Three Sisters, Mountain formation in Northern Cape, South Africa.
Three Sisters is a mountain formation in the Northern Cape of South Africa, made up of three side-by-side peaks that rise from the flat Karoo landscape. The formation sits near the junction of the N1 and N12 national roads.
A railway siding built near the formation in the 1880s helped open the surrounding area to farming and trade. The siding gave its name to the small settlement that grew up around it.
The three peaks have long served as a landmark for people crossing the wide, open Karoo. The name of the formation reflects the clear symmetry that travelers can spot from a great distance.
The formation is clearly visible from both the N1 and N12 roads, making it easy to spot while driving through the area. Pulling over on one of the roadside areas nearby gives a closer look at the three peaks.
The three peaks are capped with dolerite, a rock formed when magma cools underground, which is common across the Karoo. This hard layer protected the tops from erosion over millions of years, which is why they stand out so sharply from the surrounding plain.
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