North West Province: Wolwespruit Nature Reserve temporarily closed! [update #2]

update (16 March 2023): The Wolwespruit Nature Reserve in South Africa's North West Province has reopened to the public after it was temporarily closed due to heavy waters on the shoreline. The shoreline and other parts of the reserve have dried out and cleared to welcome anglers and visitors. 

update (13 March 2023): The Wolwespruit Nature Reserve is still closed!

The North West Parks Board (NWPB), the governmental organisation responsible for the management of protected areas and public nature reserves in South Africa's North West Province, has announced that the Wolwespruit Nature Reserve has been temporarily closed due to flooding. We'll keep you posted!
The Wolwespruit Nature Reserve lies on the Vaal River about 130 kilometres upstream from the Bloemhof Dam and 22 km south of Leeudoringstad. It is a popular angling and hiking destination, along the tranquil river frontage environment. There are rustic camping sites all along the river bank on the reserve and a self-catering stone cottage sleeping 6 people.

North West Province: Wolwespruit Nature Reserve and Boskop Dam Nature Reserve are temporarily closed!

The North West Parks Board (NWPB), the governmental organisation responsible for the management of protected areas and public nature reserves in South Africa's North West Province, has announced that the Wolwespruit Nature Reserve and Boskop Dam Nature Reserve are temporarily closed due to recent heavy rains. 

The Wolwespruit Nature Reserve lies on the Vaal River about 130 kilometres upstream from the Bloemhof Dam and 22 km south of Leeudoringstad. Boskop Dam Nature Reserve is located in the Mooi River valley 20 km north of Potchefstroom.

North West Parks Board (NWPB) has announced the dates for the "Park Mahala Week 2022"! [update]

update (08 September 2022): The has announced that not all (!) Parks and Reserves will be offering free entry during the "Park Mahala Week", but the following:

• Pilanesberg Nature Reserve
• Kgaswane Mountain Reserve
• Borakalalo
• Boskop Dam
• Wolwerspruit
• Bloemhof Dam
• Barberspan Bird Sanctuary
• Mafikeng Game Reserve
• Molemane Eye
• Lichtenburg
• Molopo Oog
• Botsalano
• Molopo Nature Reserve
  

The North West Parks Board (NWPB), the governmental organisation responsible for the management of protected areas and public nature reserves in South Africa's North West Province, has announced the dates for this year's "Park Mahala Week". From 16 October 2021 until 23 October 2022 the NWPB is offering free access to all (!) its Parks and Reserves in the North West Province. In the previous years, e.g. Madikwe Game Reserve was excluded from the "Park Mahala Week". In order to be allowed free access, visitors will be required to present a valid South African ID or passport.

 

North West Parks Board (NWPB) has announced the dates for the "Park Mahala Week 2021"! [update]

update (20 September 2021): According to a posting on NWPB's facebook page, Highveld National (Highveld Nature Reserve) and Molemane Eye Nature Reserve will not take part in this year's "Park Mahala Week".

The North West Parks Board (NWPB), the governmental organisation responsible for the management of protected areas and public nature reserves in South Africa's North West Province, has announced the dates for this year's "Park Mahala Week". From 17 October 2021 until 24 October 2021 the NWPB is offering free access to 14 of its 15 Parks and Reserves (except for Madikwe Game Reserve). In order to be allowed free access, visitors will be required to present a valid ID or passport.

The following 14 nature reserves will take part in NWPB's "Park Mahala Week":

• Barberspan Bird Sanctuary
• Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve
• Borakalalo National Park
• Boskop Dam Nature Reserve
• Botsalano Nature Reserve
• Highveld Nature Reserve
• Kgaswane Mountain Reserve
• Mafikeng Nature Resreve
• Molemane Eye Nature Reserve
• Molopo Game Reserve
• Pilanesberg National Park
• SA Lombard Nature Reserve
• Vaalkop Dame Nature Reserve
• Wolwespruit Nature Reserve

North West Parks Board (NWPB) has announced the dates for the annunal "Park Mahala Week"!

The North West Parks Board (NWPB), the governmental organisation responsible for the management of protected areas and public nature reserves in South Africa's North West Province, has announced the dates for this year's "Park Mahala Week". From 28 September 2020 until 04 October 2020 the NWPB is offering free access to its Parks and Reserves (except for Madikwe Game Reserve) to all South African day visitors. In order to be allowed free access, visitors will be required to present their South African Identity documents.

