Ficksburg

The Free State Maloti Route that connects little towns offers restaurants & delicatessens stocked with home-baked & many a cherry confectionary produced in the area. There are museums& art galleries & a sandstone architecture tour. San rock art can be viewed during hikes, bike trails or on horseback. Quad biking, bird & game viewing are also on offer. Ficksburg is also famous for its Cherry Festival that takes place during November each year.This is the oldest crop festival in South Africa, having celebrated its 44nd anniversary in 2011.

Every year, festival activities include cherry tours, a golf classic, a half marathon, cherry product competitions, veteran vehicle displays, equestrian events and beer fests. New exhibitions on the list include a food and wine fiesta.The Festival attracts approximately 20 000 tourists annually to the Ficksburg community and is one of the key local economic development initiatives in the municipality.

The Cherry Jazz Festival has grown from strength to strength over recent years. The 2011 Jazz Festival showcased national artists such as Hugh Masikela, Ringo, Siphokazi, Zakes Bantwini, Tshepo Tshola and Khaya. Local artists who participated in festival included Ronnie Mokoena, Senqu Jazz Band, Meqheleng Band, Kheola and various local DJ’s and MC. Approximately 4100 people attended the Jazz Festival and 406 temporary job opportunities were created. The 2011 Jazz Festival received financial support from the Department of the Premier, the Free State Tourism Authority, the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation and the Setsoto Local Municipality. Letlaka Communications and SA Breweries also provided sponsorships for the event.

Senekal

Places of interest include the Burger Monument – one of the Anglo Boer War battle sites. The Fern Hiking trail offers the nature lover something exceptional with its trail through a lush abundance of various ferns

Clocolan

Thabure Arts and Crafts is renowned for its hand-woven tapestries. Clocolan/Hlohlolwane is easily accessible and lies adjacent to one of the main routes between the mines of the Goldfields and Lesotho. It is also the main north-south route through the Eastern Free State

Marquard

The Koranna/Merrimetsi Hiking Trails in the 7-000 ha Korannaberg Conservancy vary in difficulty and length. The Koranna is a two-day backpacking trail with an overnight stay in either a magnificent cave or a thatch-roofed hut. You can also visit Magul se Gat (“Magul’s Hole”), high up in the Korannaberg Mountain.

The Merrimetsi Trail consists of three, colour-coded, day hikes: the 10-km (blue) route that passes more than 40 different types of trees,approximately 100 of which are tagged; the six-km (yellow) “pincushion/crow’s foot” routerenowned for the presence of these plants, that are only found in three places on this vast mountain, and the 10-km (green) route. There is also ample opportunity to view San rock art along these routes. There are various other hiking trails in this area such as the one-day Christmaskrans Trail on the Holland farm, the Banke Conservancy Trail, the Belvedere Nature Reserve Trail and the 23-km Kameelkop Trail.

The Belvedere Nature Reserve is situated in hilly terrain near the Korannaberg Mountain Range. It houses some 16 species of game and many birds. Accommodation in the reserve consists of two sandstone huts and a unique, thatch-roofed hut built on stilts, almost in the middle of a large dam. Angling, canoeing and boating (inflatable boats) are allowed on the dam.

The Korannaberg Conservancy is some 16 000-ha situated between the towns of Marquard, Clocolan and Excelsior and includes the majestic Korannaberg Mountain Range. Apart from the peace and quiet and spectacular mountain scenery, many species of game and birds can be observed. Several walking, hiking, mountain biking and 4×4 routes have been established in the conservancy. Merrimetsi Lodge, a lovely, restored 1886 sandstone dwelling, offers superb accommodation for up to ten people.