Direct Supply Network - Travel the World

Travel the World

Connect with Us!

Direct Supply Network on FacebookDirect Supply Network on TwitterDirect Supply Network on PinterestDirect Supply Network on Google PlusDirect Supply Network on TumblrDirect Supply Network on YouTube
  • Home
  • About
  • Media
  • Contact
  • Members Only

The Big Hole – Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa

Posted on 09.28.17

The Big Hole – Kimberley, Northern Cape, South AfricaA vacation to the Northern Cape would not be complete without a deviation from the planned itinerary – especially if it doesn’t include The Big Hole.

At one point in time, it was actually a hill with a flat top. Today, this hole is a whopping 705 feet deep. Its surface area is roughly 42 acres, with a perimeter just shy of a mile. If it were a natural wonder, it would still be amazing; however, The Big Hole of Kimberley is entirely made by man, and is the largest excavation project in the entire world to be hand-dug.

It began innocently enough in the mid-1860s, when Erasmus Jacobs found a shiny stone on the banks of the Orange River. This shiny stone was later sold in England for five hundred pounds – after it was determined the stone was in fact a diamond; a diamond over 20 carats in total weight. After two more similar stones were found, the rush was on. This once flat hill disappeared in a frenzy of miners, desperate to get their chunk of the payload, which ended up yielding nearly 3,000 kilograms of a girl’s best friend.

The underground portion of Kimberley’s mine reaches nearly 3,600 feet into the ground. The mining operations underground have recently ceased, investors deciding it’s time to turn The Big Hole into an experience for tourists.

You can now visit the depths of the Hole in a recreated mineshaft, watch a video that will introduce you to Kimberley’s diamonds, and more. There is now an upper platform from which you can take in the Hole in its entirety, and even a replica of Old Town Kimberley, illustrating what it was like in the heyday of this mining town.

There is a museum complete with various shops, houses, a tavern, and even a church. De Beers Hall illustrates some of the uncut diamond finds found at Kimberley, as well as jewelry made from stones found here. There is also on display the largest diamond in the world to remain uncut, at 616 carats, as well as the first diamond ever to be discovered in the region.

In the News

Direct Supply Network Recent News

  • Experience the Old World in Kuldiga, Latvia
  • Experience Lake Sevan and the Sevanavank Monastery of Armenia
  • A Visit to the Zócalo – The Heart of Ciudad de Mexico
  • The History of the Olmstead Family and the Olmstead Homestead in Ellensburg, Washington
  • The History of Bellver Castle in Mallorca, Spain

Direct Supply Network News Categories

  • Art and Culture
  • Culture Trav
  • Destinations
  • Eco Friendly
  • Festivals
  • Foodie Fun
  • General News
  • Great Outdoors
  • history
  • Lodging
  • Museums
  • Retreats
  • Roadside Attractions
  • Theme Parks
  • Tourist Attractions
  • Urban Art
  • Wellness
  • World Records

Direct Supply Network Tags

adventure adventure travel architecture arizona art beaches beauty california canada castle castle tours cultural travel culture destinations direct supply network europe european travel family travel foodie chats healthy travel history india islands italy kentucky michigan missouri museums must see national parks nature outdoors recreation retreat retreats small towns tennessee things to do tips travel travel ideas travel tips unique destinations us destinations us travel
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Direct Supply Network All Rights Reserved