The North West Province of South Africa is bounded on the north by Botswana, on the south by the provinces of Free State and the Northern Cape, and on the northeast and east by the Limpopo Province and Gauteng. Covering 118,797 sq km (45,869 sq miles), the North West Province was created in 1994 by the merger of Bophuthatswana, one of the former bantustans (or black homelands), and the western part of Transvaal, one of the four former South African provinces.

Effectively forming the southern part of the Kalahari Desert, the North West Province offers almost all year-round sunshine.

Do not forget your suntan lotion and sun hat. Few days will be spent indoors staring at bleak weather!