Tourism investment opportunities

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 Moluti Mountains and once played refuge to the Basotho people in times of war. It also served as a spiritual space 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 suns 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 secrets of the dinosaur era.

Investment project details
Project: Golden Gate Highlands National Park Interpretive Centre Location: 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.

Approximate value: R130-million

Feasibility/financial projections: Through the SANParks/ Moloti Drakensberg Transfrontier Project, concept and business plans and feasibility studies for the project are currently under way.

Contact details:
Rabson Dhlodhlo, Maloti Drakensberg Transfrontier Project
Tel: +27 33 239 1884
Email: rabson@maloti.org

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