experiences

Guided Walks

You can book for an educational walk, guided by our resident ecologist Sue Milton-Dean, who has extensive knowledge of Karoo natural history, veld management and restoration. She is ably assisted at times by other local residents with considerable knowledge of local conditions, fauna, flora and archaeology. The two-hour walk is an eye-opening experience, ideal for anyone curious and keen to discover the less obvious and fascinating lives of plants, animals and the people who walked the Karoo landscapes before us. The walk is popular in school holidays, as children are generally more observant than adults, they find plenty to keep them amused. Sue and other guides welcome questions and are happy to discuss such topics as medicinal plants, veld management, veld restoration, soils, geology, archaeology and history depending on your particular interest in the area.

The walk is about 2 km and takes place on a fairly flat, desert landscape, and is suitable for all ages. We limit groups to 10 people per guide. You can read more about it here.

Bird Watching

WCRO is a captivating destination for birdwatchers, boasting a variety of Karoo endemic or near-endemic species, such as Karoo Korhaan, Karoo Eremomela, Karoo Prinia, Namaqua Warbler, Rufous-eared Warbler, Fairy Flycatcher, Karoo Chat, Karoo, Long-billed and Spike-heeled Larks. The self-guided bird-watching route starts at Renu-Karoo production nursery and leads through sparse sweet-thorn woodland, past the Municipal

Talks and Demos

From time to time WCRO holds lectures or demonstrations on environmental topics, gardening, plants, animals, history or archaeology. These are given by students, Renu-Karoo employees, WCRO members or invited experts. Recent talks have dealt with the effects of climate change and drought on Karoo rangelands and livestock farming, the evolution and diversification of Pelargoniums, the reptiles of Prince Albert and the Swartberg Pass, waterwise living, dry gardens, the flora of the Karoo and its adaptations, approaches to veld restoration in the Karoo and population trends in a rare local succulent. If you would like to request a topic for a public lecture, or to offer a presentation under the banner of WCRO please email Sue at WklConsResOrg@gmail.com

Indigenous Nursery

Renu-Karoo Nursery, on the southern part of Wolwekraal Nature Reserve, specialises in growing indigenous Karoo plants for gardens, production of indigenous seeds for veld restoration, Karoo landscaping and ecological restoration. Among the many iconic Karoo plants we grow rooi karee (Searsia lancea), sweet thorn (Vachellia karroo) and Karoo boerboon (Schotia afra) trees, shrubs such as skaapbosse (Pentzia), porpoise (Hermannia), langjan (Athanasia), renosterbos (Dicerothamnus), brides bouquet (Dimorphotheca) and gombos/kraakbos (Pteronia). We also grow a wide selection of Karoo succulents including vygies, euphorbias, aloes, stapelias and Pelargoniums, We welcome visitors to our nursery on the main road of Prince Albert.