In the shadows of the Karee mountains one finds Carnarvon, an attractive and fascinating Karoo village in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. Carnarvon and surrounds charm visitors with magnetic hospitality, good traditional food, a history steeped in land conflict and mission work – most notably Rhenish missionary history, unique architecture, hundreds of windmills and vistas of flat-topped hills. 

These hills are regarded as a Karoo icon.

The San-Bushmen roamed the area hundreds of years ago but they were driven out of the area by migrating livestock farmers – the white trekboers, Basters, Khoi, Koranna and Xhosa. A Xhosa community established themselves during the early 1800’s at Schietfontein, a local water resource. The farmers all competed even violently, with each other to secure enough grazing for their stock. Later, Britain in its role as coloniser also tried to exert its influence, so it is no wonder that the history of Carnarvon has been described as one that is hallmarked by the most enthralling interactions between migrating tribes and the British colonial authorities. Even the villiage’s original name, Harmsfontein, was changed to Carnarvon to

 honour the British colonial secretary, Lord Carnarvon.

Town settlement started in 1847 when the Rhenish missionary, Rev. Christoph Alheit, was commissioned to establish a mission at Schietfontein. He immediately began to build a church and a school. Some of the original buildings are still in use today.

Carnarvon is also well-known for sheep farming, the Karoo bossies, the flat-topped hills, iron stone and wonderful hunting experiences on the farms.