Vredefort, Northern Free State
Vredefort is a farming town, nestled in the unique beauty of the Free State Province of South Africa. The province is characterised by little ridges and koppies on otherwise flat terrain, and is home to a wonderful array of wildlife. The town of Vredefort may be small and quiet, but it boasts one of the most significant meteor craters on the planet.
This town was established on the crater of the same name. The crater is an impressive 300 kilometres wide and is estimated to be billions of years old. It is particularly important as it preserved the reefs of the Free State, which were laden with gold. Today, gold mining is still a major industry in this part of the world.
The Vredefort Dome is one of the country's UNESCO World Heritage Sites and an interesting tourist attraction. There are several tours on offer; which range from geological tours for pupils and students to historical, cultural and bird-watching tours. This remains a crucial site for scientists and geologists.
Vredefort was once the site of the British concentration camps for the Boer women and children. As such, it played an important role in the South Africa of yesteryear.
Vredefort and its surrounds are known for the scenic farms that speckle the landscapes. Here, sunflowers, peanuts, sorghum, maize and cattle are farmed. Driving through the countryside and seeing the vast stretches of natural prettiness is the ultimate getaway from the city life.
Vredefort is just over 90 minutes from Johannesburg, which is home to the OR Tambo International Airport. It is almost three hours from the province's capital city, Bloemfontein.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Bergpatrys at Kieriebos
Bergpatrys is a cottage located on Kieriebos Guest Farm in Vredefort. Just 2 hours' drive from Johannesburg, on a rural dirt road, you will find ...
Otters Haunt Den
Otters Haunt Den is a comfortable holiday home in the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site, surrounded by water, forests and mountains. The self ca...
Riverrun Resort Farmhouse
Riverrun Farmhouse offers self-catering in Vredefort on the Riverrun Resort situated at the Vredefort Dome near Parys, along the Vaal River. The ...
Bokmakierie at Kieriebos
Bokmakierie has two bedrooms. One bedroom is furnished with a Queen-size bed and the other with a two single beds. The cottage has a well-equippe...
Otters Haunt
Otters' Haunt is surrounded by water, forests and mountains in the Vredefort Dome Site. Rustic accommodations include a large guest house, bush c...
Tinktinkie at Kieriebos
Tinktinkie is a bachelor unit / studio holiday apartment located on Kieriebos Guest Farm in Vredefort, only two hours' drive from Johannesburg. T...
Tava Lingwe Game Lodge
Situated in Vredefort and just 35kms outside of Parys, Tava Lingwe Game Lodge offers a variety of accommodation from fully equipped chalets to lo...
Otters Haunt Bush Cabins
Otters Haunt Bush Cabins offer unique accommodation in Parys in the beautiful Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site. Otters Haunt Bush Cabins consis...
Things to do in the area
Vredefort Meteorite Trails
If you ever watched the movie Bio-Dome' and thought it was great that they had so many different ecosystems in one confined space, then make sur...
Noteworthy attractions
Willem Pretorius Game Reserve
The Willem Pretorius Game Reserve is situated in the heart of the Free State with the Allemanskraal Dam forming the central part. The reserve its...
Dome Bergland Nature Park
Dome Bergland Nature Park lies right on the border of two provinces the North West and the Free State - 100 km south west of Johannesburg. Visi...
Parys Golf Course
Having originally been opened in 1876, the Parys Golf Club is infused with plenty of history and heritage, lending it a tangible charm. However, ...
Waterford Golf Course
The Waterford Golf Course has been designed so that all of the beautiful homes on the estate have views of the greens and fairways, and so that t...
Koppies Dam Nature Reserve
Just outside the little town of Koppies, 70 km northeast of Kroonstad, lies the 3 400 hectare Koppies Dam Nature Reserve. It is a popular reserve...
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