Parys, which is situated on the banks of the Vaal River, is a popular holiday destination. Close by you will find the Vredefort Dome is a crater, caused by the collision of a meteorite with the Earth over 2 million years ago. In July 2005, it was declared a World Heritage Site. It features unique fauna and flora, including 100 different plant species, more than 300 types of birds and a variety of small mammals. Various hiking and mountain-bike trails are also on offer.

Reference: The South African Year Book 2005/2006


Attractions and Things to do in Parys

The Vredefort Dome
Vredefort Dome, approximately 120km south west of Johannesburg, is a representative part of a larger meteorite impact structure, or astrobleme. Dating back 2,023 million years, it is the oldest astrobleme found on earth so far. With a radius of 190km, it is also the largest and the most deeply eroded. Vredefort Dome bears witness to the world’s greatest known single energy release event, which caused devastating global change, including, according to some scientists, major evolutionary changes. It provides critical evidence of the earth’s geological history and is crucial to our understanding of the evolution of the planet. Despite their importance to the planet’s history, geological activity on the earth’s surface has led to the disappearance of evidence from most impact sites and Vredefort is the only example on earth to provide a full geological profile of an astrobleme below the crater floor.
World Heritage Site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1162