African Reservations

Rich in cultural history the towns origins date back to 1870 when it was founded as a mission station. Today Upington is a burgeoning hub of commercial activity with most of the commercial banks represented in its CBD. A well supported infrastructure with tarred roads, rail links and an airport. There are excellent medical facilities available in the town supported by outstanding medical practitioners and required supporting networks.

The mission station now houses the town museum, known as the Kalahari Orange Museum. The museum is also the home of a donkey statue, which recognizes the enormous contribution that this animal made to the development of the region during the pioneering days of the 19th Century.

It is the closest large centre to the Augrabies Falls, arguably the greatest of South African waterfalls. The landscape is very arid but the soil is fertile and crops such as fruit are grown in irrigated fields. The area is best known for its export-quality grapes, raisins and wines, which are cultivated on the rich flood plains of the Orange river.

Upington's most famous wines are produced by an organization generally know as Orange River Wine Cellars (OWC). The wines from OWC are exported, inter alia, to Europe and the USA. Dig a little deeper and you'll find privately owned cellars, producing quality red and white wines as well. Bezalel Dyasonsklip offers a variety of local treasures, such as low tanin red wines, 5 year old Pot-stilled brandy, a mampoer range and liquers. The Upington region accounts for more or less 40% of South Africa's grape exports.