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Safari in Gariep Dam Free State South Africa (5 Results)

Forever Resorts Gariep Forever Resorts Gariep
- Gariep Dam Free State South Africa Safari

The perfect stopover between Gauteng and Cape Town, 190km south of Bloemfontein, situated on the banks of South Africa's largest dam, the Gariep Dam, bordering the Gariep Nature Reserve. Tour the dam wall with 13km tunnels, view springbok and Cape mountain zebra in the neighbouring reserve and enjoy an extensive range of water sport.

Gariep Dam Nature Reserve
- Gariep Dam Free State South Africa Safari

Reserve stretching from dam wall to Bethulie, a quiet tranquil place to relax. Self-catering chalets with kitchen and bathroom. All watersports, game drives, hiking trails and fishing available. Restaurant and shops close by.

Hotel Wild Hotel Wild
- Gariep Dam Free State South Africa Safari

Recently renovated and refurbished hotel. An ideal stopover offering personal attention and excellent food. En suite bedrooms, <#224> la carte restaurant, ladies bar, coffee shop, studio, private dining room and lounge, conference facilities, full-sized snooker table and pool room. Outside bar, braai and entertainment area.

Rose Cottage B&b & Self-catering
- Gariep Dam Free State South Africa Safari

Accommodation in a luxury 3-bedroom self-catering home for up to 8 people and a fully-equipped flatlet with 2 single beds at Gariep Dam, South Africa's largest dam in the heart of the country. 30 km from Colesberg. Superb watersports and fishing. Microlite flying paradise.

Waschbank Game Lodge
- Gariep Dam Free State South Africa Safari

Specialising in game hunting, conferences and team building weekends. Full spread, dinner and breakfast buffets. Speciality braais and cocktails on the banks of the Orange River. Superior rooms, Quality Assured, self-catering and B&B. Away from the hustle and bustle.

Geography: Located in the centre of South Africa, the Gariep Dam is situated on the Orange River between Colesburg and Bloemfontein, just off the N1. Being so central, it is an ideal stopover for travellers going from Gauteng to Cape Town. The dam is situated in a gorge at the entrance to the Ruigte Valley and the closet town is Norvalspont, about 5km away.

History: The Gariep Dam, finished in 1972, is the biggest dam in South Africa. Storing water from the Orange River, it is 100km long and 374 sq km wide. This remarkable water management project supplies irrigation waters to the dry Karoo, and is a popular recreational spot for families and water sport enthusiasts.

Science and Nature: The Gariep Dam area is home to the Free State's largest nature reserve. The reserve is a combination of the huge dam and an 11,000ha game sanctuary on its northern shore. The reserve is home to the largest population of springbok in any reserve in the country, as well as Cape mountain zebra, klipspringer, black wildebeest, red hartebeest and ostrich. The dam, an engineering marvel, is also part of a hydro-electric scheme that generates 600,000 kilowatts of power.

Entertainment: Being South Africa's largest dam, the Gariep is very popular as a water sport venue. At the nearby resort, both kids and adults will find the swimming pools, minigolf, tennis, bowls and campsites to be great fun. There are also restaurants to visit when all the activity has left you starving! For those who are interested in the engineering of the dam, there is a tour that goes through the dam wall all the way down to the bedrock, and highlights the amazing feat. Other places and things to visit include a fish hatchery and the Norvalspont Concentration Camp.

Sport: The Gariep Dam is one of the country's most popular spots for water sports of all types including sailing, power boating, canoeing, skiing and angling. The climate is also perfectly suited to gliding, and in December international gliding competitions are held.

Did You Know? The Gariep Dam is a combined gravity and arch dam built entirely of concrete and is 88m high (90,5m above foundation level), with a crest length of 914m and contains approximately 1,73 million m3 of concrete.

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