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Safari in Bethlehem - Essential Travel Info

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Safari in Bethlehem Free State South Africa (2 Results)

Camorhi Game Lodge
- Bethlehem Free State South Africa Safari

Privately-owned game reserve. A wildlife lover's dream, a birdwatcher's paradise, a photo safari of a lifetime, are but a few ways to describe the splendour of this game reserve. Home to the white lions of Timbavati. Lion cubs roam freely around the lodge. Discover the best kept secret in South Africa!!!!

Kukuzans Hunting Safaris
- Bethlehem Free State South Africa Safari

Accomodation for 12 people on game lodge.

Geography: Bethlehem, in the Eastern Free State, lies on the banks of the Jordaan River against the backdrop of the Maluti Mountains. The town is situated 35km east of Paul Roux along the N5.

History: Bethlehem was founded in 1860 on the farm Pretoriuskloof, yet was only proclaimed in 1884. It became a municipality in 1902. The name obviously has its roots in the biblical Bethlehem, which means 'house of bread'. The town was named as such because of the ease of which the early settlers of the area were able to grow wheat. Bethlehem has links to the South African (Anglo-Boer) War, as it was briefly the seat of the fugitive Free State Republic. Today the town is the largest commercial and industrial centre in the Eastern Free State.

Arts and Culture: Visitors looking to find out more about the history of the town and its culture will find the numerous museums interesting. At Baartman House, exhibits of wagons and horse carriages, period furniture and farm implements give the viewer an idea of the lifestyle of the people venturing into the hinterland. There is another outstanding collection of exhibits including war memorabilia at the Museum of Cultural History housed in the former Nazareth Mission Church. The town contains some of the finest sandstone buildings in the country, and many are now provincial heritage sites.

Science and Nature: There are two nature reserves in the area for travellers to visit. Wolhuterskop Nature Reserve is 5km outside of Bethlehem and is home to a wide variety of buck, while the Pretoriuskloof Bird Sanctuary can be found just south of town.

Entertainment: Loch Athlone Dam on the Jordaan River hosts regular regattas, while offering entertainment for the whole family, including a heated swimming pool and a supertube for the kids. The agricultural tours on offer teach visitors more about farming in the Eastern Free State, and back in town, one can relax in a pub or restaurant.

Sport: A popular horse-riding trail, approximately 10km long, starts at the entrance to Wolhuterskop Nature Reserve. Annual sporting events in Bethlehem include the National Hot-Air Balloon Race that takes place during May, the Hoogland Classic Auto Cycle Race in October and the Maluti Challenge Cycle Race that happens in October.

Did You Know? There is a cairn about 8km from town that was built by thousands of miners from Lesotho who would place a stone on a pile on their way to and back from Johannesburg. This together with a prayer to the ancestors would ensure protection from accidents at work.

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