Free State Province for the World Cup
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Things to do in the Free State Province for the World Cup White water river rafting on the Ash River (Clarens) White water river rafting on the Ash River The Ash river just outside Clarens in the Eastern Freestate is fed by the Trans Caledon Transfer Tunnel, which pumps water from the Katze dam high up in the Maluti Mountains in Lesotho. The crystal clear water flows down the Ash river all the way to the Vaal dam. The day starts with a short drive out to the river, where we do a safety-brief and explain all the do's and don'ts for the days rafting action. Then we get on the water, practice getting back into the raft, just in case someone does fall out, and then within a few 100 metres from the start we hit the first rapid called "Breathiliser"! After "Breathiliser" it's action all the way with grade 3 rapids like "Car-wash", "Alles-verloren" and "Alles-gevonden" untill we get to?!? The Bridge! Here we get out and have a look at the high-light of the day - an awesome grade 4 rapid with the name: "Fish-pond rapid". After running "Fishpond" we'll gather on the rocks next to the rapid, have some refreshments, and contemplate the wiseness of our actions! Then it's back onto the rafts for more adventure. Next up is the weir. Quite something! River Rafting at Carryblaire (Parys) River Rafting at Carryblaire We offer two types of rafting. The first is a nature raft from Carryblaire approximately 5 km down river and is a must for nature lovers. The trip takes approximately 1 Hour and includes drinks and transport and requires a minimum of 4 people. The second is a White Water Raft and is done on a separate section of the Vaal River. This trip takes approximately 4 Hours and includes drinks and transport. Requires a minimum of 6 people. River Rafting is seasonal and rapid grades depend on water flow. All rafting is conducted by qualified guides. White Water Rafting (Parys) White Water Rafting on the Vaal Bring your family, friends or colleagues, come and explore Parys and Upper Vaal white water rafting and experience a river trip you will never forget. Start in Parys town and raft down to the take out point at Rocky. This is in the Dome berg land conservation area part of the Vaal River and the most commercialised stretch of white water in South Africa. It is in a world heritage site and the oldest and largest meteorite impact site in the world. The biggest rapid is called big daddy on this one. Other fun rapids such as whiplash where you can surf with your two man inflatable raft (croc), and then carry your raft up and run the rapid again. Only one hour's drive from the centre of Johannesburg, these trip on the Vaal range from one day outings to a weekend with one night or either two nights accommodation, various facilities available and various river stretches available. Wild Rides Quad Biking (Clarens) Try quad biking in Clarens, Free State Wild Rides Quad Biking offer quad biking experiences in the Maluti mountains, only 10 km from Clarens. Quad Biking trips range in length from one-and-a-half to two hours depending on the participants' skills level. Choose between a technical ride, a game-viewing outride or just a leisurely sundowner trip. We cater for novice to experienced quad bikers. Thank you for using our services and please feel very welcome to provide any useful feedback that may enhance our service to you. We look forward to receiving further requests from you in the future and as always, we assure you of our best attention at all times. Skydiving in Bloemfontein Tandem Skydive at Bloemfontein Skydiving Centre Only ten minutes outside Bloemfontein, we offer skydiving to all experience levels. From tandem skydives, static line course, accelerated freefall courses and progressive freefall training. Bloemfontein skydiving club is one of the oldest skydiving clubs in the country, and is situated at Tempe airport just West of Bloemfontein. We are a sport club that is affiliated at the Mangaung municipality, that is also registered with PASA. We operate on Saturdays and public holidays, but jumps during the week can also be arranged. We also offer static line training, tandems and showjumps. This is a sport that everyone must try at least once - It will change your life forever! Abseil with Earth Adventures (Parys) Abseil with Earth Adventures at Vredefort Dome Earth Adventures offers safe and exciting abseiling at a number of venues around the Vredefort Dome. Abseiling is an exhilarating adventure activity where the accomplishment of facing and eventually overcoming your fears leads to a natural adrenalin rush beyond words. It