South Africa: Vredefort Dome, crater impact site(Tourism options)

Parys is a small town that lies on the banks of the mighty Vaalriver, right inside the impact crater. It is situated 120km south of Johannesburg and most tourism activities in the area are based in and around this town. The area is a very popular weekend destination and during school holidays many holiday makers also visit the area. The name is similar to Paris in France and the town is actually a little sister town of Paris.

Getting there from Johannesburg is easy and can be driven by car, taking around 80 minutes. Take the N1 south freeway and after crossing the Vaalriver, just look out for the Parys turnoff. From the turnoff it is another 20km’s on a newly rebuilt road.

Around the whole area, visitors can expect to see some fantastic scenic nature. The area is a declared world heritage site and is also a wildlife conservancy. Several animals can be seen in the area and there are also game parks that are worth a visit. If you are into birding, you will surely not be disappointed by the area.

Parys also offers lots of good shopping and browsing options. There are several antique shops and the town is actually well-known in South Africa for these shops and the bargains to be found. Check it out: Http://www.parysantiques.co.za. This web site also offers some free information on accommodation, restaurants and coffee shops.

There are also several art galleries and a number of local artists who live in the area have private galleries at their homes. For a good meal and a few drinks, just visit any of a multitude of pubs, restaurants or coffee shops.

A wide range of accommodation options is offered as well. This ranges from camping options right up to 5 star lodges and guest houses.

The Vaal river offers great fishing options and fly fishermen come here to test their skills against the mighty “Yellow fish”. Note that this powerful fish is protected and must be released immediately after capture. Another species that are also targeted is the “Sharp tooth catfish”, also known as “Baber” in the Afrikaans language. These get real large and will cause heart-stopping action for most anglers. Tour operators will be able to assist you in finding suitable and knowledgeable guides for this activity.

Several adventure type sports are also offered in the area. This includes white water rafting, kayaking, hiking, hunting and rock climbing. If you need to get your pulse racing, you will find someone willing to help you with that easily around this area.

Parys is well worth a visit and with it being so close to Johannesburg, where most tourists arrive, it must be considered as a destination not to be missed. The friendly townsfolk there will charm you out of your money and maybe even into staying on and buying a property there….strange things have been known to happen to visitors in this regard. You can believe me, as it happened to me and I am in my 8^th year of residence and business in the town.