Kloofendal Nature Reserve, Roodepoort, Gauteng
Kloofendal Nature Reserve, a beautiful 128ha fenced reserve, protecting the natural environment for nature lovers living in urban Johannesburg. Just 8km from Soweto and 20km from Johannesburg city centre or Sandton, this safe environment, with no entrance fee, offers nature lovers a really enjoyable day out. Here, visitors can take walks along winding footpaths, sit at the dam, enjoy the indigenous trees, maybe spot an animal or two and hear the birds twittering away. A great place for children who love being outdoors.
The reserve has been stocked with small game, including mountain reedbuck, duiker and hyrax (dassies), which are prey for the black eagles resident nearby. Mongoose, black-backed jackal, mole rat, hares, gerbil and other mammals have also made Kloofendal home. A bird hide has been erected close to the dam to enable visitors watch the birds and small mammals quenching their thirst.
Kloofendal boasts 132 flowering plants, 53 species of indigenous tree and over 60 species of grass and is considered to be a prime habitat for 97 species of birds, including warblers that migrate here from Europe every year.
There are a number of walking trails of various distances within the reserve that are easy to follow and you can see the remains of early gold-mining activities on the site, and the old 1884 Confidence Gold Mine, now a national monument, can be viewed on a guided walk. The reserve is recognised as the first gold mine in Johannesburg.
The reserve is open every day of the week, including public holidays, from 6h00 to 18h00. It is fully fenced and a security guard is on duty every day. There are picnic and ablution facilities available in the amphitheatre area. All food for picnics and braais must be brought in as there are no restaurants on site. Rules of a nature reserve apply, so no littering, loud noise, electronic music, dogs.
The park offers walks, organised by Friends of Kloofendal, a voluntary organisation dedicated to its preservation. The walks include two-hour educational tours for school children during the week and for adults over weekends. There are qualified, knowledgeable guides who discuss all the interesting aspects of nature as you enjoy your walk. 011 760 9143.
Visit the Website to be placed on the Friends of Kloofendal mailing list for monthly event updates or to arrange a guided walk.
Situated in Galena Avenue, just off Wilgerood Road, Roodepoort.
Directions: Via the N1 from the North or South: Turn off at 14th Avenue and turn West (away from Northcliff). Pass underneath the Hendrik Potgieter bridges and turn right into Hendrik Potgieter. Travel through several traffic lights and turn left into Christiaan de Wet drive (before the Clearwater Mall). Travel along Christiaan de Wet Road up Struben’s valley and turn right at Wilgerood Road.
(*) Turn left into Topaz Road at the second traffic light. Almost immediately you meet a stop street at Galena. Turn right. The entrance to Kloofendal is on the left at the bottom of the road. Drive up to the parking and enter the reserve through the pedestrian gate.
Via Ontdekkers Road. Turn North at Christiaan de Wet and left (slip way) at Wilgerood and then follow instructions as above (*).
| More info on the town of Roodepoort | More info on the Johannesburg area |
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