Discover Victoria West — gateway to the Upper Karoo, rich in history and scenic landscapes

Today, it’s a little quieter in Victoria West, as the major local industry is centred on the sheep farms that surround it. But for visitors it is the perfect launch pad for day trips around the Upper Karoo region. But first, Victoria West itself has a gem well worth exploring: the local museum.

Here you learn about the area, its inhabitants from the past, the Karoo Victorian era, the wars that swirled around it and some of the individuals who carved their names in local and international history. 

South Africa’s only original (restored) art deco movie theatre is here — the Apollo, home to occasional events.

The Victoria West Museum houses displays of fossilised fish, Stone Age implements, photographs of devastating floods from yesteryear and the story of one “Dutch” Hugo, a World War II flying ace in the RAF who was born and raised not far from this town.

Heading west out of town, we aim for the village of Loxton, an hour’s drive away on the R63. The centre of Loxton is where you’ll find the dressed-stone church and a cluster of eateries.

After lunch, we take a long walk through Loxton’s streets to see the gurgling water furrows and different Karoo-style homes that make it such a popular destination — and permanent dwelling. Writers and artists have come to Loxton and found their Muse — and the solitude needed to complete their various works. 

Weekenders love Loxton for its good heart, wide open spaces and sense of being a hideaway you’ll travel far to find. It used to be seen as a bit of an “old-age town” but has undergone a transformation in recent years. The value of simply sitting on your stoep and spending a long time watching a donkey clop its way down the main street has finally been recognised by the younger set.

Another interesting day trip from Victoria West is a visit to Vosburg, a true Karoo oasis just more than 100km to the northwest. Here, you’ll find another delightful Karoo village lost in time, with its dirt roads, shady lanes and dam, fed by a strong vein of underground water.

There are two great coffee shops there that serve beverages and light lunches (and where you can buy locally produced baked goods and preserves): Die Ketel and the Hoekwinkel Karoo Plek.

Take a walk through the streets. You can walk from one end of the village to the other in a fairly short time. Ask the verger at the massive church in the centre of town for a tour of the great building, if convenient.

About 35km south, on the N12, is where you will find a place called Three Sisters. It is not quite a settlement or town. But because it is at the major crossroads of the N1 and N12, there are a number of fuel service stations, restaurants, shops and accommodation options.

It is a beautiful drive, and the Three Sisters mountains are generally photogenic, no matter what the weather. They are reminiscent of the buttes or mesa formations in Mexico and the southern USA. The border line between the Northern Cape and Western Cape runs through one of the shops at Three Sisters.

Know before you go

Victoria West is at the crossroads of the R63 and the N12, and has long been an important travellers’ destination. It is a town that runs on agriculture and tourism. Some of the finest Karoo lamb comes from Victoria West and the entire district you’d be traversing.

One of the country’s major railway lines runs close by, at a settlement called Hutchinson. If you’re interested in Anglo-Boer blockhouses, there is a beautiful one not far from Victoria West.

Venture into a Farmer’s Agricultural Co-op. They offer interesting and tough clothing, and quite often, reasonably priced grocery items. DM

For an insider’s view on life in the South African heartland, get the Karoo Quartet set of books (Karoo Roads I-IV with black and white photographs) for only R960, including taxes and courier costs in South Africa. For more details, contact Julie at julie@karoospace.co.za