History:

In the 1820s, Mzilikazi arrived in the beautiful valley of Groenkloof, by which time the baKwena had already driven the San people out. Mzilikazi settled at Meintjieskop while his impis built two of his cities in the area. The women used to fetch water from the Apies River, which they called Enzwabuhlungu. This means "something that hurts", which refers to the sharp dolomite rock that hurt their feet. The Sotho name is Entsabohloko and refers to the circumcision rite during which the young men of the tribe had to go into the river's water.

On 25 February 1895, President Paul Kruger proclaimed this valley on the southern outskirts of Pretoria as a game sanctuary, the first game sanctuary in Africa. Its main purpose was to protect the shy and timid oribi which occurred there and the large herds of game that were being wiped out by hunters.

In 1910, portions of the area were rented out for the establishment of commercial plantations because of the wood and paper shortages during the world wars. By the late 1950s, the City Council of Pretoria became the owner of the area.

In 1994, the reserve became the responsibility of the Department of Nature Conservation and preparations started for the re-release of game. Impala, kudu, blue wildebeest and ostrich were re-introduced to the reserve in 1999, and 2002 saw the release of giraffe and red hartebeest.

Currently, big clean-up operations are being run to restore the original woody bush of the area.

What to do

Groenkloof Nature Reserve offers a lot of different activities for nature lovers just 5 km out of the city centre.

Hiking trails:	- 4.0 km hike ( White trail) - 3.5 km hike (Red trail) - 10.5 km hike (Yellow trail)
Horse trails:	Day trail: Guided, min 4, max 8 persons Weekend trail: Maximum 4 hours per day
Night drives:	± Two-hour drive, including use of the lapa
Mountain bike trail:	± 20 km route. Helmets are compulsory. No helmet, no ride
Motorcar route:	± 6 km (interpretation route)
4x4 route:	± 14 km (interpretation route )
Picnic area:	Exclusively for relaxing after one of the trails (bring your own firewood)

Facilities

Overnight facilities are available for hiking, 4x4 driving and mountain biking. The Bamber Youth Camp accommodates youth groups of up to 60 people.

How to get there

Groenkloof Nature Reserve is reached via the entrance to the Fountains Valley Resort. Follow the R21 to the Fountains Circle; take the Fountains/Centurion turn-off into Christina de Wit Road. About 500 m further, turn left at the entrance to the Fountains Valley Resort. Over weekends and on public holidays visitors use the alternative entrance gate 800 m from the Fountains Valley Resort main entrance gate.

Vegetation

Groenkloof Nature Reserve features low, broken ridges varying in steepness. The vegetation is semi-open thicket, dominated by a variety of woody species including Acacia caffra, Rhus leptodictya, Combretum molle and Dombeya rotundifolia. The under-storey is dominated by a variety of grasses.

Wildlife

The wildlife on the reserve includes zebra, jackal, duiker, kudu, impala, blue wildebeest, blesbuck, red hartebeest, ostrich, giraffe and sable. The rich bird life will keep bird lovers busy for hours on end.

Entrance fees:

* 4x4 trail - the day tariff is excluded from the R60,00.
* Tractor drive - only available for youth groups.
* Guided day hike - the day tariff is included in the R45,00 per person.

Bookings and contact numbers:

Bookings (four weeks in advance) are only necessary for the overnight facilities and if a guide is required for a hiking trail.