Springbok is the capital of Namaqualand. There is only one main road north from Cape Town to Namibia and Springbok is the last major town on the road before the border which is hundreds of kilometres away. Springbok was named due to the large herds of springbok which used to pass through the arid valley to drink water from the spring. The herds were driven away when copper resources were discovered near the small settlement.
In the centre of the town is a small ‘koppie’ or hill which shows off the flora found predominantly in this area. Today the area is called 'The Garden of the Gods' as Springbok falls into the wildflower region and each year around September the lifeless scrubland explodes into colour with thousands of flowers. The weather here is hot but blissful with an average 300 days of sun a year. Springbok is peaceful and a colorful town enfolded in a vast expanse of space and silence.
