Introduction to Parys
Parys is a small and vibrant town in South Africa. We are on the banks of the Vaal River 120km South of Johannesburg. We have 4 antique shops, 5 art galleries, 19 restaurants, about 37 resorts/B&B's and 6 river rafting operators. We have a unique character, interesting buildings, friendly people and true plattelandse (country side) tranquility.

What is the Vredefort Dome ?
Parys lies within the 'Vredefort' dome which is the remains of an ancient crater. The crater was formed 2000 million years ago when a meteorite as big as table mountain struck the earth. The crater was about 90km in diameter with the center of impact near Vredefort ( Vredefort is a small town about 15 km from Parys.) Today not much of the original crater is left except for the koppies around Parys and Vredefort with its unique fauna and flora, friendly people, various tourism attractions and some very interesting geological sites. In the conservancy area you will find baboons, jackal, unique birds, a variety of game on some of the game ranches as well as a very clever leopard that will on a frequent basis catch some game at a number of farms and always somehow manage to evade his pursuers.

What is Parys Extreme ?
Parys has extremely beautiful nature - and extremely adventurous souls engaging in activities like river rafting, abseiling, adventure racing, mountain biking, etc. You will find with us breathtaking nature views, eccentric artists and a frequent bunch of adrenalin junkies. Because the river is so wide at Parys the rapids just increase in wildness as the water levels rise. As far as we know Parys is the only place in SA where you will find a 900m long continuous rapid (The Theater) When the water is at 300 cubic meters/second the Theater becomes an exhilarating 900m non-stop adventure. At 1200 cum/s some say it becomes a suicidal gambling game.