PARYS, THE CHARMING TOURIST TOWN

13/03/202313/05/2023Things-to-do

PARYS, THE CHARMING TOURIST TOWN

Parys is a charming small tourist town located in the Free State province of South Africa that offers a range of activities and tourist attractions.

Here are some of the top things to do and see in Parys:

River rafting: The Vaal River runs through Parys, making it an ideal location for river rafting. There are a number of companies that offer guided rafting trips, ranging from gentle family floats to more adventurous rapids.
Hot air balloon rides: Experience a bird’s-eye view of Parys and the surrounding countryside by taking a hot air balloon ride. Several companies offer balloon flights, which typically take place early in the morning or late afternoon. You can even buy a balloon ride as a gift!
Vredefort Dome: Just outside of Parys is the Vredefort Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest verified impact crater on Earth. Visitors can hike through the area and learn about the impact that created the dome.
Art galleries, antique shops, and restaurants: Parys is known for its art galleries, antique shops, and restaurants, where visitors can browse for unique treasures and souvenirs.
Parys Mountain Bike Race: This annual mountain bike race draws participants from around the country and takes riders through the scenic countryside around Parys.
Fishing: The Vaal River is also a popular spot for fly fishing, and Carp fishing with several lodges and fishing outfitters in the area.
Wineries and distilleries: Parys is home to several craft beer distilleries, where visitors can sample local wines, brandies, and gins.
Parys is a popular skydiving destination.

Overall, Parys offers a range of activities and attractions that make it a popular destination for both local and international visitors.

TOUR DE PARYS ON THE VAAL

10/12/202213/05/2023Things-to-do

TOUR DE PARYS CYCLE TOURS

One of the exciting activities in Parys is the Tour de Parys Cycle Tours offered by Paris Antiques.

Rent a bicycle for a morning, afternoon or full day of cycling and sightseeing in Parys.

*Tour de Parys’ bicycles can be rented at Moments Square, Breë Street.*

*A Tour de Parys bicycle at one of the places one can visit on a bike in Parys.*

Tour de Parys offers primarily vintage bikes so that you can experience Paris in South Africa.

Tour de Parys is based in Moments Square, 60 Breë Street, Parys or call them in advance at 071 186 7462.

Paris Antiques is passionate about antique bicycles and the classic era of cycling, so they thought it would be a great way of sharing their passion while showcasing the town that they would like to see flourish.

Tour de Parys offers three cycle rental options and they often have specials such as their Christmas Specials which could mean reduced rates.

Tour de Parys,
Tel: 071 186 7462 or www.tourdeparys.com at
60 Breë Street, Parys.

Two tourists kiss for the camera on their Parys Cycle Tour

WHITE-WATER RAFTING AT PARYS

09/11/202213/05/2023Blog, Things-to-do

White-water rafting at Parys

White-water rafting is one of the adventure activities in Parys that can be done near Klipspruit Accommodation.

The nearest white-water rafting is a 10-minute drive from Klipspruit Accommodation.

What is white-water rafting?

White-water rafting is an adventure activity of riding on an inflatable raft over fast-flowing and sometimes dangerous parts of a river.

White-water rafting gained popularity in Europe in the 1980s and is now pursued as an adventure activity over the world in all countries where people do outdoor adventures.

The term “white water” refers to the white of the water in a fast-flowing part of a river. White-water rafting follows the flow of the river, usually in a rubber dinghy, with large parts of the rafting taking place on calm waters with intermittent rapids.

The rafting in the rapids provides the action that makes white-water rafting an adventure activity.

White-water rafting on the Vaal River

The Vaal River of 1458km provides many opportunities for rapids to form and Parys is ideally located to provide multiple white-water rafting opportunities.

Why is white-water rafting so much fun?

White-water rafting is fun because of the exhilaration of fast accelerating through the rapids alternated by floating on a quiet river and experiencing nature.

It provides the focus away from everything else and forces attention on the rapids that must be conquered without landing up in the water.

White-water rafting provides the adrenaline rush on which humans thrive and gives a mundane life that little push into excitement.

Can children do white-water rafting?

Children can do white-water rafting but many operators have an age limit of 7 years.

Children below 7 are usually not allowed to white-water raft due to the risks involved for inexperienced children.

Where there are rapids that may be considered more dangerous for any reason, an operator may apply a minimum age of 14 years.

Is white-water rafting dangerous?

White-water rafting on the Vaal River near Parys is not dangerous because the river is calmer in the area and there are no deep ravines that create extremely fast or dangerous rapids.

Part of rafting through rapids is that people fall off the inflatable dinghy and need to be pulled back up. If it happens, you are pulled back into the raft so quickly that you will hardly have time to panic. And you will have something to talk about back home!

The white-water rafting operators in the Parys area all have a very good safety record.

All the adventure operators on the Vaal near Parys provide high-standard safety equipment that will ensure that you do not suffer serious after-effects should you land up in the water in a rapid or where there are sharp rocks.

