Southern African Large Telescope
The largest single optical telescope in the southern hemisphere, with a mirror 11 metres across, on a dry hill near Sutherland in the Karoo. It began work in 2005 and the site has tours by day and stargazing events in the dark night sky.
- Where
- Sutherland, Northern Cape, South Africa
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- -32.3759, 20.8108
Get the Southern African Large Telescope stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Southern African Large Telescope. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Northern Cape volume with your photos and a note.
Near Southern African Large Telescope
Karoo National Park 141 km
A wildlife reserve of 750 square kilometres in the semi desert of the Great Karoo, near Beaufort West. The Nuweveld part of the Great Escarpment runs through it, and it has fossil trails and mountain zebra.
Swartberg Pass 158 km
A mountain road on the R328 that crosses the Swartberg range along the northern edge of the Little Karoo. It is a gravel pass with sharp switchbacks and wide views, and it is the only road access to the remote valley of Gamkaskloof.
Cederberg Wilderness 162 km
A rugged range of orange sandstone peaks north of Cape Town, known for odd rock formations such as the Wolfberg Arch and Maltese Cross. It has hiking trails, ancient San rock paintings and the rare Clanwilliam cedar, which gives the range its name.
Cango Caves 173 km
A show cave system in the Swartberg foothills north of Oudtshoorn, filled with large dripstone chambers. A guided tour runs through the biggest halls, and a longer adventure route squeezes through narrow tunnels to reach deeper sections.
Bontebok National Park 191 km
A species specific national park established in 1931 to save the bontebok antelope from extinction. At 27.86 square kilometres it is the smallest of the country's national parks, lying beside the Breede River near Swellendam.
Blombos Cave 230 km
A small sea cave on the southern Cape coast where archaeologists found engraved ochre pieces and shell beads about 75,000 years old. They are counted among the earliest known examples of symbolic art. The site is a research area and is not open to casual visitors.
De Hoop Nature Reserve 230 km
A nature reserve on the Western Cape coast, protecting fynbos, a wetland and a long stretch of white dunes and shoreline. Southern right whales come close inshore here in winter and spring to calve.
Afrikaans Language Monument 233 km
A concrete and granite monument on a hillside above Paarl, opened in 1975 to mark the 50th anniversary of Afrikaans as an official language. Its tall curved columns and a large dome stand for the influences that shaped the language.
More hidden gems in Northern Cape
Questions
Where is Southern African Large Telescope?
Southern African Large Telescope is in Sutherland, Northern Cape, South Africa. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Karoo National Park (141 km), Swartberg Pass (158 km), Cederberg Wilderness (162 km).
How do I get the Southern African Large Telescope stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Southern African Large Telescope and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Northern Cape volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Southern African Large Telescope before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Northern Cape volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 40 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.