Qwantani
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Qwantani
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Few resorts in the Free State offer this much to do, and no other resort sits on water like this. Sterkfontein Dam is the third-largest dam in South Africa, 18.8 km from end to end, deep, cold and rated the cleanest in the country, and Qwantani is the only resort on it. Cruise the bays aboard our barge, cast a line, ride an ATV up to Scream Valley, hike to Bushman paintings and hidden waterfalls, or dive beneath the surface with our own boat and compressor. Qwantani is also the only place in South Africa where you can hire an ATV. A games card, available at reception, gives you access to the resort's recreational facilities during your stay, and our adventure team will help you plan the rest. Current rates for guided and paid activities are available at reception, where all bookings are made.

Take an easy hour around the bays and coves closest to the resort aboard our barge, the Emmi, with an optional talk on the history of the resort and the dam. Toddlers under three go free, and children under 12 and pensioners over 65 pay half price.

Two hours aboard the Lazy Lady, a fast, sea-going motor cruiser with a warm cabin and a toilet, covering roughly 35 km to Mount Lebanon and one of the finest views in South Africa. The Lazy Lady goes out in any weather, and drinks and snacks are welcome on board.

A 90-minute cruise around the bays and out to the only island on the lake, with an optional talk on the dam. Keep an eye out for Robinson, the lonely wildebeest who lives there.

Guests waving from the bow of Lazy Lady IV yacht, legs dangling over turquoise lake under a sunny blue sky

Sterkfontein Dam is rated the cleanest dam in South Africa and one of the country's top fly-fishing waters, and you can cast straight from the shoreline metres from your chalet. For something more ambitious, hire a boat with no skipper's certificate required, take a pedal-powered fishing kayak, book a drop-off at the best spots for the day, or go out with our experienced guide who knows exactly where they're biting, rods and tackle included if you need them.

Solo fly-fisher casting from a grassy lakeshore beneath blue skies and distant rolling hills at Qwantani.

Singles, doubles and everything in between. Paddle the shoreline at your own pace, add a guide if you'd like company who knows the water, or book the two-hour Learn to Kayak session and finish with a proper trip out.

Great fun and gloriously silly: take up to four reasonably d people out on the water under your own steam.

We have a range of sailing boats. Hire one by the half day if you know your way around a sail, or book our skipper and let someone else do the work while up to five of you enjoy the ride.

Qwantani has its own compressor, cylinders and dive boat. Certified divers can book a dive with regulator hire available, newcomers can try a pool experience from age 10, and the full Introduction to Scuba covers lecture, pool training and an open-water dive.

The best thing we do, and found nowhere else in the country. These two-seater off-road ATVs take you into country most guests never see, with a guide leading the way and the driving shared between you. Choose the one-hour trip close to the resort with a good chance of game, the hour-and-a-half run to Scream Valley for the scream rock, an old stone dam with a pool, ancient fossils and the Yellowwood cave, or the full two hours to Mount Lebanon across rivers and beneath magnificent cliffs. Minimum driving age is 16 and a learner's or driver's licence is required to drive. Small children may ride on a driver's lap at no extra charge. Qwantani is the only place in South Africa where you can hire an ATV.

One-hour guided tours for beginners and experienced riders alike, one rider per quad, minimum age 16. For the little ones, the junior quad is a small electric machine they can ride themselves, with a guide alongside for the very smallest.

Head out in one of our Jeeps with a guide at the wheel. The Escarpment trip runs an hour out and an hour back for stunning views, and Silent Valley is a 40-minute drive each way to a beautiful valley with its own waterfall. Both take a minimum of two guests and a maximum of four.

For serious off-roaders: our guide leads in a Jeep with a winch while you drive your own vehicle on a genuine 4x4 route, with some scratching risk and six hours of unforgettable driving. Bring a picnic. Scenic Game Drive – Head into the Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve aboard our Land Rover game viewer for game, sweeping views and the landscapes that make this reserve special. Sightings are never guaranteed, which is rather the point. Smaller groups can go out in a Jeep.