The following nature reserves will take part in NWPB's "Park Mahala Week":

• Barberspan Bird Sanctuary
• Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve
• Borakalalo National Park
• Boskop Dam Nature Reserve
• Botsalano Nature Reserve
• Highveld Nature Reserve
• Kgaswane Mountain Reserve
• Mafikeng Nature Resreve
• Molemane Eye Nature Reserve
• Molopo Game Reserve
• Pilanesberg National Park
• SA Lombard Nature Reserve
• Vaalkop Dame Nature Reserve
• Wolwespruit Nature Reserve

South Africa: North West Parks Board (NWPB) reopens its Nature Reserves for intra-provincial overnight visitors! [update]

update (17 August 2020): NWPB's Nature Reserves in the North West Province will be open for interprovincial travel from 18 August 2020!

Following the announcement made by the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane on the easing of regulations for alert level 3 lockdown, the North West Parks Board (NWPB), the governmental organisation responsible for the management of protected areas and public nature reserves in South Africa's North West Province, has announced the reopening of its Nature Reserves for intra-provincial overnight visitors. Camping is still not allowed in NWPB's Nature Reserves except the bush camp facilities in Botsalano Nature Reserve where single groups/families will be allowed at these facilities.

• Guided open game drives will only be allowed if the number of guests in a game drive vehicle do not exceed 70%, and adequate social distancing is apply.
• Visitors will be allowed to use picnic areas for recreational use, i.e. seating, food preparation, relaxing, etc.
• To minimize the risk for infection, only single groups will be allowed at one stand/braai area, and groups must be from the same family.
• Visitors to such facilities must know other visitors are also using these facilities, and surfaces and seating places must be cleaned / sanitizes before such picnic areas are occupied.
• Visitors must bring along their own sanitizing bottles as prescribe in the regulations (at least 70% alcohol).
• Where communal ablutions will be used, like with ablutions elsewhere in the reserves, visitors must apply social distance, sanitize before and after using such ablutions, and ensure masks are worn at all times.
• Selfdrive excursion will only be allowed for private vehicles that comply with the directions issued by South Africa's Minister of Transport in respect of private vehicles.
  

The following Nature Reserves in the North West Province are ready and open to provide different accommodation and conference facilities:

1. Botsalano Nature Reserve
2. Mafikeng Nature Reserve
3. Molemane Eye Nature Reserve
4. Barberspan Bird Sanctuary
5. Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve
6. Wolwespruit Nature Reserve
7. Bloemhofdam Nature Reserve
8. Molopo Nature Reserve
9. Kgaswane Mountain Reserve
10. Pilanesberg Nature Rreserve
11. Borakalalo Nature Reserve
12. Madikwe Game Reserve

South Africa: North West Parks Board to reopen Pilanesberg National Park!

The North West Parks Board, the governmental organisation responsible for the management of protected areas and public nature reserves in South Africa's North West Province, has announced the reopening of Pilanesberg National Park and several other selected Nature Reserves on 12/13 June 2020. In line with South Africa's alert level three regulations, only self-drive excursions for day visitors will be allowed.

The following protected areas and public nature reserves will reopen on 12 June 2020:

• Pilanesberg National Park (Bakubung Gate and Bosele Gate)
• Kgaswane Mountain Reserve

The following protected areas and public nature reserves will reopen on 13 June 2020:

• Mafikeng Game Reserve
• Botsalano Game Reserve

The following Level 3 lockdown rules are to be adhered to at all times when visiting the reserves:

Only self-drive visits will be allowed:

• This means sedan vehicles, LDV, SUV’s and minibuses will be allowed, but no busses or game drive vehicles.
• Visitors are also reminded that the general regulations for transport for alert level three also applies in the reserve and minibuses will only be allowed 70% of loading capacity.
• Visitors are also reminded that cross provincial border traveling is not allowed, that visitors with an address from another/other provinces will not be allowed in terms of the South Africa's alert level three regulations.

