Gariep Dam
The largest reservoir in South Africa, formed by a concrete dam on the Orange River on the border of the Free State and the Eastern Cape. Completed in 1971, it provides irrigation water and hydroelectric power, and the lake is used for fishing and boating.
- Where
- Colesberg, Free State, South Africa
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- -30.6228, 25.5064
Get the Gariep Dam stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Gariep Dam. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Free State volume with your photos and a note.
Near Gariep Dam
Mountain Zebra National Park 181 km
A national park in the Eastern Cape, established in July 1937 to protect the endangered Cape mountain zebra. It sits in rolling Karoo hill country near Cradock and also supports cheetah, buffalo and many antelope.
Mokala National Park 197 km
A reserve of 26,485 hectares in the Plooysburg area southwest of Kimberley, established on 19 June 2007. Mokala is the Setswana name for the camel thorn tree, and the park protects rare antelope such as roan and sable.
Big Hole, Kimberley 222 km
A huge hand dug diamond mine in the middle of Kimberley, worked from 1871 until 1914 by thousands of diggers using picks and shovels. It is about 215 metres deep and holds a green pool of water, with a mining museum and a replica town beside it.
Addo Elephant National Park 315 km
A wildlife park near Gqeberha, ranking third in size among South Africa's national parks after Kruger and Kgalagadi. It is best known for its large herds of elephants, which visitors watch from self drive roads and waterholes.
Karoo National Park 354 km
A wildlife reserve of 750 square kilometres in the semi desert of the Great Karoo, near Beaufort West. The Nuweveld part of the Great Escarpment runs through it, and it has fossil trails and mountain zebra.
Golden Gate Highlands National Park 381 km
A 340 square kilometre park in the Free State near the Lesotho border. Its main feature is a set of deeply eroded sandstone cliffs and outcrops in golden, ochre and orange tones.
Sani Pass 382 km
A steep gravel road that climbs from KwaZulu-Natal into Lesotho over the Drakensberg, rising about 1,000 metres in 8 kilometres to nearly 2,900 metres. Only four wheel drive vehicles can use it, and at the top is a pub that claims to be the highest in Africa.
Tugela Falls 388 km
A multi stage waterfall dropping about 948 metres from the Amphitheatre cliff in the Royal Natal National Park, among the tallest in the world. It is best seen from the valley below, or from the top of the escarpment after a long hike from Sentinel Peak car park.
More hidden gems in Free State
Questions
Where is Gariep Dam?
Gariep Dam is in Colesberg, Free State, South Africa. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Mountain Zebra National Park (181 km), Mokala National Park (197 km), Big Hole, Kimberley (222 km).
How do I get the Gariep Dam stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Gariep Dam and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Free State volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Gariep Dam before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Free State volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 40 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.