Game Reserves in the Free State

The Free State offers the visitor a number of excellent hiking trails and nature reserves as well as a number of private game lodges.

The best known is the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Nestling in the rolling foothills of the Maluti mountains in the northern Free Sate Highlands, this is the home of a variety of animals, but also offers superb accommodation and attractions, entertainment, hiking trails and much more.

The Qwaqwa Nature Park is set in the majestic Drakensberg Mountains and is is a hiking, game and bird watching paradise. It is also a 4x4 enthusiast's nature route during winter months. (Being incorporated with Golden Gate).

The Gariep Dam Nature Reserve is the Free State's largest nature reserve and is popular among game watchers, anglers and boating enthusiasts. The reserve boasts the largest number of Springbok in the country and other animals such as zebra, black wildebeest and ostrich.

Seekoeivlei Nature Reserve is situated between Memel and Villiers, this unique wetland area, declared Nature Reservation, has a wide variety of birds, some of them very rare, living in the vlei and surrounding grasslands.

Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve is situated about 22 km from Harrismith, at the Sterkfontein Dam with slipways and boathouses en-route to Qwa Qwa.

Maria Moroka Park
Situated next to the Hotel and Casino in haba Nchu, this Nature Reserve surrounds the Montloatse Setlogelo Dam. Various wildlife and bird species, hiking trail, traditional Tswana site, various activities and adventures.

The Willem Pretorius Game Reserve overlooks the Allemanskraal Dam and is populated with three of the "Big Five". This Free State resort on the "Maize Route", is situated 150km north of Bloemfontein and 255km south of Johannesburg.