Verloren Valei is a closed reserve, so casual visitors can only traverse the tourist route as marked on the map. You will typically need to be accompanied by a guide: it’s thus essential to phone ahead to make sure the reserve is open and that a guide is available.

To book a visit, contact the Reserve office on 013 254 8800, or the Reserve Manager on 063 927 7362 (What’s App 076 279 6315) or e-mail velaphis@yahoo.com/ Shirley.sibiya@mtpa.co.za.

General contact for Friends of Verloren Valei is info@verlorenvalei.org.za.

Admission to the Reserve is R48 for adults and R25 for children under 12 and pensioners.

Another way to visit the Reserve is on one of the expert-led field trips organised by the Friends of Verloren Valei — see the current list of field trips.


The Escarpment Bird Club, based in Dullstroom, also organises regular outings to birding hot spots, including Verloren Valei.

Visit their website or e-mail them.

Gotcha! Without these seasoned pointers the francolin, masters of camouflage, would not have been found and recorded
Gotcha! Without these seasoned pointers the francolin, masters of camouflage, would not have been found and recorded
Susan Abell and Geoff Lockwood lead a group to explore flowers and birds 2018
Susan Abell and Geoff Lockwood lead a group to explore flowers and birds 2018
Birding at Verloren Valei in March (Photograph by George Skinner)
Birding at Verloren Valei in March (Photograph by George Skinner)
Searching for butterflies in the orchid triangle, Verloren Valei
Searching for butterflies in the orchid triangle, Verloren Valei
Visitors attend a birding workshop
Visitors attend a birding workshop