ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape Historical Site

Address: Kalahari regions in northern South Africa and adjacent areas traditionally occupied by the ǂKhomani people (coordinate through local community offices)

Website: https://whc.unesco.org

Hours: Open year-round (access negotiated with communities; no official hours)

Admission: No formal admission (community lands; guided cultural visits may charge fees)

A cultural landscape in the southern Kalahari that records the traditional land use, knowledge systems and archaeological record of the ǂKhomani San people. The area includes seasonal waterpoints, tracking routes, rock art and places of cultural significance.

The landscape contains archaeological sites and material traces of long-term hunter-gatherer occupation alongside places used for ritual and memory by contemporary ǂKhomani communities. It documents patterns of mobility and resource use adapted to arid environments.

The area has been the focus of community-based land restitution and conservation measures that recognise indigenous connections to place and aim to sustain both cultural practices and biodiversity values. Management combines cultural heritage protection with sustainable land-use planning.

The ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape lies within the southern Kalahari region of South Africa, a semi-arid interior area characterised by sandy plains, sparse shrubland and isolated pans and waterholes.

• Living cultural practices: The landscape preserves both tangible sites such as archaeological locations and intangible cultural practices of the ǂKhomani San, which continue to be recognised in local land management.

The nearest urban gateway is Upington in the Northern Cape, South Africa. From Upington, 4x4 tracks and local roads lead into the ǂKhomani areas; all visits should be arranged with local community trusts or cultural-tourism operators based in the region.

• Book a cultural visit with a recognized community guide to learn about landscape-reading skills and storytelling traditions.
• Respect local protocols: ask before photographing people or sacred sites and follow requests about movement through sensitive areas.
• If visiting during the cooler months, plan for very cold nights-camping requires serious cold-weather gear.