Africa - Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Although the Free State arena doesn’t allure the aforementioned day-tripper numbers as added breathtaking spots like the Western Cape and Mpumalanga, it is a alluring destination with lots of attractions and activities on offer.

The Golden Gate Highlands Civic Esplanade is one of the Free State’s above accustomed highlights, and a abundant atom for traveller’s who adore the abundant outdoors. It’s aswell just a 2-3 hour drive from Johannesburg, which makes it an ideal self-drive break for the company with a few canicule to spare.

Scenery and Adventure

‘This 12 000 hectare esplanade is one of the country’s greatest accustomed assets in any season,’ says esplanade administrator Johan Taljaard. ‘Autumn paints the backdrop in gold, orange and red, whilst bounce changes the abundance slopes about brief to an aerial florescent green. Summer offers aged balmy blooming summer canicule with barrage storms and winter ability just abruptness visitors with a ablaze white snow blanket.’

He says the top mountains, cosy valleys and majestic sandstone bedrock formations accomplish Golden Gate a must-see destination for anyone visiting the Eastern Free State. It’s aswell a abundant chance destination.

‘This aerial park, with its bright skies and brittle air, is ideal for hiking, horse riding, abseiling, canoeing on the dam, bold and bird watching, or for accomplishing actually annihilation specific, just adequate the tranquillity whilst agriculture your body on the breathtaking beauty,’ he says.

Nature’s Playground

Taljaard credibility out that Golden Gate is a adequate acreage area, the alone civic esplanade of its affectionate in South Africa. ‘Grassland is one of the a lot of threatened habitats in Southern Africa,’ he says. ‘But that’s not the alone acumen for the parks allure as the geological formations in the esplanade are apple acclaimed and it aswell has the world’s oldest anachronistic anachronistic eggs and embryos.’

Covering a assorted habitat, Golden Gate is home to a advanced ambit of fauna and flora. As it does not accept the Big Five, hiking chance trails to its bouldered outcrops and abysmal valleys to appearance alternating bold is a safe option.

‘Apart from the accustomed Highveld acreage antelope, including eland, atramentous wildebeest, rooi haartebeest, blesbok, blah rhebok and abundance reedbuck, there are aswell adjudicator and a few pairs of the awful endangered Oribi,’ explains Taljaard. ‘The esplanade aswell has a agriculture breadth for vultures, and the endangered barbate vultures, Cape vultures and baldheaded ibisses can be apparent regularly.’

Adventure Activities

In terms of activities, you may want to try out one of the many walking trails through the area. A favourite is the guided walk to Cathedral Cave or, if you want something a bit more challenging, the 31 kilometre Rhebok Trail is an option. Additional activities include horse-riding, kayaking, abseiling and mountain biking.

Bird Watching

For those who love bird watching and photographic safaris, Golden Gate will not disappoint. So bring your binoculars and camera.

Nearby Attractions

• Clarens, crammed with artists, is great for weekend getaways.
• At Bokpoort Horse Farm you can learn to be an African cowboy.
• Hiking in nearby Lesotho with local communities is a wonderful way to get to know about authentic African cultures.
• The Sandstone Route from Clarens to Ladybrand is a gorgeous scenic self- drive route.

Accommodation

There is a variety of accommodation available in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Possibilities include the Glen Reenen Rest Camp or the luxury Highlands Mountain Retreat. The Qwa Qwa Rest Camp, which evokes an 18th century Basotho Village, is still a work in progress and should be ready for use by the end of 2007.

If you want the best of both worlds, book into one of the quaint bed and breakfasts in Clarens where you can enjoy fantastic restaurants and shopping combined with game viewing and hiking adventures in Golden Gate.