Colesberg Snapshot
Be it childhood memories of melting tar or frost-bitten white lawns, chances are Colesberg is etched into your brain. While admittedly not a place one would necessarily explore in detail, this N1 dorp remains a vital junction and mid-point stop-over on the Cape to Jozi route. It’s a typical Groot Karoo dorp in appearance, with a NG spire towering above a patchwork of gleaming tin roofs, backed by those unique flat-top koppies. Colesberg's location on the banks of the Orange River served as an important centre during the Anglo Boer War and diamond rush - evidence of this past can be seen in the local museum, the historic buildings and surrounding battlefields. There’s a small spread of outdoor activities that bring you a little closer to the harsh beauty of the surrounding area - these include the Doornkloof Nature Reserve Hiking Trails, boat and barge cruises along the Orange River, and of course, that sense of eternal space one can only experience in this part of the world.
Things To Do
- Explore the town's many National Monuments, including the Colesberg-Kemper Museum, an interesting collection of local memorabilia and artifact.
- Visit a historic working sheep farm. This can be arranged at the Information Office in Murray Street.
- Take a walking tour of the town's historic sites.
- Take on some Karoo watersports at the Gariep dam, just over 50km away.
- Explore the surrounding landscape by mountain bike; various routes are available on nearby farms.
Where You'll Also Find Us
Arniston (Waenhuiskrans) • Barrydale • Beaufort West • Betty's Bay • Bonnievale • Bot River • Bredasdorp • Caledon • Calitzdorp • Cape Agulhas and Struisbaai • Cape Town area • Ceres • Citrusdal • Clanwilliam & Cederberg • Darling • De Rust • Franschhoek • Gansbaai • George • Grabouw & Elgin Valley • Greyton • Heidelberg • Hermanus • Knysna • Ladismith • Laingsburg • Lamberts Bay • Langebaan • Malgas • Matjiesfontein • McGregor • Montagu • Mossel Bay • Napier • Oudtshoorn • Paarl • Paternoster • Plettenberg Bay • Porterville • Prince Albert • Pringle Bay • Pringle Bay, Betty's Bay and Kleinmond • Riebeek West and Riebeek-Kasteel • Riversdale • Riviersonderend • Robertson • St Helena Bay • Stanford • Stilbaai • Strand, Gordon's Bay and Somerset West • Swellendam • Tulbagh • Uniondale • Velddrif • Vermaaklikheid • Wellington • Wilderness • Witsand • Worcester & Hex Valley • Yzerfontein • Baviaanskloof • Cape St Francis • Cape St Francis & St Francis Bay • East London • Graaff-Reinet • Hogsback • Jeffreys Bay • Makhanda (Grahamstown) • Middelburg • Nieu-Bethesda • Rhodes • Sutherland