Kimberley Travel Guide: The Big Hole & Diamond City by Rail

Kimberley, capital of South Africa’s vast Northern Cape province, is the city that diamonds built. In 1871 prospectors found diamonds on a low hill called Colesberg Kopje, and within months a tent camp of tens of thousands of diggers had sprung up on the dry Highveld plains. That hill was dug away by hand until it became the Big Hole, one of the largest hand-excavated holes on earth, and the mining camp around it grew into a city of grand sandstone buildings, wide streets and some of the most famous fortunes in history. Kimberley lies roughly 480 km southwest of Johannesburg and about 960 km northeast of Cape Town, almost exactly midway along the classic rail route between the two.

The town’s story is the story of modern South Africa in miniature: the De Beers company was consolidated here by Cecil Rhodes, Kimberley was among the first cities in the Southern Hemisphere to light its streets with electricity, and during the Anglo-Boer War it endured a four-month siege. For travellers on a luxury train journey between Pretoria and Cape Town, the Kimberley stop is a highlight — a chance to stand at the rim of the Big Hole, walk through a recreated diamond-rush town and feel the scale of the Karoo landscape that stretches away on every side.

What to see in Kimberley

• The Big Hole & Kimberley Mine Museum – Peer from the cantilevered viewing platform into the vast, water-filled crater that yielded nearly three tonnes of diamonds before mining stopped in 1914. The museum’s diamond vault displays famous stones and replicas, including a copy of the Eureka diamond.
• The Old Town – Beside the Big Hole, a reconstructed mining town of original and relocated buildings recreates the 1880s: a corrugated-iron church, a barber’s shop, a pub, a bank and a diamond buyer’s office.
• McGregor Museum – Housed in a former sanatorium in the leafy suburb of Belgravia where Cecil Rhodes stayed during the siege, the museum covers natural history, the Anglo-Boer War and the region’s ancient archaeology.
• Honoured Dead Memorial – A striking sandstone monument designed by Sir Herbert Baker to commemorate those who died defending the town during the siege, guarded by the locally made gun known as Long Cecil.
• William Humphreys Art Gallery – One of South Africa’s finest small galleries, with Dutch and Flemish old masters alongside South African painting and contemporary work.
• Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre – About 16 km outside the city, a short boardwalk trail leads past hundreds of ancient rock engravings on a sacred hill, interpreted by the San community who manage the site.
• Kimberley Heritage Tram – A vintage tram still rattles between the City Hall and the Big Hole, a charming reminder that Kimberley once had an extensive tram network.
• Magersfontein Battlefield – Roughly 30 km south of town, the hilltop site of a pivotal 1899 battle offers a small museum, memorials and sweeping views across the veld.

What to eat in Kimberley

The Northern Cape is sheep country, and Karoo lamb — grazed on wild herbs and bushes — is the dish to try, whether as slow-roasted leg, chops on the braai or a hearty potjiekos stew simmered in a three-legged iron pot. Boerewors sausage, biltong and droewors (dried sausage) are everywhere, and a plate of bobotie, the gently spiced minced-meat bake with an egg custard topping, is a true South African classic.

For something sweet, look for koeksisters (syrup-soaked plaited doughnuts), melktert (milk tart dusted with cinnamon) and vetkoek, fried dough served with mince or apricot jam. Wash it down with rooibos tea, a glass of wine from the Orange River valley — the country’s northernmost wine region — or a drink at the historic Halfway House Inn, a Kimberley institution where, legend has it, Cecil Rhodes was served on horseback.

Shopping & crafts

Kimberley remains a centre for diamond cutting and jewellery, and certified polished stones can be bought from licensed jewellers in town — always ask for certification and a receipt. Local craft markets and museum shops sell San-inspired artwork, beadwork, leather goods and books on the diamond rush and the Anglo-Boer War.

Best time to visit

The most comfortable seasons are autumn (March to May) and spring (September to November), when days are warm, skies are clear and evenings are mild. Summer brings heat that often passes 35°C along with dramatic afternoon thunderstorms, while winter (June to August) offers crisp, sunny days and frosty nights — perfect weather for exploring on foot, provided you pack a warm layer.

Good to know

• Kimberley Airport has regular domestic flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the city is a traditional stop on luxury rail journeys between Pretoria and Cape Town.
• The local currency is the South African rand; cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for markets and tips.
• The Northern Cape sun is intense year-round — bring a hat, sunscreen and water, especially at the open-air Big Hole and battlefield sites.
• Uncut diamonds may only be traded by licensed dealers in South Africa; buy polished, certified stones from reputable jewellers only.
• English is widely spoken alongside Afrikaans and Setswana, the most common local languages.

Palace Tours can build Kimberley into a Rovos Rail or Blue Train journey across South Africa, with pre- and post-tour stays in Cape Town, Pretoria or the safari lodges of the north. Call us on 1-800-724-5120 (US/Canada), WhatsApp +1-786-408-0610 or +1-609-580-1372 internationally.