Aardvark Nature Reserve

About Aardvark Nature Reserve

The reserve spans some 3 400 hectares of the desert biome that characterises Succulent Karoo. This means that the flora is made up of an array of beautiful succulents as well as a number of other wild veld flowers that are colourful, softening the landscape.

The part of South Africa in which the Aardvark Nature Reserve is situated continues to be one of the most scenic in the country. This part of the Klein Karoo is nestled between the towns of Ladismith and Riversdale. Ladismith is at the foot of the magnificent Klein Swartberg Mountain Range, while Riversdale is a small town on the Agulhas Coast Plain, with the Langeberg and Sleeping Beauty mountains as its breath-taking backdrops. These are the idyllic conditions that the Aardvark Nature Reserve occupies.

Did you know? The name aardvark comes from the Afrikaans word meaning "earth pig".

Visitors to the Aardvark Nature Reserve are invited to enjoy the natural beauty in a number of ways. Self-guided or guided nature walks, horse safaris, game drives and themed tours are all on offer, showcasing the plants and wildlife to be found here. Some of the themed tours include a three-hour Aardvark Tour, on which aardvarks are tracked, and some of their secrets unveiled, as well as a three-hour Botanical Tour.

The Tracking Tour teaches visitors the art of tracking the animals that inhabit the Klein Karoo, providing fascinating insights into their movements, distribution and characteristics. There are also various mounting biking trails throughout the reserve. The rock formations of Aardvark are another impressive feature that make for stunning viewing – whether on foot, in the saddle or from the comfort of a vehicle.

Visitors to the Aardvark Nature Reserve can look forward to seeing a number of antelope (including kudu, springbok, and steenbok, amongst others), as well as porcupines, aardwolves, honey badgers, mongooses, Cape foxes, caracals, and hyraxes. In addition, more than 180 different bird species have been recorded within the borders of the reserve.

Cape Town is about 320 kilometres from the Aardvark Nature Reserve, and Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Bay) is just over 420 kilometres away.