The small town of Richmond, Northern Cape, is situated on the N1 roughly half way between Cape Town and Johannesburg and equally half way between the two major Karoo towns of Colesberg and Beaufort West. Placed in the heart of the Great Karoo Desert, which the locals like to describe as the World's best developed desert, Richmond is ideally situated as the perfect stop over but perhaps more as a point of departure to explore the wonders of the Karoo.
The area surrounding Richmond is blessed with miles and miles of remote and stunningly beautiful mountains, and plains upon which Springboks in their teeming millions grazed only a century ago. Now most sheep farmers keep herds of these beautiful animals in addition to Kudu, Gemsbok, Blesbok, and Hartebeest. The grazing on the vast veldt surrounding Richmond is very good so the world famous "Karoo lamb" meal is a must whilst in town. Most of the guest houses and restaurants in Richmond will be happy to oblige the traveller with a well cooked Karoo lamb choppie!
The climate of Richmond makes it a superb place to live, whether, permanently as does the resident population or as a place to keep a dorp huis as is becoming ever more popular with South African city dwellers. Summers are warm sunny and dry with the odd shower to make the locals happy. Winters are cool and can be down right cold at times, with snow common in the surrounding mountains. Winters are however the ideal time to sit near the fire place or perhaps the Aga stove with a cup of hot coffee and a good book.
Find a place to stay in this area. This is where you will find all types of places to stay from hotels to caravan parks, from bush lodges to backpackers. (photo by Evgeni Dinev)
