Botswana - Tswapong Hills Cultural Landscape

The Tswapong Hills Cultural Landscape is located in the eastern part of the Central District near the town of Palapye in Botswana. The area stretches over a 70km magnificent range of the Tswapong Hills. The Tswapong Hills are about 15km wide and rise 400m above their surroundings. The rocks of Tswapong Hills were formed 1800 million years ago within a major sedimentary basin. They consist of horizontal layers of sandstone, ironstone, conglomerates of rounded water-worn pebbles and quartzites. A capping of hard and resistance rock has protected the hills from erosion resulting with high elevation from the surrounding plains. The hills are typically flat topped and in many places sheer-sided with striking vertical cliffs. Deep gorges have been carved into the hills giving rise to seasonal rivers, fed by natural springs where absorbed rain water seeps through the porous rock along fault zones as springs. These springs give rise to streams forming waterfalls with deep moss-edged pools. The western edge of the hill range presents the magnificent remains of the Historic Ngwato capital with the famous church built under the leadership of Khama III in 1892. The area has evidence of multiple phases of human occupation from early Stone Age to the 19th century AD.