Kimberley Accommodation for the historically minded tourist

Kimberley's Victorian Guest Lodge is close enough to the Big Hole to offer a view of it, and the neighbouring house is an original miner's house (built entirely of corrigated iron); it's also not too far from the legendary Halfway House Pub on Du Toitspan Road (the first road in the world to be lit up by electricity after Philadelphia's roads). a pub steeped in history.

• The Half, as the Halfway House pub is affectionately known, is the only pub in the world where you can legally order and enjoy a drink without leaving your vehicle—or even your horse! This "park and drink" tradition reportedly started with Cecil John Rhodes, who preferred to take his drink while still astride his mount. In 1880, the pub was officially licensed to serve passing trade in their vehicles, making it a truly unique watering hole.
• Established in 1872, the pub was strategically positioned halfway between the Du Toitspan and New Rush (later Kimberley) diamond mines, catering to thirsty miners during the 1870s diamond rush. It became a hub for fortune hunters, including notable figures like Cecil John Rhodes and Barney Barnato, in a shanty town that swelled to 50,000 people within a year of the diamond discovery at Colesberg Kopje.
• he Half was relocated to its current site on Du Toitspan Road, because Cecsil John Rhodes wanted to build a sanatorium on its original spot; the Kimberley Sanatorium was built in 1897
• The pub has hosted an array of illustrious patrons over its 150+ years, from early diamond rush pioneers to modern visitors. Its walls could tell tales of deals struck and fortunes dreamed up by some of South Africa’s most influential figures during the diamond boom.
• The Halfway House captures the raw energy of Kimberley’s Victorian heyday, when the city had more pubs than pharmacies or churches due to a lack of natural water and a digger’s love for a pint. It stands as a living relic of a time when Kimberley was the wild heart of the diamond trade.

The Victorian Guest Lodge looks Victorian but was built only about 30 years; and they had to build it in a Victorian style as it is in the Big Hole area - the same applied to the building of the Jewel Box and Protea Hotel. The nearby McGregor Museum, just a short walk away from the Victorian Lodge, focuses on the Siege of Kimberley, where the city was besieged for 124 days during the Anglo-Boer War.

Vooruitzigt to the electric future

• Before the discovery of diamonds the area then called "Vooruitzigt" (translates to "forward view") was sparsely populated and the open veld used for grazing livestock by trekboers and for the seasonal migrations of indigenous groups; with there also being a missionary presence.
• In 1869, a Griqua shepherd found an 83.5-carat diamond near Kimberley, later named the Star of South Africa. Sold initially for £11,200 and resold in London for £25,000, this discovery on the banks of the Orange River ear the Vaal River triggered the famous "New Rush" in 1871.
  • The Star of South Africa diamond was found near the Vaal River, approximately 30–40 km from Kimberley. Jonkershoek Guest Farm, 35 km from the Big Hole, may be the closest option. This guest farm offers a true rural escape with air-conditioned rooms and a pool. Guests praise the peaceful setting, garden access, and authentic farm atmosphere. This farm offers access to rural landscapes suitable for hiking; and to get a feel for what this area was like in the Vooruitzigt days.
• In 1882, fueled by its new wealth, Kimberley became the 2nd town in the world after Philadelphia to install electric street lighting, (in "Du Toitspan Road").
  • The Victorian Guest Lodge is located near Du Toitspan Road, this lodge is lauded for its historical charm and proximity to key attractions like the Big Hole. The Victorian Guest Lodge is the closest not just to the Big Hole but also to the legendary Halfway House Pub on Du Toitspan Road. Located directly across from the Big Hole, this lodge is praised for its prime location. Guests note the restored Victorian charm, air-conditioned rooms, and friendly service, though some mention traffic noise as a minor drawback. Its proximity makes it ideal for exploring the Big Hole and Kimberley Mine Museum. The Halfway House Pub on Du Toitspan Road is a popular nightlife venue.
• Today Kimberley is home to a massive hand-dug excavations - The Big Hole (die "groot gat"; which sounds worse in Afrikaans!)- dug during the diamond rush from 1871 to 1914, when 50,000 miners using only picks and shovels dug out 23 million tons of earth, yielding 2,722 kg of diamonds. The hole is 463m wide and was dug to a depth of 240m

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Kimberley before the diamonds

Before the discovery of diamonds the area then called "Vooruitzigt" that would become Kimberley, was a sparsely populated, semi-arid region primarily inhabited by indigenous groups, including the Tswana and Khoisan peoples. The limited water sources, made it suitable for nomadic pastoralism rather than intensive settlement.

The region was used by Boer farmers and indigenous communities for grazing livestock, such as cattle and sheep, due to its open veld. The Griqua people, under leaders like Adam Kok III, also claimed parts of the area, which fell within the broader Griqualand West territory. The minimal European presence consisted of trekboers (migratory farmers) and missionaries, such as those from the London Missionary Society, who established outposts like Kuruman nearby.

Life was simple and rural, with no significant urban development. The area lacked infrastructure, and economic activity revolved around subsistence farming, hunting, and trade in goods like ostrich feathers and ivory. Social structures were tribal or communal, with indigenous groups maintaining their cultural practices and seasonal migrations. The region was largely overlooked by colonial authorities until 1867.

Other than the Groot Gat

Kimberley is not just about seeing the Big Hole, there's also the Honoured Dead Memorial, the Sol Plaatjie Museum, the Kamfers Dam, the Ghost Trail and the Mokala National Park.

Intercity buses to Kimberley

Intercape and Big Sky Intercity buses from:

• Beaufort West to Kimberley
• Cape Town to Kimberley
  • Also see Kimberley to Cape Town for the way home
• Durban to Kimberley
• Eastern Cape to Kimberley
  • East London to Kimberley
  • Mthatha to Kimberley
  • Port Elizabeth to Kimberley
  • Queenstown to Kimberley
  • Uitenhage to Kimberley
• Gauteng to Kimberley
  • Midrand to Kimberley
  • Johannesburg Park Station to Kimberley
  • Pretoria to Kimberley
• Welkom to Kimberley
• Winburg to Kimberley

To get back home see our Intercape buses from Kimberley page.

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