Three Sisters

The Three Sisters are three flat-topped hills standing on the Karoo plain where the N1 and N12 divide, and they have the same geology as everything distinctive in this landscape: soft Karoo sediments capped by a hard dolerite sill that resisted erosion while the plain around it wore down, leaving isolated koppies with level tops. For anyone driving between Johannesburg and Cape Town they function as a landmark rather than a destination - the point where the road splits, where the petrol station and farm stall sit, and where the drive feels like it has structure. There is a fourth hill of the same form nearby, which the name ignores. The surrounding plains are sheep country with windpumps and long fences, and the sky at night here is very dark, which is the underrated reason to stop rather than pass.

What to look for

• The three koppies - dolerite-capped hills left standing as the plain eroded around them.
• The road junction - where the N1 and N12 divide, a fixed point on the long drive.
• The Karoo plain - sheep country with windpumps stretching to the horizon.
• The dark sky - very little light pollution once you are away from the fuel stop.

When to go

March to May and September to November. Half an hour - it is a stop on a long drive.

Things to know

There is nothing to do here beyond looking, fuelling and eating. The settlement is a truck stop. Summer heat is severe and winter nights freeze. The hills are on private farmland; view them from the road.

Nearby

Beaufort West and the Karoo National Park are south; Victoria West is north.