Onseepkans
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Onseepkans is a small settlement on the banks of the Orange River in Northern Cape Province, South Africa. It is at the border post with Namibia for traffic between Pofadder in South Africa and Keetmanshoop in Namibia.
Onseepkans was established in approximately 1916 by missionary settlers and relies today on the irrigated lands which are supplied with water from the Orange River.
There are small communities on both sides of the Orange River in one of the most remote and beautiful parts of the country. The Quiver tree (Kokerboom in Afrikaans) forest between Pofadder and Onseepkans is stunning and is the largest forest of its type in the Southern Hemisphere.[citation needed] It is undoubtedly one of the natural highlights in the area which is dominated by the stark desert landscape and unusual granite outcrops.
The area is very hot, and anyone deciding to risk the journey should be well prepared with plenty of water and adequate protection against the sun. Summer temperatures can exceed 50 C while in the middle of winter temperatures in the high 30's can still be experienced. To reach the settlement one has to travel about 50 kilometers of dirt road from Pofadder.
There are about 2000 people living in the area.
