Witsand Nature Reserve – Home of the Roaring Dunes

Postmasburg does not appear in any Google searches as a top South African tourist destination, it probably does not even rate that high as a Northen Cape tourist destination. It’s because of this exact reason that it is one of our favourite South African destinations. Postmasburg is the closest town to the Witsand Nature Reserve. ‘Closest’ is relative of course, as nothing in the Northern Cape is really ever close.

The red Kalahari sand with spots of Acacia trees is broken by the sudden appearance of snow white dunes, some more than 50 metres high in the distance. The reserve caters for various types of travellers with family and honeymoon chalets as well as a well-designed campsite under large trees. With summer temperatures ranging in the mid-thirties, these trees offer travellers a hearty break from the Northern Cape sun.

Witsand Nature Reserve is about 80 kilometres of dirt road West of Postmasburg. The road is generally in good condition and 4x4s or SUVs should have no trouble travelling at a comfortable speed. The reserve has an on-site store that stocks the essentials such as wood, cooldrink and ice. The reception area has booklets that provide tourist and geographical information about the area and the reserve itself. There are bicycles and dune boards for rent at the reception which allows one to truly experience the reserve.

Take the dune boards up the sand dunes to experience high speed falls on scorching hot sand. While you are at the dunes, be sure to listen out for ‘brulsand’ or roaring dunes. This phenomenon occurs frequently in the hot summer months when the sand grains rub together and emit a low hum. In the late afternoon and early mornings you can see some gemsbok, springbok, duiker and steenbok grazing around the camp. Keen twitchers, be sure to pack your binoculars as the reserve is also home to more than 150 bird species.

Witsand Nature Reserve may be a bit far from Johannesburg or Cape Town as a travel destination, but will certainly be worth the detour if you are on your way to the Kalahari, Botswana or Namibia. We booked one evening at the reserve as a stop-over to the Augrabies National Park and this reserve proved to be one of our favourite destinations in South Africa.

Some tips when planning your trip to Witsand Nature Reserve:

• Watch out for baboons and monkeys at the camp, they open crates and cooler boxes to steal food. Rather lock your food in the car.
• Wear sunscreen and a hat at all times, even during the winter, the sun is merciless in this region.
• Wear closed shoes when going to the dunes, it may be tempting to wear sandals or flip-flops but the hot sand can burn your feet.