Faerie Glen Nature Reserve — Attraction in Tshwane Ward 44

We're visiting the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve for a hike. It’s been a while since my last trip, and I was pleasantly surprised by the small improvements I observed. It’s great to witness people actively working to enhance and preserve the area.

The trail loops, and we covered 3.7 km in 2 hours and 33 minutes with an elevation gain of 163 meters. Much of the trail was shaded by trees, especially during the ascent. At a lookout point, we enjoyed a good view of a river in the reserve.

After crossing a bridge over the river, we began our ascent. The unobstructed pathways made navigation easy, and I noticed new signs along the route, indicating investment in maintenance.

We saw little wildlife until the end near the reception area, where five zebras were grazing, offering excellent photography opportunities. As winter approached, the temperature was cool but rose more than expected, prompting me to shed layers early.

The greatest challenge was the ascent, which some novice hikers found difficult, causing slower progress. Nonetheless, my fellow hikers were positive, making it friendly to reconnect with those I hadn’t seen in a while.

The highlight of our morning hike at Faerie Glen Nature Reserve was the scenic viewpoints and the picnic we enjoyed there. The views offer stunning vistas of Pretoria to the east.

The reserve has 3 trails: Hadeda 2.5 km (Step Terrain), Kiepersol 4.1 km (Steep Terrain), Acacia 2.5 km (Easy Terrain). The trail is pet-friendly. NO mountain bike trails. Toilets are in the Reception area.

I had a positive experience at the reserve. Good people, nature, and exercise are a winning combination.

I’m pleased to note improvements at Faerie Glen Nature Reserve. The strangers we encountered were friendly and courteous, and I can’t recall anything I disliked about our morning there.

That is it for a brief review. I hope this inspires you to hike at the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve. For more things worth doing and places worth seeing. Check out...

I was looking for dog friendly park as I'm new to Pretoria.We found it on Google.It advertised a waterfall so I was super excited but we didn't find it. When we arrived there we had to pay R110 for a dog permit which lasts for 1yr and adults pay R17.

I asked the gentleman if I could please have a map so he said it's outside. When we got to the map it was sunburnt so we couldn't see much.

We followed the route that said picnic area.Everything was super dry and they had burnt certain areas so nothing was lush or scenic.We met some people walking past they said there is a bird hide and a little stream up ahead.

We walked for a bit and then found the sign.The river or stream is quite polluted we saw alot of plastic bags in it very sad.Then we decided to walk up the little mountain. They have rubbish bins which is nice.The view was also very nice.Then we took the opposite path down and it's very steep but has a cemented path which was nice.At the bottom some crossed the stream which smelt of sewage very upsetting and we found an alternative path alongside the fence ..I wish they had more signage up.

I would definitely go again but wish they had more signage up and did something about the stream/river.They also have a few benches to sit and rest.I am sure it would look stunning in Summer...

Hiking Trail What to expect?

From the entrance office, the trail is almost flat. It is only when you approach the river Bridge that you begin to feel the climb almost instantly. But wait! You are heading to a real steep, a tough one on the foot of the mountain. It doesn't last forever, though. The views on top are worth the loss of breath. As you descent the hillside, you will be greeted by the canopy of plants, which can be a relief if the sun is blasting. Once in the forest, start paying close attention to the plants and birds. You will love it!

There is another mountain to climb still. The hill is steep with rocks, but take your time and enjoy the view while at it. Beautiful views there, too. From here, you can decide to go down to the river to listen to its thunder as the waters plunges on top of rocks. The trail leading there is wet, so you will feel like you are wearing high heels, gentlemen. You can spend some time there if you want to. I found out that there were not many birds, disappointing! I'm still recovering from the trauma of seeing two ladies bathing there in the nude without any care in the world. But anyway, that is a story for another day. Enjoy my experience through the...