Location

The town of Laingsburg

The town of Laingsburg, in the Western Cape region known as the Karoo, was established due to the
local farmers offering their family homes as accommodation to travelers and couriers passing through.
The farm of Zoute Vlakte had a good water supply and the family who lived there soon got a reputation
for being particularly hospitable, thus it became the centre point of the town’s development.
The area is particularly loved by geologists, due to its ancient geographical history and interesting rock
formations. It’s also rich in flora and fauna, many of which is endemic to the region alone, making it a
unique eco system.

The town is situated a mere 280km outside Cape Town and offers a welcoming change of pace to city
life. Visitors are encouraged to visit the town’s many attractions. Noticeably and highly recommended is
the museum erected in memory of the flood disaster in 1981, marking the biggest natural disaster in the
history of South Africa.

If you travel approximately 12km north of Laingsburg, you’ll come across an Anglo Boer War blockhouse
still largely intact. It is considered the best example of its kind and was built by the British in 1901 to
guard the bridge over the Geelbek River.
27km South of Laingsburg you will find the town of Matjiesfontein. Literally frozen in a bygone Victorian
era, the entire village is now a national monument.