The Dome

The world famous Vredefort Dome UNESCO World Heritage Site is in the heart of South Africa close to Johannesburg. Otters Haunt is situated in the Dome on the banks of the Vaal River and near the foot of the Dome Berglands, or mountain ring.

The Dome marks the centre of the world’s oldest and largest asteroid impact crater, so big it can only be seen as a whole from space.

A party of hikers reaches one of the Dome viewpoints


Dome driving tours are popular – either with an expert guide or do-it-yourself after a briefing and with the map/booklet set

Options

– Drive with an expert guide, half day or full day
– Raft the river to see amazing features exposed by erosion
– Get a briefing and a Self-Drive Map&Booklet
– Hike to high points from which the Dome and Bergland can be seen
– We also do battlefields tours of this historic area

Contact us to find out what suits you best to see and find out about the Dome.

Self-drive map and booklet

The self-drive Dome map and 20-page booklet are sold to many visitors. Get the 45 minute briefing to understand what you are looking at. Then follow the map listing scenic views and sites of Dome impact evidence. Quaint country hotels are great places to stop for refreshments, lunch or sundowners.

Spectacular landscape

The Dome Bergland seen from a hot-air balloon in the evening as the sun sinks in the west.
The Dome is the inner core, seen here in a photo taken from the Space Shuttle. The first ring of the crater consists of the mountain ridges with the Vaal River flowing through them and across the Dome. The full crater is not shown – Johannesburg sits on the third ring of the crater, off the photo to the northwest.

Come and find out about this mighty feature on the Earth’s surface. It marks the greatest energy release of which we have any record, and is the biggest well preserved asteroid impact site on the planet.

INQUIRE OR BOOK