Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve is the shining diamond in Johannesburg’s outdoor crown. Located off the R550, this gem of a reserve – with its kloofs, koppies, ridges and open plains, takes its name from the Sugar Bush (suikerbos) protea, a shrub that grows abundantly in this area.
The flora and fauna in the reserve are extensive, which makes it a popular spot for hiking, cycling and picnicking. In the reserve, mammal species include cheetah, brown hyena, kudu and black wildebeest. Here, a network of hiking trails covers more than 60 kilometres and there’s also a self-drive route.
The trails vary in length from one to six days. In summer Sakabula birds (Paradise whydahs) with their outrageously flamboyant tails flit about just above the tall sweetgrass; korhaans strut about, well camouflaged in the khaki veld; weavers chitter-chatter busily about their woven orbs suspended over water; blesbuck, wildebeest, zebra, hartebeest and eland parade, showing off their newly born or their prowess. It'll make you wish you'd seen it before the highways and fences.
The geology along the ridges of Suikerbosrand ranges is a revelation, varying from craggy rock outcrops and grassland plains to densely wood...