Out & About SA · North West

North West Nature & Parks

The wild North West — Pilanesberg's volcanic-crater Big Five park, the malaria-free Madikwe reserve, the Magaliesberg range, Borakalalo and Kgaswane, the Barberspan bird wetland and the dams of the maize belt. Filter by region and type.

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Barberspan Bird Sanctuary — Near Delareyville. A Ramsar-listed wetland and major waterfowl refuge recording over 350 bird species including flamingo and pelican
Bloemhof Dam — Ottosdal. Large dam rated among the best freshwater fishing waters in the region
Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve — Bloemhof, on the Vaal River. One of South Africa's largest dams, surrounded by a grassland reserve with plains game and abundant waterbirds
Borakalalo National Park — North of Brits. A quiet bushveld park built around the Klipvoor Dam, popular for fishing, birding and self-drive game viewing
Boskop Dam Nature Reserve — North of Potchefstroom. A dam and grassland reserve on the Mooi River popular for angling, birding and plains game
Bothongo Wondercave — Hartbeespoort. Dolomitic cave discovered in 1898 with one of South Africa's largest single chambers of ancient formations
Botsalano Game Reserve — Mahikeng/Mafikeng. Kalahari thornveld reserve north of the city with over 2,000 animals and 200 bird species
Buffelspoort Dam — Between Rustenburg and Hartbeespoort. A Magaliesberg valley dam used for watersports and as a base for hiking and resort stays
Cookes Lake — Mahikeng/Mafikeng. Small lake and birding spot within the Mafikeng Game Reserve
Crocodile River — Brits. River running through Brits, used for rafting and riverside leisure
Faan Meintjes Nature Reserve — Near Klerksdorp. A compact game reserve near Klerksdorp home to white rhino, giraffe and a variety of antelope
Groot Marico River and Marico Oog — Groot Marico. A crystal-clear fountain (eye) feeding the Marico River, prized for snorkelling, fly-fishing and its dolomitic spring
Hartbeespoort Dam — Hartbeespoort. A popular Magaliesberg-fringed dam that is a hub for watersports, cruises and lakeside recreation
Harts River — Schweizer-Reneke. River running past the town, part of the surrounding western plains landscape
Hennops Hiking Trail — Broederstroom. Hiking and mountain-bike trails along the Hennops River near Broederstroom
Iwamanzi Game Reserve — Koster. Reserve hosting zebra, giraffe, buffalo, antelope and over 250 bird species
Johan Neser Dam — Klerksdorp. Dam on the Schoonspruit northwest of the town, used for angling and picnics
Kareekloof Game Farm — Derby. Private bushveld game farm near Derby offering game viewing, camping and countryside retreats
Kgaswane Mountain Reserve — Rustenburg. A mountain reserve in the Magaliesberg above Rustenburg (formerly Rustenburg Nature Reserve) with plateau hiking trails…
Klerkskraal Dam — Klerksdorp. Dam on the Mooi River east of Klerksdorp, popular for fishing and birding
Klipvoor Dam — Borakalalo National Park. Dam on the Moretele River offering fishing and abundant waterbirds
Kommandonek — Meerhof. Scenic resort and nature area at the western neck of Hartbeespoort Dam near Meerhof
Leon Taljaard Nature Reserve — Vryburg. 2,000ha reserve adjoining the Swartfontein resort with white rhino, eland and buffalo
Lichtenburg Game Breeding Centre — Lichtenburg. Nearly 6,000 ha reserve run by the National Zoological Gardens with rare species and one of the country's largest bird…
Lindleyspoort Dam — Swartruggens. Dam and recreation spot north of Swartruggens
Madikwe Game Reserve — Near Groot Marico / Botswana border. A 750 km2 malaria-free Big Five reserve on the edge of the Kalahari, known for wild dog and lodge-based safaris
Mafikeng Game Reserve — Mahikeng/Mafikeng. 4,600 ha reserve on the city's edge with white rhino, buffalo, gemsbok and giraffe, encircling Cookes Lake
Magaliesberg — Rustenburg to Hartbeespoort. A 2.3-billion-year-old quartzite mountain range and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve offering extensive hiking and Cape vulture…
