Swartberg Nature Reserve, South Africa

Western Cape Game Reserves

Swartberg Nature Reserve, Western Cape

The Swartberg Nature Reserve lies in the Oudtshoorn district between the Great Karoo and Little Karoo, bordered by the Gamka River in the west and the Uniondale / Willowmore road in the east. The Swartberg Reserve encompasses 121,000 heactares of mostly state-owned land. Gamkapoort Nature Reserve, immediately to the north of the reserve and 8,000 hectares in extent, is part of the Swartberg, making the total conservation area a vast 129,000 hectares.

Three historic routes connecting the Great and Little Karoo lead through the reserve. Toorwaterpoort is a train route, Meiringspoort is used by motorists and the untarred Swartberg Pass takes one over the Swartberg. Gamkaskloof was first inhabited by farmers in 1830 and was accessible only on foot until 1963 when a road was finally built into the valley. The reserve’s vegetation is diverse featuring renosterveld, mountain fynbos, Karoo-veld, spekboom veld, and many geophyte species. Most plants flower in spring, but early autumn is the time that many protea species flower, attracting large numbers of sugarbirds and sunbirds. During mid-summer (December - February) many of the interesting plants on the higher Swartberg peaks are in flower, including the very rare Protea venusta.

Wildlife likely to be seen in the Swartberg Nature Reserve include klipspringer, grey rhebuck, kudu, baboon and dassie, and at Gamkapoort you will see springbok. Leopard and caracal also occur in the area, but are very seldom seen. More than 130 bird species have been recorded here including black, fish and martial eagle, Cape sugarbird and the pied kingfisher.

Swartberg Nature Reserve

Game Lodges near / in Swartberg Nature Reserve

Buffelsdrift Game Lodge

Buffelsdrift is a sprawling game farm half-an hour’s drive from the Swartberg Nature Reserve, in the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains. Pristine bushveld, lush vegetation and a 5 ha dam provides a haven for 20 game species ...

Swartberg Private Wildlife Estate

At the foot of the majestic Swartberg Mountain Range, in the heart of the Little Karoo, lies the exclusive Swartberg Private Wildlife Estate. Guests can share in this special environment at the Swartberg Private Game Lodge ...

Swartberg Nature Reserve

Accommodation nearby

For accommodation outside of the reserve, see these towns which border the reserve:
• Barrydale Accommodation • Beaufort West Accommodation
• Calitzdorp Accommodation • De Rust Accommodation
• Herold Accommodation • Klaarstroom Accommodation
• Ladismith Accommodation • Oudtshoorn Accommodation
• Prince Albert Accommodation • Uniondale Accommodation

Or to see all accommodation at once, visit Karoo Accommodation.

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game and nature reserves in the western cape

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