Free State

Free State, South Africa, is a province filled with historical wealth and beauty: from wars and gold rushes to beautiful landscapes that vary from towering sandstone mountains to open plains. It is a melting pot of cultures and offers an authentic South African tourism experience.

Golden landscapes of the Free State

Travel tips & Planning info

Who to contact

Free State Tourism
Tel: +27 (0) 51 411 4300
Email: info@freestatetourism.org

South Africa National Parks
Tel: + 27 (0) 12 428 9111
E-mail: reservations@sanparks.org

How to get here

Fly direct from any of South Africa’s major cities to Bloemfontein Airport. If you’re driving; from Johannesburg and Cape Town take the N1 south and north respectively to Bloemfontein. From Durban, take the N3 out of KwaZulu Natal, and pick up the N5 at Harrismith to Bloemfontein.

Best time to visit

Spring to autumn (September to April). Summer days get very hot, while winter days are mild, with cold evenings. Snow regularly falls on the eastern highlands.

Where to stay

The region offers a full range of accomodation from backpackers and B&B's to hotels and guest houses.

Tours to do

Tour Winnie Mandela House in Majwemasoeu; the region’s various wine cellars; the self-drive tourism routes (Battlefields, Friendly N6, Diamond and Wine, BBT Heritage, Maloti and Goldfields); the National Museum in Bloemfontein; the Basotho Cultural Village; the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Meteor crater that is the Vredefort Dome is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Free State, South Africa, is a province of extreme diversity - natural, cultural and historical. The province's nature reserves and mountains, museums and monuments, and its extensive cultural offerings are popular Free State attractions.

It feels as though time itself began in this picturesque province. It is home to the Vredefort Dome (the world's oldest meteorite impact site), ancient San rock art, dinosaur remains and fossils. The National Museum in Bloemfontein has prime examples of the latter.

As one of South Africa's agricultural hubs, the Free State comprises rolling farmland, meandering between its dominant natural features: beautiful sandstone cliffs.

Located in the province's north eastern region, at the foot of the Maluti Mountains, is the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Aside from its imposing sandstone peaks, the park's highland habitat sustains a great variety of animals and birds, including the rare bearded vulture. It offers guided walks, hikes, game viewing and horse riding.

Thanks to its great diversity, the Free State boasts a number of tourism routes. Do the Maloti Route and discover the eastern highlands and Maluti Mountains of neighbouring Lesotho; follow the Goldfields Route and delve into the history of Lejweleputswa's gold mines; or explore the province's battlefields and war museums on the Battlefield Route.

Experience the region's cultural and political heritage on the BBT Heritage route or walk in the footsteps of the diamond prospectors on the Diamond and Wine Route. This tour also features the Landzicht, Wilreza and Jacobsdal wine estates.

If authentic home-grown hospitality is what you're after, make sure you do the Friendly N6 Route, which covers the route from Bloemfontein to Aliwal North.

With its bountiful natural, historical and cultural attractions, there's something to tempt every visitor's fancy in the golden Free State.