The beautiful Lake Gariep is the largest fresh water expanse in South Africa, situated in the Orange River, with a shoreline of 435 km and a surface area of 360 km2. As such it offers tremendous possibilities in terms of outdoor sports and tourism adventure. One of the off-spins is that a tri-provincial tourism developmental initiative has been formed, called the Lake !Gariep Tourism Route, linking the towns of Gariep Dam, Oviston, Venterstad and Bethulie.

At the town of Gariep Dam is the Lake Gariep Tourism & Craft Centre consisting of the Louis Maré-Gariep Dam Museum, Accommodation Info Office and Coffee Shop. Contact number (051) 754 0594 / 083 259 6439 / lakegariep@mweb.co.za. In and around the town there are also the De Stijl Hotel, the Forever Aventure Gariep Resort, the Riversmead Resort, a total of 10 guesthouses and six guest farms / lodges.

Things to do and places to visit include guided tours through the Gariep Dam wall as well as the Gariep Nature Reserve, and various facilities for fishing, picnicking, river rafting, horse riding, boating, etc. The various sport events at the towns surrounding Lake !Gariep has recently proven that sport-tourism has become one of the major marketing tools for the Lake! Gariep initiative, e.g: Read more