Africa : Southern Africa : South Africa : Free State
Free State
The Free State Province, [1], in South Africa is situated in the heartland of the Karoo semi-desert.
Regions
- Lejweleputswa - Western Free State, also known as the Free State Gold Fields
- Motheo (Sesotho for Foundation) - In the South East, bordering onto Lesotho
- Northern Free State - Large portions of this area still show the scars of the Fredefort Dome meteor impact.
- Thabo Mofutsanyana - Eastern portion of the Free State, bordering onto the Lesotho highlands to the south.
- Xhariep - The southern grass plains
Cities
Other destinations
National parks
Other nature reserves
- Caledon Nature Reserve, near Caledon
- Erfenis Dam Nature Reserve, just outside Theunissen
- Gariep Dam Nature Reserve, at Gariep Dam
- Kalkfontein Dam Nature Reserve, close to Fauresmith
- Sandveld Nature Reserve, near Bloemhof
- Soetdoring Nature Reserve, just outside Bloemfontein
- Tussen-die-Riviere Game Reserve, outside Bethulie
- Tweefontein Nature Reserve
- Willem Pretorius Game Reserve, near Ventersburg
- Qwa-Qwa Park, near Harrismith
- Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve, near Harrismith
Understand
The former Oranje-Vrystaat (Orange-Freestate) was the heartland of the white Afrikaaner population and therefore most people in this region still speak Afrikaans as their first language. It was one of the first independent states, before joining the South African Union and the people here still live up to the voortrekker traditions of braaing and the Afrikaaner lifestyle. The rich soil and pleasant climate allow a thriving agricultural industry. With more than thirty thousand farms, which produce over 70% of the country's grain, it is known locally as South Africa's breadbasket.
Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of South Africa, mainly because the founders of the South African Union wanted to unite all people, including the Afrikaaner population.
The Free-State is an important agricultural area in South Africa with beef, and maize the primary products.
Talk
Afrikaans is still the first language of many, but most will definitely understand and speak English. Be prepared for understanding through the accent.
Get in
By car
- The N1 highway runs through the Free State. It comes from Cape Town and goes further to Johannesburg and Pretoria and from there to Harare in Zimbabwe. Use this route when coming from/going to Mozambique, too.
- The N3 runs in the east of the Free State through Harrismith. Use it to go to Durban or the Gauteng area.
- The N8 goes from Bloemfontein to Kimberley and further to Upington.
- The N6 goes south to the Eastern Cape
The N5 only serves as a connection between the N1 and the N3.
By plane
Bloemfontein Airport has flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town and some other cities in South Africa. Flights are operated by the South African Airways family.
Get around
Best by car, as there are little means of public transport and great distances between each of the towns and cities.
See
- Bloemfontein
- The Gariep Dam -- one of the biggest dams in South Africa
- Golden Gate Highlands Park -- Famous park in the north of the Drakensberg Mountains
Do
Eat
Drink
Stay safe
Always have enough water with you, in case your car has a break down. Tell your last hotel where you are going to and which route you use, especially when going into a less populated and rural area.
Get out
- North-west are Kimberley with its diamond museum and Upington near the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
- South-west lies Cape Town, the Cape Winelands and the Garden Route.
- North-east is Johannesburg and the Kruger National Park.
- South-east is Durban and the Sunshine Coast.
This page was last edited at 10:15, on 30 May 2008 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Nick Roux, Evan Prodromou, Tim Sandell, Felix Gottwald and Nic Roets, Wikitravel user(s) Miss Rara, Yzerfontein and Nzpcmad and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.