In 1818 a town was established on the farm Hooyvlakte at the request of Lord Charles Somerset, then governor at the Cape. His aim was to establish and maintain law and order in the hinterland. He arranged for it to be named in honour of his father, the fifth Duke of Beaufort. Today, a typical "platteland" town with a rich, romantic history Beaufort West welcomes visitors who wish to study its fascinating ecology.

It has been said the Karoo is not so much a place as a feeling. When you come to the Karoo, it captures your soul and actually flees with it, and by the time when your visit is over you realize that it has taken over. With clean air and the beautiful sun sets you will not even want to go back to where you came from. It leaves footprints in you memory and plays with your senses.

It offers you a glimpse into the Anglo-Boer War. With this town being the oldest in the Central Karoo, you will be able to hear many interesting stories about the Boer-War that took place through this majestic landscape.

Professor Chris Barnard, who performed the first heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town on December 3rd 1967, was born in Beaufort West. and is honoured in three historic buildings, all national monuments, which make up Beaufort West’s museums. All gifts awards and presentations made to Chris Barnard are on display in the old town hall, which was built shortly after Beaufort West was proclaimed South Africa’s first municipality in 1837. It too is now part of the museum.

• The Pastorie:
  Here visitors can see Professor Barnard's humble boyhood home and visit the garden in which his ashes are buried.

  The parsonage has been restored and is furnished as it was when the Barnard family lived there.

• The Old Town Hall:
  As the first municipality proclaimed in South Africa in 1837, Beaufort West has the oldest Town Hall in the country. It now houses the main Museum collection and one of the most popular exhibits is a representation of the first heart transplant operation, with much of the equipment used on that historic occasion.

• The Old Mission Church:
  This was the church in which Chris Barnard's father preached and his mother played the organ.

  The role played by various church denominations in the history of Beaufort West is depicted and in the vestry there is an exhibition of guns and leather clothes. Some important firearms from the early days of South African history are on display.

Useful Facts Weather: Summer rains usually begin with light showers in October Rain is sporadic and mostly occurs in the form of thunderstorms. Snowfalls have been known to occur as late as September. Temperatures increase dramatically during November and remain high until February. Temperatures decrease by April. THe mid-winter months of June and July are cold and dry. Altitude: 851 m (2792ft) above sea level