was only towards the end of the last century that abseiling, also called rappelling, became an activity in its own right. Abseiling is the method mountaineers use to rappel down vertical rock faces or where special forces descent from hovering helicopters beyond enemy territory. Franshoek Polo School (Ficksburg) Franshoek Polo School As one of the more established polo clubs in South Africa, Franshoek offers a unique polo experience. Practice chukkas are usually played three times a week and, for the spectators, sipping ice cold champagne whilst watching the game, is nearly as exciting as being on the polo field itself. Please enquire about prices for polo packages or individual lessons. The Franshoek Polo School is situated 26km from the town of Ficksburg, which was the heart of Free State polo for many years. Three Springbok players played for the Ficksburg side in the 1960's, Bill Peacock, Julius Schuld, and Fritz von Maltz . Over the years however, polo interest waned a bit and eventually in 1994, the Ficksburg Club polo field land was reclaimed by the municipality for other use. The Franshoek Polo School was then formed, with the objective of reviving interest in polo in the area. A new ground was planted on the farm. This now boarded field is set at the head of a beautiful valley, tree-lined with a sandstone mountain backdrop. The 100year old oak trees shading the pony lines give a majestic air to the venue. For 10 years now, the Franshoek Polo School has hosted many clinics and introduced the game to many new players. An increasing number of overseas players are discovering this as an ideal and affordable place to escape the European winter and receive pre-season tuition - as polo is played all year around. Get active with Action Sports (Bloemfontein) Get active with Action Sports in Bloemfontein Action Sport has 100 indoor floodlit all-weather sports arenas in South Africa for action cricket, action netball and action soccer. Show off or build up your speed, fitness and ball co-ordination skills. Strategy and team work are active in short spontaneous aerobic sessions. Recreational, social competitive and international games are played for all ages, genders and levels. The games lend themselves to corporate events, team building, individual fun and kids parties. Dress in sports kit and bring your own orange wedges for half time. ACTION CRICKET 'Only 2 runs needed to tilt the scoreboard. Bowler bowls; batter bats.. and the ball flies... nice catch! And you're out... oh no hang on its action cricket..you're still in the game just 3 runs down'. Team: 8 Players Time: 70 Min/32 Overs Description: Played on a cricket pitch but not with cricket rules. The balls are harder than tennis balls and softer than regular cricket balls. The game is fast paced and fun filled on an indoor field. All equipment is provided. ACTION NETBALL 'The crowd goes silent as intense concentration balances the ball on raised fingertip... Swish, the ball is launched; swoosh the hoop accepts and a goal is claimed!' Team: 5-10 Players Time: 30 Min Description: Girls and mixed teams take to a rectangular 30m x 10m indoor netball court. Ceiling nets keep the ball on the court and the heart rates up. A, B, C and social level games. ACTION SOCCER 'What a steal; he dribbles left; he fakes right; he forges ahead; he sees a gap; he kicks...it is good enough? OH he scores!!!' Team: 4 Players Time: 30 Min Description: Action soccer keeps the ball in play with a fully enclosed netted field. Rules are based on outdoor soccer so bend it like Beckham. Hiking in the Zoutspruit Game Camp (Kroonstad) Hiking in the Zoutspruit Game Camp The Zoutspruit game camp may be viewed either by vehicle or by hiking through the camp. Viewing the game camp by vehicle will only introduce visitors to the most prominent species. Hiking though offers a unique eco- tourism experience. Birds, plants, insects, reptiles and small mammals can be observed at close range when hiking. All the senses experience the atmosphere of the veld and for many urban dwellers it is a unique experience to be the only human beings for as far as they can see. The Zoutspruit game camp offers a fascinating glimpse of what this area must have looked like only a two centuries ago. Horse Riding at Mont Plaisir (Fouriesburg) Ride through the spectacular Eastern Free State Enjoy the adventure of horse riding and discover the beauty of the Eastern Free State on horseback at Mont Plaisir Guest Farm. We offer a variety of possibilities for both the experienced rider and the beginner. Beginners Instruction - For beginners we offer special instruction packages. The minimum package is 2 days of 2 hours.