The Tswapong Hills shape a striking landscape in Botswana’s Central District: ridges, deep gorges and waterways all come together here. When planning your trip, it is useful to distinguish the broad character of the Hills from the specific features of Moremi Gorge.

The Tswapong Hills: Ridges and Gorges

The Tswapong Hills Cultural Landscape encompasses a mountain range about 70 kilometres long and about 15 kilometres wide. It rises around 400 metres above its surroundings. Deep gorges have formed in the Hills, shaping the terrain alongside the ridges. Natural freshwater springs feed streams and seasonal rivers. After heavier rains, waterfalls form and flow into lagoons. Streams also form waterfalls with deep, moss-lined pools. Water and terrain are therefore equally characteristic of the landscape.

Waterfalls with Different Characteristics

Three permanent waterfalls originate in Moremi Gorge. The gorge can be reached on foot via a steep ascent. The first two waterfalls form large pools; the uppermost is ten metres high and plunges over rock ledges into a densely vegetated lagoon. For orientation, it is helpful to distinguish these from the other waterways in the Hills: waterfalls form there after heavier rains, while Moremi Gorge has three permanent falls.

The landscape features also differ: the Hills have seasonal rivers, streams and lagoons; in Moremi Gorge, the pools and the densely vegetated lagoon at the uppermost waterfall define the described route. These features give you specific points of reference for distinguishing the broad water landscape from the individual waterfalls in the gorge.

The Cultural Significance of Moremi Gorge

Moremi Gorge is of great religious and spiritual significance to the local community. The Department of National Museums and Monuments has declared it a National Monument. The site’s landscape and cultural significance should therefore be considered together. Its designation as a National Monument adds recognised cultural heritage significance to the gorge’s natural features.

Goo-Moremi and the Tswapong Hills

The Goo-Moremi Gorge is a separate site. It lies at the northern end of the Tswapong Hills, next to Manonnye-Moremi Gorge. A 2017 report described rock climbing at Goo-Moremi Gorge as an option. If you plan this activity, check in advance whether it is currently accessible.

A Courtesy Recommendation for Visitors

Visitors are advised, as a courtesy, to ask the local headman for permission before entering the Tswapong Hills. Confirm this recommendation locally before your visit as well. This makes clear that it is a courtesy recommendation, not an access requirement established here.

Discover more destinations: Tutume, Mahalapye, Mahalapye, Letlhakane, Selibe-Phikwe, Palapye, Nata, Lentswelemoriti, Mathathane.

For the broader travel overview: Botswana.