South Africa Travels Blog

The Vredefort Dome which had its origin roughly 2000 million years ago is located just west of the N1 freeway just south of Sasolburg and about an hours drive north of Kroonstad in the Northern Freestate.

The bio dome was created when a giant meteorite struck the earth east of where Vredefort is situated today.
The impact structure that was subsequently formed has come to be known as the oldest and largest meteorite impact site on earth, measuring about 200 km in diameter.

The Dome Area is well known for its unique natural beauty and consists of valleys, mountains and small ravines covered in lush green flora. The unique origin of this area bought about a variety of mirco habitats which in turn created a number of interesting eco systems. The wild Olive forest, a natural heritage site is also situated here.

In some international bird publications the Vredefort Dome is acclaimed as one of the best areas for bird identification in South Africa. The hugh diversity of habitats host more than 400 bird species.

Rare animal species currently found in this area include caracal, leopard, small species of antelope and the endangered rock hyrax.
A number of archaeological diggings have been undertaken in the dome. Historical and cultural artefacts from the Iron and Stone ages are spread along the mountains and there is still large amount of research to be done to understand the full scale and value of these finds.

It is accepted that through time the geographic positions, size and a number of continents on earth has changed as a result of a process known as continental drift.

Evidence that proves that South Africa and South America were once joined, indicated in that its fossils of the same Dinosaurs have been found in corresponding rock strata in both countries, but nowhere else in the world.

The Sandstone Mountains of the Eastern Free State were also formed by dust that blew from modern day Brazil. Two very important fossils that were found in Ladybrand are the ‘Diarthrognatus’ and the ‘Euskelosauras’. They are both complete skeletons that are to be seen in the National Museum in Bloemfontein.

Ladybrand lies in the fertile Caledon Valley that has been inhabited by man for thousands of years.

Many Heritage sites in South Africa are dedicated to “The Cradle of Humankind” the origin of our human ancestors, belonging to the genus Homo.