Red Jeep Rubicon and white pickup parked on rocky plateau with group of guests enjoying expansive canyon and mountain views

Five guided walks, each starting with a 4x4 trip to the trailhead. The Escarpment Hike is a moderate 2 km with stunning views. Vulture Rock is the pick of them: a hardish 6 km with excellent chances of vultures, remarkable geology and the full sweep of the escarpment. The Lung Cave crosses difficult terrain to a cave full of strange shapes and holes, Battle Cave is an easy 20-minute walk to beautiful San and Boer art, and Twin Falls is a two-hour hike to a pair of lovely waterfalls.

Twenty shots or twenty arrows, and a chance to find out who in the family has been hiding a talent.

The single most reliable way to tire out a child ever invented.

Two boys in swim trunks jumping on a shaded inflatable play pad at a resort, with parked off-road buggies visible nearby

Eighteen holes of mini golf on the resort grounds. Handicaps mean nothing here.

Racquets at the ready; the court is available to resort guests with a games card.

Organised games, activities and entertainment for children through holiday periods, plus the Fred First Kids Club with Fred's dance, story time, eco-challenges and goodie bags.

Collect a set at reception with your games card for slow afternoons and rainy days.

Take in the foothills from the saddle on a guided ride out from the resort.

Your dog holidays too: a fenced play area with an obstacle course and mobile dog pools, adventure walks with the Canine Concierge, the Doggy Parlour & Spa for a wash and groom, and the Bon-A-Pet-Treat Menu at the restaurant.

Brown dog fetching blue frisbee on a grassy lakeside lawn, rocks and distant mountains in soft sunlight

While Qwantani offers full self-catering flexibility and the on-site “Marshall” Eagle Restaurant, it's worth building a meal out into your itinerary. Harrismith's family favourites are around 55 minutes away, and the celebrated restaurants, cafés and brewery of Clarens make a natural lunch stop on a Golden Gate day trip, about an hour and 20 minutes from the resort.

Onsite Distance: Onsite Phone: 058 623 0882 598 Craigielea Farm, R712, Harrismith, Free State

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Nearby Distance: 56 mins (54,8 km) Phone: 071 696 3000 Windmill Farm R74 Top of Oliviershoek Pass, Bergville

Nearby Distance: 55 mins (50,1 km) Phone: 058 623 1640 The Bergview Complex, Boschetto Ave, Lotusville, Harrismith

Nearby Distance: 58 mins (48,4 km) Phone: 086 000 0040 Shop L8, Maluti Crescent Mall, Motebang Rd, Phuthaditjhaba-A, Phuthaditjhaba

Nearby Distance: 47 mins (39,4 km) Phone: 076 963 8319 1095N Stadium Road, Phuthaditjhaba-N, Phuthaditjhaba

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Nearby Distance: 1 hr 28 mins (89,3 km) Phone: 079 355 1298 Church St, Van Zyl St &, Clarens

Nearby Distance: 1 hr 16 mins (74,2 km) Phone: 082 382 3515 R712, Clarens

Nearby Distance: 1 hr 29 mins Phone: 058 023 0566 Shop 1, Rosemary Centre, 326 Market Straat Oos St, Clarens

Nearby Distance: 1 hr 28 mins (89,2 km) Phone: 058 008 5140 Windmill Centre, Cnr Main & Van Zyl St, Clarens

Qwantani is well positioned for guests looking to explore outdoor activities around Sterkfontein Dam and the surrounding Free State Highlands. From hiking trails and scenic mountain drives to cultural heritage sites and national parks, the region supports both active itineraries and relaxed sightseeing. Popular destinations such as Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Clarens village and Harrismith golf courses remain within comfortable driving distance of the resort.

01 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 48 mins (44.6 km) from Qwantani Clarens, Free State 058 255 1000

02 Basotho Cultural Village 54 mins (49.7 km) from Qwantani R712, Phuthaditjhaba, Free State 058 721 0300

03 Clarens Village Conservancy 1 hr 35 mins (91 km) from Qwantani Clarens, Free State

04 Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve 50 mins (41.6 km) from Qwantani Harrismith, Free State 058 622 3520

05 Amphitheatre Chain Ladders 1 hr 50 mins (76.3 km) Sentinel Car Park, Witsieshoek access route 083 461 6102

Qwantani allows guests to explore the natural landscapes surrounding Sterkfontein Dam while returning to spacious accommodation and resort facilities overlooking the water and surrounding mountains.

Book your stay at Qwantani and position yourself close to some of the Free State Highlands’ most accessible natural attractions.