Kuruman

If you have a car while in the Kalahari region, it's worth stopping in Kuruman, the hub of a dairy, cattle, and game-farming area. With flat, wide streets, the town is a rush of green in the middle of the Kalahari. Camel-thorn and stinkwood trees are everywhere, but cleanliness is not high on this municipality's priority list, so arrive without expectations. Follow signs to "The Eye" or "Die Oog," an amazing natural spring that bubbles out 5 million gallons of water daily. This is the source of the Kuruman River and of massive significance to the arid Northern Cape, though the river's polluted appearance can be a bit disappointing.