Kimberley is the capital of the Northern Cape and is home to the ‘Big Hole’. The ‘Big Hole’ is a hole made for diamond mining that is 170 000m² and 240m deep. The ‘Big Hole’ yielded 3 tons of diamonds and is the largest hand-dug excavation in the world.
Diamonds were first found in the area in 1866 when a gentleman named Erasmus Jacobs found a small white ‘pebble’ on the banks of the Orange River. The pebble turned out to be a 21.25 carat diamond.
Today, Kimberley is a modern city with broad, tree-lined streets, attractive parks and gardens, comfortable hotels and busy shopping centres. Visitors can see the mine and explore the Kimberley Mine Museum, situated next to the Big hole. The museum houses a rich collection of articles and information from the early days of the city. You can even experience the past by sifting through gravel to find your own diamond.
