Karoo. Willem and Ronel will welcome you and their staff will provide scrumptious feasts around a log fire under the clear Karoo sky.

Melton Wold is centrally situated in the middle of the Great Karoo in a wide valley north of the Nuweveld Mountains in the catchment area of the Brak River. There is an interesting history to this Karoo farm on which the guest house is situated.
Accommodation: consists of a guest house with single, double and family rooms and is provided in an enlarged farm house, the main part of which dates back to 1889. Eighteen of the twenty-three rooms are en suite. Die Kliphuis is situated approx. 6kms from the guest house, there is no electricity but candles, gas geyser, gas plates, outdoor braai and linen is supplied. There is also a Caravan Park and grassed Camping sites available.
Activities: Comfortable lounge and ladies bar, outdoor boma, games room, tennis court, bowling green and trampoline as well as swimming, mountain bike rides and walks. They have 23 species of game and game drives are provided. Other activities are the Namaqualand Spring flowers and interesting points of the diamond route.
Directions: Melton Wold is situated 40kms from Victoria West on the Loxton Road (R63).On the N1 from Cape Town turn left at Three Sisters onto the N12 to Victoria West. At 4-way stop in Victoria West turn left. 40kms on Loxton road then turn left, 3kms on gravel road. From Johannesburg on the N1 towards Three Sisters then turn right onto the N12 to Victoria West and follow same directions.
Melton Wold Guest Farm is the perfect destination for conferences, family gatherings, birthdays and weddings and is located near the SKA Grounds in Carnarvon. Please note that there is no cellphone connectivity.

Tel: +27 (0)53 621 0906 or +27 (0)53 621 1912	e-mail: meltonwold@lantic.net Fax: +27 (0)53 621 0906 Melton Wold

Loxton, a quaint arboreal Karoo village

with many of its streets lined with cypresses, pear, pepper and beefwood trees is a true Karoo gem.
Originally the farm Phizantefontein, Loxton was bought from AE Loxton by the Dutch Reformed Church in 1899. Built to serve the sheep-farming community, it became a municipality in 1905. In March 1961, three-quarters of the town was destroyed by a flash-flood causing the dam above the town to burst.
Today Loxton is enjoying a period of revival and renewal.  New residents continue to arriving from various corners of South Africa and abroad, in search of a true Karoo Oasis. This they find in Loxton with its  fresh air, tranquillity and vast plains ready to be to explored. For many new residents Loxton is the promised land.
Old Karoo style buildings dating back to 1900’s are being restored to their original beauty. The unique stone Corbelled houses that are shaped like old-fashioned beehives are also found around Loxton. In fact, these dwellings only occur in a small area of the Karoo roughly between Loxton, Fraserburg, Williston, and Carnarvon. They were built from 1811 onwards by the early trekboers (migratory farmers) and due to the lack of other building materials, consist solely of local stone and have no supporting roof beams.
Further interesting activities in Loxton are the Karoo Water Sports Centre where locals gather on weekends to ski on a large farm dam, when the weather is good for it, the War Museum where you can see a collection of military vehicles.
Loxton is also the headquarters of the Riverine Rabbit Working Group, one of the two largest garlic-producing areas in the country and home to some of South Africa’s leading authors and novelists.

4-Seasons Guest House and Self Catering Cottage, Loxton

Swop the fast pace of the city for the peace, silence and soulful healing of the Great Karoo. Explore the nostalgia of Karoo villages from a bygone era and be mesmerised by some of the best stargazing in the world. Welcome to Loxton.

4-Seasons Guest House and Self Catering Cottage is situated in the heart of this quiet tree-lined Karoo town.
Accommodation: They offer 1 Luxury en-suite bedroom (bath) with an additional single bed, 1 Spacious double en-suite bedroom (shower), 1 Double bedroom with an additional single bed, large living room to unwind with DSTV, fully equipped dining room with tea and coffee facilities, continental breakfast offered.
The separate Self Catering Cottage sleeps 4 and offers 1 large room with double bed and 2 single beds, air-conditioner, bathroom with WC, basin, shower, fully equipped kitchenette including microwave, small living room with DSTV, all bathroom and bedroom amenities included.
Activities: Karoo Game Hunting on nearby farms (hunting season only), Hiking around Molteno Pass – Three Sisters, Cycling, Stargazing, Khoisan Rock Art engravings at Kafferskraal –  Taaibosfontein, Quad Bike, MotoX, Mountain Bike and 4×4 challenge over Easter at Rietpoort Farm, viewing of Corbelled Houses on various farms around Loxton, game viewing on farms in the area, day trips to interesting towns in area.
Directions: To get to 4-Seasons Guest House on the N1 from Beaufort West take the R381, go through Molteno Pass, follow road onto Loxton or on the N1 from Three Sisters take the N12 to Victoria West and then the R63 to Loxton.

Tel: +27(0)72 377 0602 or Cell: 076 682 8209	Fax: +27(0)21 855 2766 4-Seasons Guest House

Hopetown – The town that witnessed the first South African Diamond Rush

The first diamond discovered in South Africa was found at Hopetown. It was the 23,25 carat Eureka, and soon after its discovery the 83,5 carat Star of Africa was found nearby. It was the discovery of this second diamond which started the South African diamond rush.
A disgruntled local farmer decided “to blow some life back into the town” after the diamond rush dwindled, he claimed magnificent new finds on his farm and within three weeks 10 000 men “maddened by diamond fever” rushed back to Hopetown. This second boom was a flash in the pan. His sham was soon uncovered, he had salted his lands with diamondiferous ground. All he had managed to do was create “The Great Sucker Rush”.
Hopetown lies at the edge of the Great Karoo on an arid slope leading down to the Gariep (Orange) River. The Bushmen called this The Great River, “Nu Gariep”, as it carries 23 per cent of the total water run -off of South Africa to the sea.
Hopetown saw some action during the Anglo Boer War. A skirmish took place near the town at Houtkraal. Also, the old wagon route passed just north of town and the first bridge across the Gariep River was built along this route in 1871 to carry traffic to the Diamond Fields. The Bridge was destroyed by the Boers in 1901. There is also a blockhouse on the banks of the Gariep River.

Doornbult B & B, Hopetown

Discover “the jewel” of the Northern Karoo in the form of your friendly host whose passion for heritage and tourism will make this an interesting destination.

Doornbult is a Bed & Breakfast and self service establishment 8 kms out of Hopetown on the R369 tar road toward Orania.
Accommodation: 5 Rooms in total; 3 Rooms with double beds  (1 room with 1x double bed and 1 x single), 1 Room with 2 x single beds, 1 Room with single bed.
Activities: Visit the Anglo-Boer War concentration camp sites, Hiking routes, River rafting and Fishing.
Directions: From the N12 turn off at Hopetown onto the R369 towards Orania. 8 kms out of town on the right is a brown Doornbult sign board with a large ostrich on it, 2 kms gravel road to the house.

Tel.: +27(0)53 203 8105 Cell: +27 (0)78 067 7636 or +27(0)72 593 9101 Narinda (daughter)	e-mail: rinawiid@yahoo.com or narindawiid@gmail.com Fax: +27(0)53 203 8105