Region
South Africa

Sector
Tourism & Leisure

Summary:

A tourism project that will provide an informative, scientific and visually appealing interactive attraction with a strong educational slant, as well as state of the art hosting facilities.

Contact
Motlatsi Maleka

Email
mmaleka@tourism.gov.za

Tel
+27 12 310 3893

Golden Gate Highlands National Park

The Golden Gate Highlands National Park is located along the Maloti Drakensberg Route in the east of the province, overlooking the fertile plains of the Free State in the Thabo Mofutsanyana Highland Region. The area is in the foothills of the Maloti Mountains and once played refuge to the Basotho people in times of war. They also served as spiritual spaces for the hunter-gatherer San people, as evidenced by the rock art which survives to this day.

The park is a unique wonderland of soaring sandstone formations, and it is the golden hue that the sun’s rays imbue to these that gives the park its name. The importance of the park lies not only in its wealth of natural treasures, but also in its collection of fossil eggs – with foetal skeletons – which date from the upper Triassic era, dated at being 200 to 300 million years old.

The region offers sweeping views of tumbling mountains, peaceful valleys and a number of places of interest to the visitor such as the impressive Basotho Cultural Village, as well as outdoor activities such as quad biking, mountain biking, hikes to panoramic viewpoints and exploring the secrets of the dinosaur era.

Project: Golden Gate Highlands National Park Interpretive Centre

Situated within the Golden Gate Highlands National Park of the eastern Free State, this iconic centre will present the palaeontological, natural and human science legacies of this captivating destination.

Project Description:

The centre will be located adjacent to the popular Glen Reenen hospitality area and will also include retail and restaurant offerings. It is anticipated that approximately 100 000 visitors will visit this world-class attraction per year.

The project will provide an informative, scientific and visually appealing interactive attraction with a strong educational slant, as well as state of the art hosting facilities.

Value:

R130 million

Financial Projections:

Through the SANParks / Maloti Drakensberg Transfrontier Project, concept and business plans and feasibility studies for the project are currently underway.

Contact Details:

Motlatsi Maleka
Tel: +27 12 310 3893
Email: mmaleka@tourism.gov.za