Magaliesberg Biosphere — Rustenburg. Ancient mountain range and UNESCO biosphere with 450+ bird species framing the town
Magaliesberg Biosphere Reserve — Ifafi. UNESCO biosphere along one of the world's oldest mountain ranges
Magaliesberg Mountains — Hartbeespoort. Ancient mountain range flanking the dam with hiking trails and panoramic viewpoints
Magaliesberg Protected Natural Environment — Mooinooi. Mountain range proclaimed a protected environment offering hiking, climbing and caves
Makwassie Rante Conservation Area — Wolmaransstad. Conservation area with hiking trails and game viewing near town
Mankwe Dam — Mogwase. Central dam and hide within Pilanesberg, a prime wildlife and birding viewpoint
Marico Bushveld Nature Reserve & Dam — Groot Marico. Bushveld reserve around the Marico Bushveld Dam offering fishing, birding, boating and water-skiing
Marico Oog — Groot Marico. Deep crystal-clear freshwater eye that is the source of the Marico River, popular with divers for its exceptional…
Marico-Bosveld Dam — Zeerust. Dam and nature reserve on the Marico River near Zeerust, popular for angling and boating
Molemane Eye Nature Reserve — Delareyville. Small family-friendly reserve built around a natural spring (eye), good for picnics and weekend outings
Molopo Nature Reserve — Near Vorstershoop (far west). A Kalahari red-dune reserve of camelthorn savanna home to gemsbok, eland and springbok
Mooi River — Potchefstroom. River threading through Potchefstroom, lined with green belts and birdlife
Mountain Sanctuary Park — Maanhaarrand, Magaliesberg. A privately run Magaliesberg reserve with rock pools, hiking trails and camping in unspoilt quartzite mountains
Olifantsnek Dam — Rustenburg. Scenic dam south of Rustenburg popular for fishing and watersports
Oog van Schoonspruit (Eye of Schoonspruit) — Ventersdorp. Natural spring 'eye' that feeds the Schoonspruit river
OPM Prozesky Bird Sanctuary — Orkney. 70-hectare sanctuary on the Mooi River near Potchefstroom with abundant birdlife
Pilanesberg National Park — Near Sun City / Mogwase. A Big Five reserve set in an ancient alkaline volcanic crater, one of South Africa's most accessible malaria-free parks
Potchefstroom Dam — Potchefstroom. In-town dam used for rowing, canoeing and other water sports
Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve — Hartbeespoort. Cradle-of-Humankind reserve near Kromdraai with lions, rhino, cheetah and other wildlife
S.A. Lombard Nature Reserve — Near Bloemhof. A Highveld grassland reserve established for game breeding, notable for black wildebeest and rich grassland birdlife
SA Lombard Nature Reserve — Bloemhof. Historic grassland reserve credited with helping save the black wildebeest
Schoonspruit Nature Reserve — Ventersdorp. Nature reserve on the Schoonspruit river near Ventersdorp
Silkaatsnek Nature Reserve — Ifafi. Bushveld reserve in the Magaliesberg near the dam
Swartruggens Dam — Swartruggens. Dam on the edge of town used for fishing and picnicking
Taung Heritage Route — Taung. Heritage route through caves, rock basins and streams linking the skull site and surrounds
Taung Heritage Site — Taung / Buxton. A dolomite badlands and limeworks landscape where the fossil Taung Child skull was found, now a heritage and geological…
Vaal River — Bloemhof / Vaal River. The province's major southern river, forming its boundary and supporting fishing, boating and riverside reserves
Vaalkop Dam — Vaalkop Dam. Large bushveld dam popular for boating and birding
Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve — Near Northam / Rustenburg. A bushveld dam reserve renowned for birding, with fish eagles and numerous waterbird species
Wentzel Dam — Schweizer-Reneke. The main recreational water feature at the town, used for angling and watersports
Wolwespruit Dam Nature Reserve — Wolmaransstad. Reserve popular for fishing, hiking, game and birdwatching near Wolmaransstad
Wolwespruit Nature Reserve — Near Christiana, on the Vaal River. A small riverside reserve along the Vaal with plains game, walking and river-based recreation