Lentswelemoriti is connected with the history of the St Engenas Zion Christian Church and the Babirwa. A historical article dated October 3, 2024, reports that church members came to Lentswelemoriti from Ramotswa and Mochudi to practise their faith freely there. This historical context places the religious community and its motivations at the centre.
Faith and the history of the place
A historical account dated April 25, 2016, reports that St Engenas of the Zion Christian Church advocated founding a village in the middle of a game reserve. The founding met with colonial resistance. Lentswelemoriti is considered a sacred place and a site of prayer for the church, and has special significance in the history of the Babirwa. Those interested in religious and community history will find a place whose significance is connected both with religious practice and with the founding of the village.
Community tourism
MOLEMA Bush Camp is an example of community tourism in the history of the area. It was established in 2000 as a community-run tourism initiative for the villages of Motlhabaneng, Lentswelemoriti and Mathathane. An account from 2025 describes the camp as a joint venture between these three villages and the tourism businesses Tuli Safari Lodge and Talana Farms. The project can therefore be viewed as a community-supported tourism venture, alongside the area's religious and historical focus. If you would like to include the camp in your visit plans, check current access and operating conditions in advance.
Landscape in the broader destination of Central District
In the broader destination of Central District, the Tswapong Hills offer a distinct landscape focus. The Tswapong Hills Cultural Landscape encompasses a mountain range approximately 70 km long and about 15 km wide, rising around 400 m above its surroundings. Deep gorges are part of this natural area, along with seasonal rivers fed by natural springs. Freshwater springs feed streams, which form waterfalls with deep, moss-lined pools. When there is heavier rainfall, waterfalls form and their water collects in lagoons.
Moremi Gorge is located in the Tswapong Hills. It can be reached on foot via a steep ascent and is the source of three permanent waterfalls. The first two waterfalls form large pools. The uppermost is 10 metres high and plunges over rocky ledges into a densely vegetated lagoon. Its cultural significance is also considerable: Moremi Gorge holds great religious and spiritual significance for the local community; the Department of National Museums and Monuments declared it a National Monument.
At the northern end of the Tswapong Hills, Goo-Moremi Gorge lies next to Manonnye-Moremi Gorge. A 2017 report describes rock climbing at Goo-Moremi Gorge as an option. The regional highlights therefore differ: Moremi Gorge is centred on its gorge and waterfalls, while descriptions of Goo-Moremi Gorge also include climbing.
Planning tips
Before entering the Tswapong Hills, visitors are advised, as a courtesy, to ask the local headman for permission. Confirm this recommendation locally before your visit. This keeps the information about the landscape distinct from that about Lentswelemoriti's religious history as you decide which topics matter for your travel plans.
Discover more destinations: Palapye, Nata, Letlhakane, Selibe-Phikwe, Mahalapye, Mathathane
Back to the broader travel overview: Central District.
