Page 747 - Where To Stay Travel Planner

ROUTES INTO NAMIBIA
NAMAQUALAND
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The route through the picturesque Namaqualand
and the valleys of wild flowers during spring surely
call for a stop.
Namaqualand is a rugged mountainous plateau that
overlooks a narrow, sandy coastal plain and the bleak
beaches of the West Coast. This coastal plain is an
important source for alluvial diamond mining by boats,
operating from small villages like Port Nolloth.
For most of the year, Namaqualand is dry and
windswept. This apparently inhospitable environment
produces, after enough rain, one of the world's
natural wonders. Spring explodes into wonderful
colours as far as the eye can see.
It is world-famous for these marvellous displays of wild
flowers and visitors from all over the world make annual
pilgrimages to experience its beauty.
The Cape Peninsula boasts the world renowned
Table Mountain, as well as the scenic natural
beauty of forests, rivers, sea and the world's
richest floral kingdom.
One of the world's most sought after destinations
lies at the tip of Africa.
The Peninsula prides itself on its scenic natural
beauty - forests, rivers, sea and mountains.
"The Fairest Cape" has a rich cultural history as is
represented by its Rainbow Nation. First inhabited by
the Khoi and San, the first European settlers arrived in
1652. Table Mountain became a sighting post and South
Africa's mother city, Cape Town, the stopover for fresh
fruit and vegetables on the long voyage between Europe
and the Dutch West Indies.