This diamond gentlemen, is the rock upon which the future success of South Africa will be built – Sir Richard Southey,1869

We welcome you to the brand new Diamonds & Destiny Visitor Center! Kimberley is the capital of the Northern Cape and as such it is fast reclaiming the prominence it had in the late 1800s. A tour of the Big Hole is already interesting, but the new exhibition centre will turn this experience into an unforgettable foray into the Diamond Fields of long ago.

Please Note: No firearms are allowed in the Big Hole Visitors Center. All guests are kindly requested to make prior arrangements for the storage of firearms as they will not be stored by us. In terms of the Fire Control Art 60/2000, firearms may be stored or held for safekeeping at the nearest police station.

Big Hole Claims Map

De Beers has been mining in Kimberley for more than 120 years. The recent closure of underground operations at Kimberley Mines marked the end of underground mining in Kimberley, as we know it. De Beers’ presence in Kimberley continues, however, in the processing of the tailing resources through the multi million rand Combined Treatment Plant, as well as the Big Hole project, a unique and exciting way for De Beers to invest in tourism activities, ultimately supporting the communities that surround Kimberley. Here you can see a photo gallery from the Big Hole South Africa.

The old town gives you the unique opportunity to see how Kimberley would have looked in its heyday. Open seven days a week from 08:0 in the morning until 17:00 in the afternoon, it gives guests the opportunity to browse around in the old buildings.

The Old Town