Umvoti Vlei Nature Reserve

About Umvoti Vlei Nature Reserve

Lying just outside of Greytown in the Natal Midlands, the Umvoti Vlei Nature Reserve is 267 hectares that function as a sanctuary for wetland birds - an ideal spot for bird watching that provides an unobtrusive bird hide for avid bird spotters.

Did you know? About 4% of the ecosystem is protected in the Umvoti Vlei Nature Reserve.

Most of the reserve is a wetland, hence the fantastic bird life. In the area too are two hot mineral springs known as Lilani and Shushu, which allow further bird watching opportunities. It is not clear whether or not these springs run into the wetlands.

Umvoti Vlei is one of several nature reserves in close vicinity in this part of the country – the others are the Karkloof and Blinkwater Nature Reserves, both of which lie slightly south west of Umvoti Vlei.

Mistbelt grassland occurs naturally in the Umvoti Nature Reserve, although it is said to be 'highly fragmented' because of intensive agriculture in the surrounding land areas, so that only 3.5% of the area is now given over to Mistbelt grassland.

Interestingly, the adjacent Blinkwater Nature Reserve is 492 hectares of pristine Mistbelt grassland. Connecting these two reserves is under consideration, using the corridor that follows the powerlines between the two.

The Karkloof Nature Reserve is also worth a visit if you are in the neighbourhood, although it is only open to guests of Rockwood Lodges.

The Karkloof Canopy Tours through the trees along steel cables in amongst eight canopy level platforms will give you a bird's eye view of the indigenous forest. The Karkloof Reserve is on the Midlands Meander, which follows the trail of over 160 places to stop, shop, eat, drink and sleep.