A high-altitude wetland sanctuary on the Steenkampsberg plateau, renowned for breeding three crane species of South Africa.
Verloren Valei Nature Reserve
Verloren Valei Nature Reserve is a protected area in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa, set on the high grasslands of the Steenkampsberg plateau roughly 13 kilometres outside the town of Dullstroom. Its Afrikaans name translates as "Lost Valley," and the reserve covers a wide landscape of rolling montane grasslands interlaced with a remarkable network of more than thirty wetlands, several of which hold international ecological importance including Ramsar recognition. The reserve has national and international significance because it is one of very few places in South Africa where all three native crane species breed together: the blue crane, the wattled crane, and the grey crowned crane.
Beyond its wetland character, Verloren Valei is important as a refuge for red data bird species and a wide range of grassland and rocky-terrain fauna, including antelope, small carnivores, and reintroduced plains game. Its open grasslands, rocky outcrops, and seasonal flower displays also make it a notable site for butterflies, while its highland setting gives the reserve a cool, peaceful character that contrasts with much of South Africa's warmer lowveld reserves.
The reserve offers guided birding excursions by appointment and is closely associated with conservation programs for threatened cranes. The arrival of irrigated farmlands and highland wetlands in Mpumalanga makes protected sites like Verloren Valei important for wetland-dependent wildlife, especially cranes, waders, and rare grassland plants such as the threatened Eucomis vandermerwei.
