The healing resort
Officially opened in 2017, Goo-Moremi Gorge is one of the main attractions in the Central District. Ideally located approximately 68 km east of Palapye, every year, droves of tourists and those seeking to take a break away from the busy streets of the city turn up here. And most importantly, those who also wish to reconnect, rejuvenate and stock up on the special waters of Goo-Moremi come here.
The source of the waters come from natural springs, located in the hills, and caves. The resort is Moremi Manonnye Conservation Trust. Offering guests with unparallel views of the best of Mother Nature, guests can either choose to sleep in one of the 14 rooms (which comprises of eight luxury tents, and six chalets which are self-catering). For those who wish to do a bit of camping, the resort has five campsites, and guests can opt to hire some equipment from the resort.
Accommodation ranges from P1.2 to P2.1 for their presidential suite which comes with many comforts, including a king-sized bed, living room, television, bathtub, shower and outside balcony. According to the Administration and House Keeping Manager, Kgomotso Motimedi, the Gorge is the main attraction. Besides the bird life, the Gorge also happens to be home to wildlife such as Zebras, Ditholo, eland, and kgokong. She explains that in total, they have five waterfalls.
Interestingly, for those who might not know, Moremi Gorge is home to the endangered Cape Vultures which can be found at the Vulture Gorge. In the past, students from New Zealand used to come and study the diverse birdlife and vegetation.
For as little as P80, she explains that guests can gain entry into the resort, and experience nature at her best. Eighty percent of their staff, are locals from the area, who offer various services and are well trained. Other facilities that they have in the resort includes a Bar and Restaurant that can accommodate 70 people as well as conference venue which can cater for 30. Sharing insight about what she believes makes this place special, she said that it was the culture and the traditional beliefs behind the origin of the gorge.
“Many people believe that the water has healing powers,” she said. Motimedi explains that they have many clients who are regulars. This she said is a sign that they were doing something great. She highlighted that clients who were travelling from South Africa, and traveling to and from places such as Nata frequented them.
The place is 120 km from Martins Drift Border gate, which means that they are well positioned to cater to these travelling clients. “We are their first or last stop when they are going or coming back from Nata,” she explained.
She further said that they offer clients the same ambience and atmosphere experienced in the delta. “We have been getting positive feedback mostly,” said Motimedi. Meanwhile, she shared that they are busy with renovations, giving the Chalets a new-look which will be up to date. When the resort opened in 2015, she said that outdoor showers were installed, and that over time this has proven to be a challenge for clients, especially during the wet weather.