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Latest News | 28 Sep 2022 | By Sun International

Enter the Gateway to Historical Limpopo

Meropa Casino | Photo by Sun International

Whatever your inclination, Meropa Casino is the perfect base for you to explore the hidden pleasures of the province.

Many indigenous people believe the spirits of their ancestors inhabit the majestic baobab tree or “the tree of life”, which is why it is considered sacred and plays a central role in spiritual ceremonies. It is in Limpopo, near Thohoyandou, where, according to Guinness World Records, the largest living baobab tree in the world is.

The grand Sagole Baobab is estimated to weigh about 54 tonnes and be 800 years old. It would take about 20 people to surround this massive tree’s trunk! In the same way, the trunk serves as a base – a hideout, post office, chapel, shop and even an abode – Meropa Casino & Entertainment World is considered the “Heartbeat of Limpopo”. The resort, which is celebrating its 21st anniversary, is centrally located, so guests can easily access all the cultural and heritage sites of the province.

Bongani Sikosana has been Meropa’s Operations Manager for the past four years. His flair for building and maintaining relationships keeps guests returning to Meropa. “We aim to create memorable moments and exciting times for our customers. We are one team – we do everything to keep our patrons content,” he says.

From Zip-line to Geographical Lines

Guests can either relax at the resort, experience parts of Limpopo at their leisure, or with assistance of one of Meropa’s three tour partners. These are just a few of the many sites you can enjoy, and you may even by ticking off items on your bucket list while staying at Meropa:

  • Zip-line over the Groot Letaba River with its majestic waterfalls or tour the Waterberg Mountains, known for its archeological finds of hominid fossils and rock paintings.
  • Earn bragging rights with selfies at the place where the Tropic of Capricorn,  the imaginary geographical line indicating the southernmost latitude at which the sun can be seen directly overhead at midday. It passes through the Capricorn region of Limpopo.
  • Take a two-hour drive to the ghostly, former gold-rush town of Leydsdorp, established in the late 1800s, but later abandoned with the discovery of gold in the Witwatersrand.
  • Explore the remains of palace sites at Unesco World Heritage Site Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape and get a sense of the social and political structures developed by the wealthy African trading empire that controlled much of the East African coast from the 11th to the 15th centuries.

Sikosana adds that Magoebaskloof, Hoedspruit, and capital Polokwane are popular tourist destinations too.

The Meropa Cultural Experience

Meropa’s cultural village, which showcases African life and history through edutainment, is currently undergoing a revamp to cater to the growing leisure market in Limpopo. By the end of the first quarter of 2023, Meropa will boast three new entertainment stages and an area with lapas and lawns for picnics and braais. The stages will be launched during the annual Sapa Yopa Bike Rally, the biggest motorcycle celebration in Africa and the Middle East, from 2 to 5 December 2022.

 

“There will be one stage in the main area, a second stage at the Jembe Gardens, and a third at the Wildthingz Bird and Reptile Park for movie nights, Netflix days, beauty contests for kids, and more. We have also partnered with Polokwane radio station EnergyFM. The events that take place at Meropa are underpinned by the spirit of collaboration. The stages will be fully equipped so promoters and industry up-and-comers won’t need to spend on set-up costs and engineers,” says Meropa Gaming Manager Sisulu Madondo.

 

In addition to the 532 gaming activations the casino holds annually. Meropa aims to be the family destination that caters to every guest’s needs: from the domestic tourist looking for a safe family picnic site to the traveller interested in history and heritage and the MVG loyalty programme member.

Sun MVG

If you enjoy visiting, staying, playing at Sun International casinos, or placing a bet at SunBet.co.za, then you deserve to get the most out of us. Join our loyalty programme, Sun MVG, and enjoy great rewards and benefits. A world of exciting experiences awaits!

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