South Africa's highest and largest wetland, set high in the Drakensberg foothills.
Ntsikeni Nature Reserve
Ntsikeni Nature Reserve is a protected wetland and surrounding landscape in the foothills of the Drakensberg, in southern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It lies within the Griqualand East region, between the small towns of Creighton and Franklin, and is recognized as the country's largest wetland and one of its highest wetlands above sea level. The reserve combines a mist-shrouded high plateau wetland with montane grassland and remote Drakensberg scenery, creating a distinctive combination of wetland, grassland, and mountain habitats.
The reserve's central wetland sits on a very high plateau around 1,750 metres above sea level, surrounded by rolling foothills that rise toward the Drakensberg escarpment. This high-elevation setting gives the wetland a cool, frequently misty atmosphere, and snow is a regular annual feature. Because the area is remote and difficult to access, ecological changes have been slow, leaving the reserve in a relatively undisturbed state. The wetland feeds the headwaters of the Umzimkulu River, making it ecologically important far beyond its own boundaries.
Ntsikeni is managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and was declared a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2010, reflecting its significance for waterbirds, plant diversity, and downstream water security. It supports a rich mix of orchids, grassland plants, endemic and range-restricted birds, and several antelope species, and is used for low-impact activities such as hiking, wildlife viewing, horse riding, and mountain biking.
