Choose your country and language:

Africa

  • Global
  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • DRC
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
  • shotLeft

Americas

  • USA
  • Argentina
  • Brazil

Asia Pacific

  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia

Europe

  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • United Kingdom
Back

FFor visitors driving through South Africa’s arid Karoo, a delightful new tourism route running around the Gariep Dam reveals more than ‘big water’: historical sites, eccentric country types, a plush hotel, waterside herds of antelope and wide-angle landscapes to thrill the eye.

Perhaps the most beautiful dam in South Africa, the Gariep Dam lies between the Free State and Eastern Cape provinces.

This massive piece of water covers more than 370 sq km when full, and can store nearly 6 000-million cubic litres, giving life and flow to the Great Fish River, the Sundays River and, the mother of all South African rivers, the Orange.

Did You Know?
TThe Gariep Dam, completed in 1971, is the largest dam in South Africa. 'Gariep' is an ancient San word for 'great water'.

IIt was officially opened in 1971 and overflowed for the first time the next year. In 1975 an 82km tunnel was opened, sending water from the Gariep into both the Fish River Valley and the Sundays River Valley.

Gariep Dam, Free State

Food
When to visit
How to get here

OOverlooking the great expanse of water is the town of Gariep Dam, established in 1960 for the resident labour force. As the youngest town in South Africa, Gariep Dam has become a popular holiday resort, and is home to about 600 people. On a ridge overlooking the dam is the De Stijl Gariep Hotel, a surprisingly cosmopolitan establishment you would probably expect to see in a large city more often than a tiny Free State village. It is popular with locals, contractors working the area and visitors to the dam.

At the waterside is a Forever Resorts holiday camp, complete with chalets and boating facilities. Nearby is the Gariep Nature Reserve, which runs around part of the dam.

TTwo more lakeside reserves (the Oviston Nature Reserve and the Tussen-die-Riviere Reserve near Bethulie) will one day combine with the Gariep Nature Reserve to form nearly 100 000ha of ‘wilderness at the water’.

The other great attraction of Gariep Dam is in the air: there’s an airfield with a double-tarred runway, and the kind of aerial conditions that make the district ideal for flying gliders.

International gliding championships are held there every December, and a number of world gliding records have been set in this area.

Who to contact
How to get here
Around the area
Best time to visit
Tours to do
Get around
What will it cost
Length to stay
What to pack
Where to stay
What to eat
What's happening
Best buys

Related article

Breathtaking scenery

Maluti Cave Route Trail, eastern Free State: majestic mountains, tumbling waterfalls and captivating caves guarding San rock art

Breathtaking scenery
Maluti Cave Route Trail, eastern Free State: majestic mountains, tumbling waterfalls and captivating caves guarding San rock art

The Maluti Cave Route Trail through the Drakensberg in eastern Free State near Lesotho offers trails of 2 to 4 days, breath-taking views and stops at caves containing original San rock art.

Breathtaking scenery

Grassland wildflowers: catch the early and late bloomers around the Drakensberg

Breathtaking scenery
Grassland wildflowers: catch the early and late bloomers around the Drakensberg

South Africa’s grassland wildflowers, especially around the Drakensberg, put on a floral show to rival Namaqualand in spring, or Western Cape’s fynbos – and even better, it lasts through summer.

Breathtaking scenery

Smithfield to Philippolis – the upper Gariep route

Breathtaking scenery
Smithfield to Philippolis – the upper Gariep route

A road trip from Smithfield to Philippolis offers visitors South African War history, friendly small towns, the Gariep Dam, ancient rock art and access to tigers.

Breathtaking scenery

Free State geological wonders

Breathtaking scenery
Free State geological wonders

The Free State is home to Golden Gate Highlands National Park with impressive sandstone cliffs and the Vredefort hills, formed by the impact of a major meteorite.

Breathtaking scenery

Country houses and farms

Breathtaking scenery
Country houses and farms

South Africa offers a wide range of country house and farm accommodation. It’s not uncommon to find country and farm stays in cottages or bungalows that are a hundred years old or older, particularly in the Western Cape where farms have remained in the same families since the 1800s.

Breathtaking scenery

Outdoor adventure in the mountains – Fouriesburg, Free State

Breathtaking scenery
Outdoor adventure in the mountains – Fouriesburg, Free State

Fouriesburg in the Free State offers outdoor adventure in the form of hiking and horse riding and is a short drive from Clarens and the Golden Gate National Park.

Breathtaking scenery

7 South African towns that should be on your travel list for 2019

Breathtaking scenery
Breathtaking scenery

Vaal River

Breathtaking scenery
Vaal River

The Vaal River provides endless opportunities for water sports, fly fishing and cruising, as well as being an important water source for domestic and agricultural use.

South Africa on social media

Copyright © 2023 South African Tourism
|Terms and conditions|Disclaimer|Privacy policy