Visitors are requested to respect the rules to avoid unnecessary unpleasantness at the gates by:

• At the gates: Keep social distancing, wearing masks, and sanitizing your hands.
• Visitors are also advised to bring your own sanitizing fluid and cloths to sanitize surfaces before touching them.
• Gate times: The gates will open at 06:30 in the morning and closes at 18:00 in the evening;
• Screening: All visitors are required to undergo screening prior to entering the reserve.
• Staff at the gate will assist all occupants of the vehicle to complete a health status form and measure their body temperature.
• Only after this has been completed to the satisfaction of gate staff, and no abnormalities have been found, will visitors be allowed to enter.
• Visitors with a body temperature of more than 37.8 Celcuis will not be permitted to enter the reserve.

Ablutions:

• Ablutions have been cleaned and sanitized. However, for your own health, visitors are also advised to clean and sanitize any surfaces before touching it.

Hides:

• Hides will be opened but will be used at own risk.
• Visitors are urged to sanitize surfaces before touching them, to observe social distancing between groups, and to limit their stay in the hide to 15 minutes or less if other people are queuing outside.

Picnic sites:

• Picnic sites will remain closed during alert level three.
• No open fires are allowed.

Animals:

• Visitors are also alerted to the fact that animals have grown use to the absence of visitors and vehicles to the parks and have freely occupied open areas such as roads. Dung middens can be seen in all the roads.
• Visitors are urged to be alert to animals on the roads or next to roads and allow them their space.

Park rules:

• The normal parks rules still apply.
• Visitors are urged to respect the rules.
• Visitors are also urged to report transgressions of the regulations to park officials.

South Africa: Eight days of free entry into protected areas in the North West Province in September 2019!

The North West Parks Board, responsible for the management of protected areas and public nature reserves in South Africa's North West Province, announced on Facebook that between 08 - 15 September 2019 ("Mahala Week") all parks and game reserves, including Pilanesberg National Park and Madikwe Game Reserve, will be open to South Africans for free. In order to be allowed free access, visitors will be required to present their South African Identity documents. 


North West Parks Board is the custodion of the following 15 protected areas in the North West Province:

• Barberspan Bird Sanctuary
• Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve
• Borakalalo Game Reserve
• Boskop Dam Nature Reserve
• Botsalano Game Reserve
• Highveld Nature Reserve
• Kgaswane Mountain Reserve
• Madikwe Game Reserve
• Mafikeng Game Reserve
• Molemane Eye Nature Reserve
• Molopo Game Reserve
• Pilanesberg National Park
• SA Lombard Nature Reserve
• Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve
• Wolwespruit Nature Reserve

Pilanesberg National Park: A massive fire burned down about 50% of the National Park!

North West Parks Board (NWPB), which manages 15 protected reserves in South Africa's North West Province, has released a media statement regarding the massive fire that occured in Pilanesberg National Park in early September 2018. According to the NWPB, the fire entered the National Park from the north and burnt very intensly through the central parts towards the southern boundary. The fire also spread to the east and the area known as the Wilderness Area burnt down completely. The total area burnt to date is approximately 50% of the National Park. Little damage was done to infrastructure of Pilanesberg National Park. Unfortunately, the well-known and very popular Mankwe hide, situated on the edge of the Mankwe dam, was completely destroyed, but lodges like the Ivory Tree Game Lodge and the Bakgatla Resort as well as pupular picnic sites like Fish-Eagle picnic site suffered no damage.

North West Province: Free entry to protected areas during the North West Parks Board Park Mahala Week 2018!

Fourteen of the fifteen protected ares managed by the North West Parks Board in South Africa's North West Province, will open their gates for free from 11 to 15 September 2018. Free entry refers to gate entry only and not accommodation and other tourist attractions. This is to allow all South African citizens especially people living nearest to the reserves to enjoy and share in the biodiversity heritage of the Province. The following protected areas are taking part in this year's North West Parks Board Park Mahala Week:

• Pilanesburg National Park
• Kgasoane Mountain Reserve
• Borakalalo National Park
• Mafikeng Game Reserve
• Barberspan Bird Santuary
• Boskop Dam Nature Reserve
• Wolwespruit Nature Reserve
• Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve
• Molemane Eye Nature Reserve
• Botsalano Game Reserve
• Molopo Game Reserve
• SA Lombard Nature Reserve
• Highveld Nature Reserve

Madikwe Game Reserve is not taking part in North West Parks Board Park Mahala Week 2018.