Ficksburg, also known as the 'Gateway to the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho', is close to the border of Lesotho; a landlocked country within Southern Africa and a popular tourist destination.
Many tourists pass though Ficksburg on their way to the border. The town is nestled between the Caledon River and the Imperani Moutains and is a beautiful place in its own right.
The area is best known for its cherry and asparagus crops and is responsible for almost all of the cherry produced in South Africa.
With that in mind, it makes sense that Ficksburg is the home to the world famous annual Cherry Festival. The festival is held in November and draws over 20 000 people to this small town.
- Ficksburg presents the spectacular Cherry Festival each November.
- The Gumtree- SA's tallest sandstone building
- General Fick's monument
- The White Mischief cruise boat
- Organic industry at Green Goose Organics
The town was named after Commander Johan Fick who was the leader in many wars against the Basotho people from 1865-1868. Before the Free State settlers settled in the area, it was plagued with the same battles between groups of the Basotho that affected the whole region of the Caledon River in the 19th Century. The Free State settlers had to be armed and protected against the violence in the area. Some of the walls they built around their homes, almost 150 years ago, are still standing.