White-river rafting near Parys

Three white-rever rafting adventure companies near Parys are Real Adventures, Eagle River Rafting and Dimalachite River Rafting.

WHY SHOULD TOURISTS VISIT OUR TOWN?

11/08/202213/05/2023Blog

WHY SHOULD TOURISTS VISIT PARYS?

When we invite people to our small towns anywhere in the country, they usually ask: “What is there to do?”. In other words, they want to know why they should visit our town.

What you answer can get your town a visit or a pass.

Anyone who makes serious business about drawing people to the town so they can spend money and help strengthen our town economy should have an answer ready

Your answer should either offer unique things or experiences or extraordinary things. Unique things are those that only our town has while unique things are things other tourist destinations may have but ours is better or offer another experience.

We need to always keep in mind that it is not what we say but how people feel. We can boast as much as we want, but if a visitor does not think back on their visit with positive emotion, it is a wasted opportunity.

What are the “things” that people want in a tourist destination?

South Africa is one of a small group of countries where personal security is top of the list of requirements for day and weekend visitors, stay-overs and long-term visitors. Especially campers are focused on security for many reasons.

All tourist accommodations in and around Parys are properly secured with electric security fences, guards, cameras and armed response services.

Then tourists want to know what there is to do in the town. Parys offers a variety of activities that entice tourists and city slickers to visit our town.

A tourist town that is within easy reach of large cities is always a favourite.

Any visitor from Gauteng can take a day trip to Parys and be back home the same night, although we find that day visitors often become sleep-overs and weekend visitors because of everything Parys offers tourists.

Business visitors want comfortable accommodation and companies often prefer towns that are not too far from the city but still isolated enough so their employees can properly focus on a course, seminar or planning meeting.

One thing that small towns like Parys offer are a different culture from cities.

In Parys, the visitor can walk the main street and experience the whole town. Browsing the tourist shops allows you to meet with the locals and experience the tourist, sports and farming culture of this popular Free State town.

We need no convincing about the experience Parys offers, we just need to convince people in other cities and towns to come and experience the same.

ONLINE RESERVATIONS

WHAT ACCOMMODATION DOES PARYS OFFER?

02/08/202205/10/2023Blog

WHAT ACCOMMODATION DOES PARYS OFFER?

Parys is a tourist town on the banks of the Vaal River and it is expected that it will offer a wide range of accommodation.

A town within 100km of the most populated area in the country and right on the doorstep of the industrial and financial powerhouse of South Africa, can be expected to receive large numbers of weekend pleasure and adventure seekers.

To accommodate these tourists, Parys needs a variety of tourist accommodations, and that is exactly what Parys offers.

WHAT ACCOMMODATION DOES PARYS OFFER?. Entrance to Mademoiselle accommodation illustrates what accommodation Parys offers — **Entrance to Mademoiselle self-catering accommodation in Parys**

There are cheap guest houses in the town, although we prefer to call them affordable guest houses or accommodation. We are after all not cheap people!

Parys lies on the banks of the Vaal River and as such, there are accommodations on the river. Klipspruit Accommodation is a few hundred meters from the river bank.

If you look for hotels, lodges, accommodation with a jacuzzi, romantic accommodation, self-catering or luxury accommodation, you will find them all in Parys, because Parys offers the whole range of possible tourist accommodations.

All the guest houses and other accommodations in Parys often offer specials and they are all focused on tourists, business people, adventure seekers and people looking to relax for a weekend.

Self-catering accommodation in Parys is popular among weekend visitors because of its affordability and the wide range of activities in and around the town.

Families, where the family members have different interests like to book self-catering accommodation. It allows every family member to pursue their own interests and activities in their own time, whether it is a sport, adventure or just looking for hidden gems in the main street shops or in the area around the town.

Parys with its long history that starts with the impact crater and ends with the most modern restaurants, breweries, river activities and sports, is understandably a popular weekend getaway destination for exhausted Johannesburg residents.

We believe the urge to visit Parys stems to a large extent from the need for fresh Free State air filled with healthy oxygen rather than car exhaust fumes. Nothing gets rid of stiff shoulder muscles and office frustrations quite like an active weekend on the river, in the veld or in the air of Parys.

The need to get away from the city calls for proper, affordable accommodation and that is what Parys offers.

So, Parys offers accommodation that includes:

Self-catering accommodation
Romantic accommodation
Accommodation near adventure activities
Accommodation near the Vaal River
Affordable accommodation
Hotels
Guest houses
Lodges
B&B’s
Accommodation for weekend getaways
Accommodation for week stays

See, Parys has everything!

We hope you find the right accommodation for you, just like Klipspruit Accommodation in Parys.

WHAT IS THERE TO DO IN PARYS?

28/07/202202/08/2022Blog

WHAT IS THERE TO DO IN PARYS?

Parys is a small rural town and people often ask what there is to do in Parys.

Parys is also a bustling tourist town and there is a wide range of activities to entertain our visitors with many utilising the Vaal River and others the clean, crisp, highveld air.

