Wepener, Motheo Region
Wepener gets a raw deal. It's usually no more than an afterthought in literature on the Free State, possibly because of where it lies at the foot of the Jammersberg (sorrow mountain), virtually on the eastern border of the province and right next door to Lesotho and its major city of Mafikeng.
Wepener is often also mentioned in the same breath as the Caledon Nature Reserve, a pretty reserve home to numerous types of game and over 200 types of birds that also serves as a popular fishing venue. But Wepener deserves more than a cursory glance. It lies on the banks of the Jammersbergspruit a tributary of the Caledon River and is regarded as a gateway to Lesotho and is thus part of the popular Transgariep Highlands Route.
The Transgariep Highlands is a vast, semi-desert landscape in the southern tip of the Free State where karoobossies and mesembryanthemums (rather a mouthful to loosely describe a group of typical South African succulent plants, grass and shrubs) cover the barely there undulations that pass for hills. This part of the Free State is unspoilt, sparsely populated and largely unpolluted, with effortless skies and quaint little towns that welcome people with unabashed hospitality typical of the region.
Major reasons for visiting Wepener include the Street Bridge, a national monument, the Jammerbergdrif battlefield, the Town Hall, the memorial gates and the statue of Commandant Louw Wepener (no prizes for assuming the town was named after him), various arts and crafts and the Welbedacht Dam, great for sailing, boating, hiking and other water sports. Also visit the nearby sandstone bridge over the Caledon River, also a national monument.
Travellers' Reviews
1 Review from SA-Venues.com travellers. All reviews are verified.
Verified review
Town is a dump like all other small SA towns. The city hall is a ruined building after a fire. Maybe outlying areas and nature sites are worth it. Skip it in toto....
A Hidler (Minalore North)
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Villa Vredenrust
Warm hospitality awaits you at Villa Vredenrust. The guest house is conveniently situated in Fichardtpark, an upmarket suburb in Bloemfontein, an...
Florentia Guest House
Situated in the charming old suburb of Waverley with its tree-lined streets, at the foot of Naval Hill, Florentia Guest House offers spacious bed...
10 Jock Meiring
10 Jock Meiring Guesthouse offers beautifully furnished, clean and comfortable self-catering accommodation in Bloemfontein a convenient location ...
Blue Rain Guesthouse
Blue Rain Guesthouse can be found in Groenvlei, Bloemfontein, just a mere 12km away from the Woodland Hills Wildlife Estate. Blue Rain Guest Hous...
Cosy Cottage Self Catering
Situated in Bloemfontein, Cosy Cottage offers top quality accommodation for business travellers, family visitors and overnight guests in two bedr...
Kestell Stables
Kestell Stables is situated in Waverley, the oldest suburb in the north of Bloemfontein and offers accommodation which is conveniently within two...
Amity Guesthouse
Amity Guesthouse is ideally situated as a half way stopover between Johannesburg and Cape Town. Home from Home Guesthouse is only 7km from the ci...
Castelo Sutil Guest House
Castelo Sutil Guest House in Bloemfontein is located in the peaceful western side of Bloemfontein overlooking a game reserve, with breathtaking s...
Melted Butter Lodge
Melted Butter Lodge is located in Pentagon Park, Bloemfontein. The lodge offers a choice of Standard, Deluxe or Executive Rooms. Room facilities ...
Noteworthy attractions
Loftus Versfeld Stadium
Home to the Sundowns Football Club and the Blue Bulls rugby team, Loftus Versfeld received a welcomed revamp and renovation in preparation for th...
Soetdoring Dam Nature Reserve
Soetdoring Nature Reserve has two entrances. The eastern entrance is at the Modder River on the Bloemfontein / Bultfontein road (R700). Here visi...
Bloemfontein Golf Club
The Bloemfontein Golf Club is situated about 6 kilometres from the city centre just off Maselspoort Road - more commonly known as the Airport Roa...
Schoeman Park Golf Club
Schoeman Park Golf Club, as it is known today, had its origin in 1904 when a few Scottish members of the old Bloemfontein Railway Institute start...
Free State National Botanical Garden
On the north western fringes of Bloemfontein lie 70 hectares of botanical garden, in a valley peppered with dolerite koppies, tall grassland and ...
Bloemfontein Zoo
The Bloemfontein Zoo was established in 1906, and has continued to grow and develop since then to be one of the most popular animal sanctuaries i...
Franklin Nature Reserve
Named after Sir John Stuart Franklin, the mayor of Bloemfontein during the 1920s, Franklin Game Reserve lies right in the heart of Bloemfontein. ...
Sand du Plessis Theatre
Completed in 1985 at a cost of over R60 million, the Sand du Plessis complex is one of the most modern theatres in the world. The facade features...
National Museum Bloemfontein
Notable for its large collection of fossils, cultural historical exhibits and archaeological displays, including the Florisbad skull which was di...
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