Day 52: Wondergat – Kimberley – Riverside Country Club Modderrivier

The drive to Kimberley is a bit dull at first. Large farm areas, irrigated grain cultivation, pecan plantations, olive groves, pastures with large herds of cattle. It is getting greener, we are heading into spring. Jacaranda trees and other woody plants are blooming in the towns. As we move from the North West Province to the Free State, the landscape also changes, with hardly any cultivation, just the occasional cattle on steppe-like pastures and bushy land.

We wanted to go to Kimberly because of the largest hole dug by humans. The former mine is 240 m deep, and groundwater has flowed in around 40 meters high. Up to 50,000 people used to search for diamonds here. As claim owners or as wage laborers under the worst conditions. The tour is very informative, and the small museum rounds off the visit.

A side note: Although the brothers on whose farm the region's first large diamond was found were called De Beers, the De Beers diamond company was founded by Cecil Rhodes, who also had a hand in the game of power and money.

We end the day around 35 km south at the Riverside Country Club with a nice spot right on the river.