Adventure sports are a popular pastime with many adventure enthusiasts visiting the town over weekends. With Parys only 100km from Johannesburg, it is a quick drive to all the activities and relaxation our town offers.

Fishing at Parys

Thanks to Parys being on the banks of the Vaal River, angling is a popular activity with many angling spots along the river.

Skydiving

That King of thrill sports, Skydiving draws a small but dedicated following over weekends with Skydive Parys at the Parys Airfield offering skydiving for novices, professionals, recreational skydivers as well as professional skydivers and teams preparing for competitions.

River rafting

If you like water and excitement, then river rafting on the Vaal around Parys is your answer.

First-time rafters, experienced rafters and non-swimmers are all welcome at the river rafting activities. The Big Daddy Rapids, the biggest in the Vaal River, are near Parys.

Other river rafting companies provide mild-to-wild White Water Rafting as well as relaxed paddling for couples, groups and teams.

Some river rafting companies provide a wide range of adventure activities from family river cruises, to gondola rides and full-day river rafting.

Ziplining

Ziplining is a popular adventure activity for young and old, shy and bold and everyone who wants to try something they have never done before.

4X4

Four-wheel drive adventure is popular around Parys.

Some 4X4 routes provide mountain biking, quad biking, hiking trails and game viewing right in the Vredefort Dome.

Sports

Parys has a number of different sports clubs with the golf course and golf estate popular favourites.

Relaxing activities in Parys

If you just want to relax, walk around and experience the Free State informality, there is always Parys itself with its many small shops for all kinds of interests.

You can eat, sip coffee, taste refreshing craft beer, shop once a month or every day, relax around a steak or experience the talent in Parys. The choice is as wide as the Free State plains.

Additional adventure activities at Parys include:

abseiling
archery
laser clay pigeon shooting
river war games

Vredefort Dome

Parys is well-known for the fact that it is in the Vredefort Dome, a World Heritage Site and the world’s oldest and largest known impact structure.

Make contact with the Friends of the Vredefort Dome if you want to learn more or become involved.

Accommodation in Parys

Where do all these people stay over when they visit Parys? Well, they stay at Klipspruit Accommodation, of course!

WHAT MAKES PARYS SUCH A POPULAR HOLIDAY DESTINATION?

27/06/202205/10/2023Blog

WHAT MAKES PARYS SUCH A POPULAR HOLIDAY DESTINATION?

The reasons why Parys became such a popular holiday destination are as varied as the people you ask.

The weir in the Vaal River at Parys
Image by Ossewa

Some say it’s the Vredefort Dome, the meteorite impact location and the world heritage site. Others say it is because of its artistic atmosphere. Some say it is because of the Vaal River that flows past the town, and others because it is a day-trip distance from the Johannesburg metropolitan area.

Parys’ popularity as a holiday destination may be a combination of all those factors.

The reason for Parys’ popularity lies in the need it fulfils.

What can we do this weekend? Let’s go to Parys, it’s a nice day trip from Jo’burg!

Parys is 110km from central Johannesburg, 174 km from Pretoria CBD, 162km from Centurion and 135km from Midrand. That means that Parys is within an hour-and-half drive from the most densely populated area in South Africa.

What can you do in Parys?

Parys offers the widest choice of activities of any inland destination town.

Activities Parys offers

A whole town centre focused on tourists including guest houses, restaurants, trinket shops, antique shops, art shops, coffee shops and a variety of tourist shops.
Adventure activities such as white water rafting and ziplining.
Action sports like skydiving and parachuting.
Golf.
Relaxation and fun activities such as hiking on the many hiking trails.
Water sports and recreation that are centred around the Vaal River that flows through Parys.
Caravanning and camping.
Angling in the popular Vaal River.
Geological interest activities centred around the Vredefort Dome.
Farm visits.

This wide range of activities and interests together with its distance from the metropolitan areas of Gauteng makes Parys the ideal tourism and weekend destination for fun lovers.

Parys has grown to be a favourite tourist destination, but it did not start as a tourist town. The town started like most small towns in South Africa because of the need for a local church.

The people who needed a church nearby were mainly farmers. Parys was a farming town, getting its growth from the surrounding farms and the needs of the farmers and their families.

It was only in the past one or two decades that Parys became such a popular tourist destination.

Parys’ growth as a tourist town can also be attributed to the determination of its citizens and business and community organisations to resist the fate of many small South African towns whose economies have suffered and even collapsed for many reasons.

The active promotion of the town and the belief in the potential of Parys by the many entrepreneurs have kept Parys going and growing.

Despite many factors acting against it, the tenacity of the residents and the small business owners keeps Parys a popular holiday destination.

Most businesses in Parys are small businesses. Those are the businesses where you don’t buy a product or a service if you support the business, you feed an entrepreneurial family.

Book your weekend or holiday accommodation with us and come experience the vibrancy of Parys.

Make a reservation