Free State Tented Camps Perfect for a Glamping Weekend – the first one will blow you away! ~ One doesn’t anticipate Free State tented camps in a province known as the heartland of the Afrikaner, and famous for its grain farms and rich pasture land.
But it makes sense that the province’s wide skies and expansive flat grassy plains, broken only by the odd kopje, would inspire bushveld experiences, and that its fertile soils and excellent farming conditions could double as safari farm stays.
The Free State lies in the middle of the country, sharing a border in the east of the province with the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho – the Drakensberg and Maluti Mountains rising to over 2 000 metres.
But it is the flat lands to the south that provide the ideal conditions for herds of plains game – wildebeest, springbok, zebra, eland, white rhinos and even wild dogs and African wildcats, depending on where you venture for your Free State tented camps’ experience.
The fundamentally continental climate too makes the province a good one for weekend and holiday down time.
Here are our Best Free State tented camps perfect for a glamping weekend…
Letsatsi Game Lodge, Smithfield
This tented camp will blow you away. It’s a little piece of heaven on earth in a space full of hills and valleys that lead down to the Caledon river, in the heart of the southern Free State.
Letsatsi, which means ‘sun’ in Sotho, is a game experience with a difference. The private game reserve has a secluded bush camp tucked into a valley that can only be reached by heading down a wooden staircase, punctuated with observation decks for the accompanying views (and to catch your breath on the way back out).
A network of stone and wooden walkways connect a series of tents to bush style ablutions and dining areas, whilst an outdoor fire pit makes evenings unbeatable. The bush camp is designed for family or group getaways and sleeps up to 40 people in tents under thatch.
Highlight: herds of plains game and 2 340 hectares of rocky koppies, indigenous trees, and African savannah.
Savannah Game & River Retreat, Parys
Close enough to Johannesburg to act as a weekend retreat, Savannah Game & River Retreat’s rustic tented camp lies up against the mountains of the Vredefort Dome, one of South Africa’s world heritage sites, just outside Parys.
It’s an intimate camp within walking distance of the Vaal River, which acts as a divide between the North West and Free State provinces. Six en-suite tented chalets give you all the comfort you’d expect from a lodge, and wonderful views of the bushveld. Each tent has its own deck overlooking a watering hole.
Highlight: breathtaking sunsets, 8 km of Vaal River frontage, and wild plains game.
Love Lions Alive Santuary, Swinburne
Love Lions Alive Sanctuary offers a unique guest experience for nature lovers in Andi Rive’s private camp. Andi and her team live in tents alongside three lions in a shady grove situated on the side of a rocky mountain.
Join them for sundowners on a boulder overlooking the Eastern Free State’s beautiful valleys and mountains followed by a braai around their campfire. Waking up to the sound of lions roaring and birds chirping while enjoying the fresh air is a great experience.
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