Overview
The Free State lies in the
heart of South Africa, with the mountain
Kingdom of Lesotho nestling in the hollow of
its bean-like shape.
Between
the Vaal River, in the north, and the Orange
River, in the south, this immense rolling
prairie stretches as far as the eye can see.
Formerly known as the Orange Free State,
this province has had its share of battles –
most importantly, perhaps, the Anglo Boer
War.
The Free State is the
third-largest province in South Africa.
However, it has the second-smallest
population and the second-lowest population
density, housing some 2,8 million people on
about 129 480 km2 of land. There is a wide
mix of cultures and people living in this
laid-back province.
Climate
This summer-rainfall
region is warm and temperate in the summer
but can be relatively cold during the winter
months, (especially towards the eastern
mountainous regions where temperatures can
drop as low as 9ºC). The western and
southern areas are semi-desert.
Getting to Know The Free
State
The Southern Free State
shares the true Karoo semi-desert and its
barren landscapes, while the North is
blessed by the liquid gold of the Vaal
River. The Western Free State traverses
savannah and substantial mineral wealth,
whilst the Eastern highlands offer a wealth
of scenic splendour.
Major Attractions:
City Centre
The province’s capital,
Bloemfontein, has a well-established
institutional, educational and
administrative infrastructure, and houses
the Supreme Court of Appeal. The province
has a well-known university (Free State
University) and many other training
institutions.
Eco-tourism
The Free State Province
boasts an extensive system of parks and
reserves, including one national park
(Golden Gate) and more than 80 provincial,
municipal, and privately owned nature parks,
nature reserves, game reserves, and game
farms.
Activities include bird
and game viewing, hiking, horse-riding,
biking, 4x4 off-road driving, camping and
climbing.
Routes
The
Free State has much to offer the tourist in
search
of insight and adventure. As a result,
various tourist routes have been suitably
packaged to meet the needs of the
on-the-road traveller.
The Maluti Route:
This route follows the scenic Highlands of
the Free State and over the border into the
magnificent Maluti Mountains of Lesotho and
ends at the Seekoelvlei Nature Reserve.
The Goldfields
Route: Follow
the fascinating history of the many gold
mines of the Lejweleputswa area.
BBT Heritage
Route:
Bloemfontein, Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu are
in close geographical relationship to each
other and, yet, have an extreme diverse
cultural and political heritage.
Diamond & Wine
Route: Follow
the route of the diamond prospectors of the
past and present. A man-made diamond hole at
Jagersfontein of 760m beats the better-known
Big Hole of Kimberley for size. Also visit
the wine cellars of Landzicht and Wilreza in
the scenic Jacobsdal area.
Steam Train Route:
Steam train enthusiasts can take a trip down
memory lane, along the historic Bethlehem-Bloemfontein
Railroad to destinations such as Maseru and
Ladybrand.
The Battlefield
Route:The
province contains many historic sites
related to the Anglo-Boer War, including 13
battlefield sites, 8 military monuments, 2
war museums and 3 war and concentration camp
cemeteries.
The Golden Gate Highlands
National Park
Golden Gate is famous for
its ‘Mountains of Gold’ – where the famous
ochre and gold sandstone outcrops offer up
some of the most spectacular scenery in the
country. The Gold Gate Highlands National
Park is an area of highveld and montane
grassland, covering 12 000 hectares. The
park is well-stocked with eland, red
hartebeest, black wildebeest, blesbok and
zebra.
Smalltown Splendour
The beautiful town of
Clarens lies just west of the Maluti
mountain range and is the perfect country
retreat. Known as the `jewel of the Free
State’, Clarens is very popular with the
artistic community and there are loads of
B&B’s and guesthouses in the area.
Fossil Hunting
The Free State has rich
deposits of fossils, and visitors to Clarens
area can go on fossil-hunting expeditions.
You may be lucky to find dinosaur bones,
dinosaur eggs or dinosaur teeth.
Rock Art
Throughout the Maluti
mountains, one can find caves and cracks
where the San people took shelter. Countless
examples of historic rock-art are to be seen
at Spitskop (Brandfort district),
Sterkstroom (between Rouxville and Aliwal
North), Stowlands (near Christiana),
Tandjesberg (close to Clarens and Golden
Gate), Sterkstroom (between Rouxville and
Aliwal North) and at Stowlands (near
Christiana).
Watersports
The Free State has three
major watersports venues: the Vaal River
(northern Free State); Gariep Dam (the
largest dam in the country) and Sterkfontein
Dam (near Harrismith). Activities such as
fishing, camping, and watersports can be
arranged on request.
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