There are several themes to explore on your trip to Upington: a monument, a decommissioned steam locomotive, a museum in historic buildings and a wine tasting. The cultural sites each offer a different perspective, while the tasting centre adds its own focus on wine.

Memorial Sites and Architectural History

In front of the Upington police station, the Camel and Rider Statue commemorates mounted police officers and their horses, who patrolled the harsh desert region. The memorial explicitly honours both people and animals. If you are interested in the history of these patrols, this monument offers a concrete starting point for the cultural side of your trip.

The decommissioned steam locomotive Grietjie stands at the railway station. It offers a different perspective from the monument: the focus here is a named piece of technology, rather than the memory of mounted patrols. The two sites also differ in the nature of their historical significance—Grietjie as a locomotive at the station, and the statue as a memorial to the patrols.

The Kalahari-Oranje Museum is housed in buildings that Reverend Schröder had constructed in 1875 as a church and mission station. The year refers to the construction of these buildings for their original purposes; today, they house the museum. The historical focus here is therefore on a building and its former use. This distinguishes its architectural history from the themes of the monument and locomotive, and offers another point of interest for culturally minded travellers.

Wine Tasting and Regional Information

The Orange River Cellars tasting centre is located in Upington. Visitors to the city and locals can taste wines there. If you would like to include a wine tasting in your trip alongside the cultural sites, this offers a distinct, specific focus. Check the centre’s current operating details before you travel.

The tasting centre also provides visitors with information about its wine range and tourist attractions in the Northern Cape. The tourist information relates to the wider travel region, while the wine tasting takes place at the centre in Upington. These two functions offer different perspectives: a specific reason to visit the city and information with a regional focus. If you are planning to travel beyond Upington, the information can help you find your way around the Northern Cape.

Choose Your Focus for the Trip

To help you decide, distinguish between the different interests: the statue commemorates the patrols, Grietjie is a named railway artefact, and the museum tells the history of a building formerly used as a church and mission station. Wine tasting offers its own focus, while the tourist information at the centre extends beyond Upington to the wider region. Decide which of these interests matter to you before looking for hotels in Upington.

Discover more destinations: Kakamas, Kanoneiland, De Rust

For the broader travel overview: Siyanda.