As the second oldest town in the province, Wakkerstroom is brimming with history that is only rivalled by its natural splendour. It is set in a peaceful valley overlooked by the Ossewakop Mountain popular for leisurely hikes, fresh country air, panoramic views and mountain biking.

It's a world-renowned birding destination and home to three major bird habitat types, namely wetlands, grasslands and forests. Birders journey to Wakkerstroom with the hopes of spotting the rare Rudd's Lark and Botha's Lark from the four bird hides in the tranquil setting of the surrounding wetland reserve. A good cross-section of water birds and a reasonable complement of forest birds are found throughout Wakkerstroom.

Within easy range of Wakkerstroom are several seasonal pans that support quite a different water bird community. These pans only fill with water after periods of good rain. There is an explosion of life on these pans when they fill with the first good summer rains and numbers of such species as Whiskered Tern, Great Crested and Black-necked Grebes can be spotted. Also to be seen are the White-backed and Maccoa ducks that come to these pans to breed. No country retreat is complete without a fishing expedition: Zaaihoek and Martin's Dam offer just that.

A little more than a two hour drive from Johannesburg makes it an attractive destination for those wanting to get away from city life for a weekend or longer. There are a number of restaurants, pubs, shops and salons, as well as a museum and many historical buildings to cater for the more culturally inclined