Mount Currie Nature Reserve

Bearded Vulture in Mount Currie Nature Reserve

With no obvious official hiking trails up and around the mountain from whence it gets its name, Mount Currie Nature Reserve is a beautiful little reserve that is the only protected area in East Griqualand, just outside Kokstad and some 250 kilometres from Durban.

Rather far off the beaten track - the Mount Currie reserve is off the Richmond-Umzimkulu Road from Pietermaritzburg or on the Franklin-Swartberg Road between Port Shepstone and Harding / Kokstad. Mount Currie is dominated by its mountain, with a collection of grassy slopes scattered intermittently with Protea bushes and the odd patch of montane forest. Crystal Dam, fed by the Crystal Spring - the main source of Kokstad’s water - provides some wonderful fishing and boating prospects. Over 220 bird species have been recorded here, and the wetter areas boast striped flufftail sitings, whilst the bearded vulture makes itself known to those hiking the slopes of Mount Currie.

The Mount Currie reserve is filled with history. On the site stands an historic laager site surrounded by graves of early pioneers and a monument pays homage to Boy Scouts who died during the First World War in East Africa. Old cattle tracks and little paths dot the reserve and make for wonderful walks, whilst the reserve is a sanctuary of quiet and restfulness - providing scenic settings and superb birdwatching opportunities.