Tswaing Crater in an impact crater that is located in South Africa. The crater in said to be 1.13 kilometers in diameter with a deep of 100 meters. The age of the crater is believed to be over 52,000-220,000 years. It is believed that a stony meteorite hit the heart with a 30-50 meter diameter and was vaporized on the impact event.
The origin of its name Tswaing literally means Place of Salt in Tswana dialect. It is said that the crater is regularly visited by the people for 100,000 years to hunt food and collect salt that is why it is has the origin name Place of Salt. The water of the crater has minerals and is rich in dissolved sodium chlorides and carbonates. The water that is found in the crater is coming from the surface springs. Tswaing is queued for the registration in UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The location of the crater is 40 kilometers in the north of Pretoria. The hill formed by the asteroid impact is measured about 100 meters high. It is also believed that the asteroid’s weight is what created a giant crater; that is 300,000 tons in weight that traveled at 16km per second. The place is abundant in bird life with numerous species of indigenous trees.
The climate in the location is very hot during summer so a traveler will have to carry enough supply of water when travelling to the crater. The place is worth a visit and has nice views to take pictures with the trees and the habitat animals located in the impact crater. There are numerous birds and animals that you can also capture with your camera and add to your travel experience.