Waterberg

The Waterberg Biosphere became the first northern region in South Africa to be named as a ‘Biosphere Reserve’ by UNESCO in 2001and is also the first and only savannah biosphere reserve in the country. Straddling an area of 15 000km², the Waterberg has a natural beauty which is unmatched elsewhere – from its soaring craggy heights in the southern escarpment where the ‘Seven Sisters’ guard the plains, to the north-eastern buttress of majestic rock formations, rising sheer out of the bushveld lowlands. As the name suggests, the Waterberg was named by the early trekkers for its bounteous supply of clear, fresh water. The Waterberg also gives one a sense of unlimited space; the central plateau provides an extraordinary feeling of emptiness, despite the fact that early man has lived here for thousands of years, as evidenced by the abundance of rock art and ancient archaeological sites.

The Waterberg is renowned for many things, including its spectacular vertical rock faces that soar as high as 500 metres above the surrounding plains. Cut by equally spectacular gorges, they form massive bulwarks and the ramparts of the Waterberg Massif. Particularly striking are the cliffs and buttresses around Hangklip and along the Mokolo, Sterk and Mogalakwena rivers in the west, south-west and north-east of the Waterberg.

During the past decade there have been big changes in land use practises, which have seen the switch from conventional farming to the introduction of wildlife and the adoption of sound conservation principles. Today the Waterberg region is one of the country’s top tourism destinations, boasting many private and provincial game reserves featuring the big five, many other antelope species and prolific birdlife.