Xhariep District
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 Spectacular sunrise over Gariep Dam One of the off-spins is that a tri-provincial tourism developmental initiative has been formed, called the Lake !Gariep Tourism Route, linking the towns of Gariep Dam, Oviston, Venterstad and Bethulie. At the town of Gariep Dam is the Lake !Gariep Tourism & Craft Centre consisting of the Louis Maré-Gariep Dam Museum, Accommodation Info Office and Coffee Shop. Contact number (051) 754 0594 / 083 259 6439 / lakegariep@mweb.co.za. In and around the town there are also the De Stijl Hotel, the Forever Aventure Gariep Resort, the Riversmead Resort, a total of 10 guesthouses and six guest farms / lodges. Things to do and places to visit include guided tours through the Gariep Dam wall as well as the Gariep Nature Reserve, and various facilities for fishing, picnicking, river rafting, horse riding, boating, etc. The various sport events at the towns surrounding Lake !Gariep has recently proven that sport-tourism has become one of the major marketing tools for the Lake !Gariep initiative, e.g:
o The Horizon Tourism Route The Horizon Tourism Route compasses towns of Philippolis, Jagersfontein, Fauresmith, Koffiefontein and Jacobsdal. With its slogan "Open spaces & little places," the route meanders through an enchanting environment with a magic of its own. o Jagersfontein - diamond town of yesteryear: Jagersfontein, established in 1870, has an older diamond history than Kimberley and the old open-mine shaft at Jagersfontein is also larger than that of Kimberley - surface area 19,5 ha against 17 ha - as such said to be the largest hand-dug hole (pick, shovel and dynamite) in the world. Diamond mining was terminated in 1968, but the diamonds of Jagersfontein are still being floated on the world market and are renowned for their top quality. As a matter of fact, the famous Excelsior Diamond of 995 carats hails from Jagersfontein and today, forming part of the British crown jewels, is worth an estimated R1,2 billion on its own. o The Friendly N6 route: Part of the Friendly N6 route between Bloemfontein and East London runs through the eastern half of the Xhariep District, in particular traversing the towns of Reddersburg, Smithfield and Rouxville. Set amidst an excellent stock farming environment, each of these towns has splendid historical tourist sights of its own, while staying in any of plenty guest houses or at guest farms makes it truly a route for all seasons. o Tussen-die-Riviere Nature & Game Reserve: The 22 000 ha Tussen-die-Riviere Nature & Game Reserve situated at the confluence of the Caledon and Orange Rivers near Bethulie is characterized by its scenic splendour and hunting opportunities. Tussen-die-Riviere supports large populations of diverse and readily observable game species. Hikers and visitors may expect to see springbok, blesbok, red hartebeest, black wildebeest and blue wildebeest, steenbok, impala, mountain reedbuck, gemsbok, kudu, zebra, eland and white rhino. Various outdoor opportunities, as well as accommodation, are available. o Landzicht Winery: Located at Jacobsdal, the Landzicht Wine Cellar, opened in 1974. Owned by GWK Limited and producers, it annually presses ± 3 000 tons of grapes, producing ± 2.4m litres of wine. A new bottling plant using the latest technology, was opened in April 2005 as a black empowerment project. Amongst the premium wines produced from pure certified cultivars are 5 whites, 4 reds, 1 Rosé and several fortifieds such as White Muscadel and Ruby Port. Landzicht wine labels range among the best in South Africa having won several Veritas, SA Youngwine Show and Michaelangelo awards. The Winery offers cellar tours and wine tasting. o Tiger Canyons tiger-breeding project:  Tiger-breeding project in Philippolis district The tiger-breeding project constitutes an experiment to create a free-ranging, self-sustaining tiger population outside Asia. From this population, third and fourth generations of tigers may be returned to Asia into parks that meet a set of criteria. Piloted by entrepreneur John Varty, all tigers introduced are raised with a natural fear of human beings and are pre-conditioned to respect electrical fences. Visitors will be able to go out in a 4 x 4 vehicle specially designed with a cage, which allows one to view tigers at close quarters in complete safety. The cage is designed so that one may take photos from the inside. o Letsatsi Game Lodge: Near Smithfield on the Bethulie road is the Letsatsi Game Lodge and Game Reserve with its state of the art facilities, and as such one of the leading tourism products in the Free State. The main building consists of lounges, large conference facilities, a bar, dining room and a wooden deck. As for accommodation, there are two options, namely African chalets or unique bush camp tents. Water features such as a koi pond and sparkling swimming pool complete the picture as far as facilities are concerned. Game drives, horse riding and hiking trails offer the opportunity to view a multitude of game species and bird life. o Kuilfontein Road Stall: One of the noteworthy latest additions to the Xhariep tourism scene is the Kuilfontein Road Stall at Springfontein next to the N1, with Sandra Staples as entrepreneur. Having established the road stall in 2004, she has recently been nominated as one of the six finalists in the national Sanlam and Landbouweekblad 2006/07 emerging business competition. At the stall one may buy almost any bottled product as well as other articles produced in the surrounding region. On the menu is also connoisseur dishes such as lamb and mint pies prepared by a qualified chef. Nearby a guest house is run by the same owner. Originally the San people called the "great river" the !Garib while the Voortrekkers named it the Orange River because they had orange in their flag and saw the colour in the murky expanse of this 2 000 km long source of life cutting through dry lands and forming the natural southern border with the larger Cape. One should not be fooled by the tranquillity of the Xhariep Region - underneath the atmospheric serenity lie incredible journeys and unforgettable opportunities waiting to be experienced. These range from the sheer thrill of the hunt on any of the many game farms, the outstanding nature reserves offering their absorbing animal, plant and bird life, or just to enjoy the excellent facilities at the many holiday resorts in the area. Follow the preserved trails of Bushman antiquity and feel the magical presence of a nearly extinct people; so are the historic footsteps of other cultural groups in the region. The charm of small town mythology brings one closer still to the rhythms of the earth, to a natural order, to a way of life perhaps intended for everyone of us. Must-sees in Xhariep Region in a nutshell
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