The plains of South Africa's interior plateau between the Vaal and Orange rivers form the Free State.

This tranquil land is the geographic and agricultural centre of South Africa. Of all the provinces, this one presents the classic scene of the sunny veld, the high-lying, spacious grass-covered prairie land with deep-blue African skies, majestic cloud formations in summer and a skyline broken by the occasional flat-topped koppie (hill-like mountain).

The Free State is fast becoming a tourist destination in its own right. Famous for its warm South African hospitality, `boerekos’ (traditional Afrikaner farm-style cuisine) and decidedly slower-paced lifestyle, this province has become a mecca for holiday-makers intent on exploring small-town South Africa.

Known, locally, as South Africa's 'bread basket', the Free State is cultivated by more than 30 000 farms to produce over 70% of South Africa's grain consumption. It is also home to the most productive gold and diamond mines in the world.

Major Attractions:

• Diamond & Wine Route
Follow the route of the diamond prospectors of the past and present. A man-made diamond hole at Jagersfonteing of 760m beats the better known Big Hole of Kimberley for size. Also visit the wine cellars of Landzicht and Wilreza in the scenic Jacobsdal area.

• The Golden Gate Highlands National Park
An area of highveld and montane grassland, covering 12 000 hectares is well-stocked with eland, red hartebeest, black wildebeest, blesbok and zebra.  This is one of the few places in the country where one stands a good chance of seeing the Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture.

• Clarens and the Mountains of Gold

The beautiful town of Clarens lies just west of the Maluti mountain range and is the perfect country retreat. Known as the `jewel of the Free State’, Clarens is very popular with the artistic community.

Clarens is near to Golden Gate – where the famous ochre and gold sandstone outcrops offer up some of the most spectacular scenery in the country.

• Fossil Hunting

The Free State has rich deposits of fossils, and visitors to Clarens area can go on  fossil-hunting expeditions.  You may be lucky to find dinosaur bones, dinosaur eggs or dinosaur teeth; you’ll almost certainly find the fossils of smaller creatures dating back to well over 200 millions years.