Golden Gate Highlands National Park Attractions

Cultural Village

Although geared specifically towards tourism, the Basotho cultural village 20 kilometres east of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park will introduce you to the history and culture of the Basotho people.

©Roger de la Harpe

Basotho hut of the Cultural Village.

Besides the usual option of paying for a consultation with the sangoma, look out for the labelled huts showing how Basotho architecture has developed since the 1500s and go on the two-hour Matlakeng Herbal Trail guided by a traditional healer.

Natural Beauty of the Rooiberge

Eland in the Golden Gate National Park.

The Golden Gate Highlands National Park was created to preserve the natural beauty of the Rooiberge in the Little Caledon River Valley. The 'gates' are pillars, columns and buttresses of cream-coloured sandstone that glow deep copper at sunset, seeming to illuminate the entire valley in an ethereal golden light. The light after a late-afternoon summer thunderstorm, when the sky is dark purple, is simply enchanting.
Being a national park, there are of course also animals to see, particularly those of the montane grasslands such as black wildebeest, eland, blesbok, oribi and grey rhebuck. The Rhebok Hiking Trail is a two-day walk in the park, starting at river level and going up Generaalskop, one of the highest peaks in the Free State. Of all the gates, Brandwag (Sentinel) is the most prominent, usually shown in park pictures.

By David Bristow