Upington, South Africa Tourism

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the railroad line from De Aar to Namibia and is an important road junction point - many visitors stop over here on the way to Namibia, the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (240km/150mi north) or the Augrabies Falls (130km/80mi west).

The town is the commercial and agricultural center of the northwestern part of the Northern Cape Province. The Orange River, with a perennial flow, supplies water for the irrigation of an extensive agricultural area. The main crops are cotton, dates, table grapes and other kinds of fruit, much of it marketed as dried fruit. The South African Dried Fruit Cooperative has the second largest and the most modern fruit-processing plant in the world (conducted tours).

The town - named after Sir Thomas Upington, prime minister of the Cape Colony from 1884 to 1886 - developed out of a mission station established in 1871. The early missionaries created an irrigation system which provided a basis for the rapid growth and prosperity of the town.

Upington is a surprisingly green town, with broad streets, many shops and trim residential districts.

Olyvenhoutdrift, an island in the Orange River, is now a holiday center, with a camping site, various categories of accommodation for visitors and a variety of sports facilities.