Upington safaris, lodges and wildlife tours

A Hottentot chieftain, Klaas Lucas, realised the value of being able to write and read. He also knew that missionaries could help his people to acquire these skills, so in 1870 he appealed for the establishment of a mission station at Olyfenhoutsdrift (ford at the Olive wood trees). The Reverend Christian Schroder was sent up from Cape Town. Permission to establish the Olyfenhoutsdrift Mission was secured from Klaas Pofadder, who claimed ownership of the area. Consequently, building work began when foundations were laid in 1873. Pioneer settlers such as Japie Lutz and the Reverend Schroder were quick to realise the irrigation possibilities along the Orange River. They hand-dug the first irrigation canals in 1880 and some of them are still in use today.

The stark beauty of the Landscape touches one's soul and clearly calls for taking to the veld. Two of South Africa's greatest national parks Augrabies Waterfall and Kalahari Gemsbok National Parks, are just a few hours travelling from Upington. Meanwhile, Spitskop Nature Reserve is just 13km north of town. This small reserve provides sanctuary to herds of gemsbok, zebra, springbok, ostriches, eland, camel and wildebeest, which can be found all along a circle route.

One is constantly aware of the fact that all the activities in Upington are made possible by the Orange River with its great gift of a never-ending supply of water. Here one finds sultana and raisins, export grapes, champion wines, and cotton that can stand it's own on the world market. Visitors are welcome at the cotton grinney, at SA Dried Fruit Co-Operative where tons of raisins and sultanas are packed daily, and at the Orange River Wine Cellar Co-Operative- the second largest in the world- for cellar tours and wine tasting. Live-stock farming is of immense importance while the natural salt pans of the Kalahari produce high quality salt. Upington has various light industries for the processing of many of the region's produce.

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