Production in the Northern Cape of South Africa

The Northern Cape has a very simple payoff word – ‘Real’. And that one word powerfully describes what the biggest province in South Africa really is. What you see is what you get. And there is a lot to see, with amazing geographic, geological and cultural variance and diversity. Stretching from the Kalahari desert in the north of South Africa down almost to the Cape Fold Mountains at the foot of the African continent, and stretching up the West Coast of South Africa, the Northern Cape is not only the largest province in South Africa (a staggering 373 000 square kilometres) it is also by far the least populated – home to only 2% of the total country population. Giving you a whole lot of REAL with very little interruption!

Fact Sheet

Road Access : Northern Cape is easily accessible by road from Johannesburg or Cape Town with a good network of roads in good condition – but remember it is a BIG province, so expect to do lots of driving.

Air Access : there are two major regional airports in Upington and Kimberley – regular flights but they are not serviced by the low cost carriers, so they are not the cheapest.

Weather : this is desert, people, so expect arid and semi-arid all around, with very little rainfall and – lest we forget – HOT (they have a town called Hotazel for a reason). Winters can get really chilly in the evenings – Sutherland is arguably the coldest place in South Africa, with an AVERAGE minimum temperature in winter of -6 degrees!

Communication : Mobile coverage is adequate, but will not set the world on fire. Expect mobile signal in most areas, but accept that there will be areas where there will be nothing.

Infrastructure : Most larger towns will provide adequate support for film crews with accommodation, supplies etc. but do not expect bells and whistles – we take as much essential equipment in with us .

Reasons to consider Northern Cape for your next location

Deserts and Pans – the Kalahari stretched down through Namibia and Botswana into the Northern Cape – characterised by beautiful red dunes and massive salt pans (the location for past and planned World Land Speed Records.
The First People – the Northern Cape is home to both the Khoi and San – referred to as the Khoisan but are very different anthropological groupings with fascinating cultural roots. The Khoi are predominantly pastoral, and the San are traditionally hunter gatherers.
Stars and Meerkats – the clear skies of the Northern Cape are renowned for the amazing solar access with astronomical treasures uncovered daily. And Sutherland is the epicentre of that, with one of the world’s largest telescope (SALT) and a host to dozens of international research bodies and collaborations. It is also why South Africa successfully bid to host the ground-breaking (or heaven-breaking) Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Project – and international collaboration to build the world’s largest radio telescope.
The Richtersveld – proclaimed a World Heritage Site in 2007 – a hauntingly beautiful but treacherous ‘Mountain Desert’ with massive mountains and valleys in the north west corner of the Northern Cape. Home to the Nama clan of the Khoi People it graduates dramatically from flat, sandy, coastal plains, to craggy sharp mountains of volcanic rock – with the lush Orange River snaking through it.
South Africa’s Green Spine – the Orange River is South Africa’s longest river (over 2000 kms) with its source in the mountains of Lesotho. Besides playing a critical role in the South African economy (agriculture, hydro-electric power) it is dubbed the Green Spine because of the stunning contrast between its lush green path through the arid desert of the Northern Cape – a lifeblood to the communities it passes through.
Diamonds – the Northern Cape is home to Kimberley (the capital city) – with considerable historical significance related to the diamond mining that became the bedrock of the economic growth of the country, and the Anglo Boer War. It was also, ironically, the diamond-rich Kimberlite pipes that yielded the alluvial diamonds – over billions of years – that washed into the Orange River and eventually created the Namibian diamond industry.

If anything you have read here pushes a button as a location for an upcoming project – or if you want us to find a story in this vast, arid wonderland, give us a call. We would love to partner you in unlocking this amazing Province.

From a Tourism Perspective:

Bezalel Brandy & Wine estate which offers a garden café and brewhouse as well as tasting rooms and can be transformed into a glorious wedding venue with accommodation.
Tankwa Karoo National Park near Jakkalsfontein which offers 4x4ing, accommodation, self game driving and scenic viewpoints.
Augrabies Falls National Park near Kakamas along the N14 is situated along the banks of the Orange River about 100km from Upington. It offers immense canyon type scapes with a large waterfall and waterway that hosts canoe trails and multi-day river rafting trips.
The Kalahari Red Dunes and Giraffes
Sutherland, a mecca for star gazing fans. It is home to the world-renowned South African Astronomical Observatory which houses ten telescopes, one of which is SALT (South African Largest Telescope) which can observe a candle flame on the moon.
Angling in the Lower Vaal and Riet Rivers are renowned for world class catches of largemouth and smallmouth yellow-fish
Goegap Nature Reserve near Springbok hosts over 600 species of indigenous plants, 45 mammal and 94 bird species. It is over 7000 hectares of space and a mecca for 4x4ing.
Namaqua National Park near Soebatsfontein close to the coast is the place to witness an immense carpet of multi-coloured flowers during springtime around August – September.