vanrhynsdorp

Vanrhynsdorp situated in the folds of the towering Matzikamma and Gifberg Mountains on the N7, 300 km north of Cape Town, en route to Namibia is the heart of the three botanical kingdoms that converge here, namely the Nama-Karoo vegetation, Knersvlakte succulents and Cape fynbos in the mountains.

Here is the start of the the vast, semi-desert Nama Karoo, with its typical vegetation of succulents and semi-arid climate, and Vanrhynsdorp is home to a succulent nursery that is the largest of its kind in the world.

Vanrhynsdorp is in administrative terms part of the Western Cape, but geographically, Vanrhynsdorp is part of the Namaqualand and is the hub of the flower routes.

For a short time every year (after good winter rains, around August to September) the countryside here erupts into a show of colour as spans of wildflowers bloom. This botanical diversity every spring (Sept - Nov), makes Vanrhynsdorp an ideal base from which the Namaqualand flower areas may be explored.

If you desire to lie back and watch dramatic stars sweep in majestic grandeur across a black velvet sky or yearn for a space so vast that the horizon disappears into forever, then Vanrhynsdorp is your destination.

Namaqualand possesses the mystique of timelessness that infuses the air with a champagne clarity of thought and a delicious sense of wellbeing. One can almost hear the sound of silence.

Vanrhynsdorp was officially founded as Trutro (Troe-Troe) and was later changed to Van Rhijnsdorp. If you want to explore the Olifant´s River Valley, Cederberg, the Karoo mountains and wilderness area or the Namaqualand, Vanrhynsdorp is the ideal village to use as a base. Vanrhynsdorp has a distinct Victorian character and offers a wide range of attractions, from those that are culturally and historically interesting to exciting eco-experiences.