Kgaswane Mountain Reserve is a nature reserve of 5,300 hectares. It is practically a «suburban» park: it is located just 5 km south-west of Rustenburg on the northern slopes of the Magaliesberg. Mountains alternate with arid plateaus here, and water «windows» sparkle among the colorful ochre-sand rocks.
The reserve was originally established on the farm Rietvallei which once belonged to «uncle Paul»: it's what they used to call President of South Africa Paul Kruger. Over time, the protected area expanded, and in 1967 it was declared a national nature reserve.
Kgaswane has many species of birds as well as large and small mammals. It is easy to meet antelopes – there are more than 800 of them here. But in addition to harmless animals, there are also predators on this territory: the caracal, aardwolf, jackal, and even leopard. Birds images and voices give the reserve a special African sound: more than 300 species of birds have been registered, including the African black swift and the Sentinel rock thrush. Also, Kgaswane has a breeding colony of Cape vultures as well as martial and black eagles.
Mountainous views framed by natural meadows prevail in the landscape of the reserve. A hundred tree and bush species are said to grow in the reserve and include some rare plants.
Mountainous Kgaswane is a place for active recreation: there are camping zones, trekking routes, and not very long hiking trails on its territory.
The Vlei trail is a 2 km track ideal for viewing birds. The Peglarae Trail is approximately 5.5 km with the terrain being steep and rocky. The last two are hiking trails. The Summit Route of 25.3 km includes natural pools for swimming and the Baviaanskrans Route is 19.5 km has a waterfall view and a Garden of Remembrance. Tourists can stay for the night in two travel huts – this accommodation option is suitable for a group of up to 12 people.