~ ABOUT FREE STATE PROVINCE ~

Free State - In the heart of the country, between the Vaal River in the north and the Orange River in the south lies this rural province. This tranquil land with it's wide horizons and blue skies, with farmland, mountains, goldfields and widely dispersed towns is famous for its warm South African hospitality and a mix of culture. Surrounded by several of South Africa's provinces the Free State shares a border with the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Dressed sandstone buildings abound the highlands, while beautifully decorated Sotho houses dot the grasslands. Rising in Lesotho's Maluti Mountains in the Free State, is South Africa's largest River, the Orange river. It forms the southern boundary of the Free State before winding its way to the Atlantic Ocean. This river was formerly known as the Transgariep and boasts one of the country's most astounding engineering feats, the Gariep Dam. Swimming, water-skiing, fishing and yachting are a few of the favoured activities this enormous dam offers. The rich soil and pleasant climate allow a thriving agricultural industry. The Free state is the only province to not have undergone any border changes excluding the incorporation of Bantustans. The Free State borders more districts of Lesotho and more provinces of South Africa than any other province.

"The Free State landscape gladdens my heart, no matter what my mood. When I am here I feel that nothing can shut me in, that my thoughts can roam as far as the horizons." - Nelson Mandela.

Bloemfontein, also known as the 'city of roses' due to all the budding blooms, is the capital city of the marvellous Free State. Due to its wealth of historical and cultural artefacts Bloemfontein is the perfect place to start off a tour of this province. Notable for its large collection of fossils and cultural historical displays, is found the National Bloemfontein Museum. On its north west fringes lie 70 hectares of botanical garden, called the Free state national Botanical gardens. In the north eastern Free State, nestled in the rolling foothills of the Maluti mountains, the Golden Gate Highlands National Park is the province's prime tourist attraction. The Vredefort dome is a representative part of a larger meteorite impact structure, or astrobleme, which has also been named a world heritage site and can be found in Vredefort, Free State. The Basotho Cultural Village straddling the border between the Free State and the kingdom of Lesotho, is a worthwhile stop on the itinerary, for anyone in learning more about indigenous culture in the area.

Golden Gate Highlands National Park: It is the Free State's only national park, and is more famous for the beauty of its landscape than for its wildlife. The park's most notable features are its golden, ochre, and orange-hued deeply eroded sandstone cliffs and outcrops, especially the Brandwag rock. There have been numerous “finds” in this park including dinosaur eggs and skeletons to name a few. “Golden gate” refers to the sandstone cliffs that are found on either side of the valley at the Golden Gate dam. In 1875, a farmer called J.N.R. van Reenen and his wife stopped here as they travelled to their new farm in Vuurland. He named the location "Golden Gate" when he saw the last rays of the setting sun fall on the cliffs. The park is 320 km (200 miles) from Johannesburg and is close to the villages of Clarens and Kestell, in the upper regions of the Little Caledon River. In 2004 it was announced that the park would be joined with the neighbouring QwaQwa National Park. The amalgamation of QwaQwa National Park was completed in 2007. The park is an area of rich highveld and montane grassland flora. It has more than fifty grass species and a large variety of bulbs and herbs. Each of these species has its own flowering time, meaning that veld flowers can be seen throughout the summer.

The Free State experiences a continental climate, characterised by warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters. Areas in the east experience frequent snowfalls, especially on the higher ranges, whilst the west can be extremely hot in summer. Bloemfontein, experiences hot, moist summers and cold, dry winters frequented by severe frost.