Barberspan Nature Reserve

Barberspan is an alkaline natural lake about 5 km long and 2.5 km wide in the maize country of North West province, between Delareyville and Sannieshof. It is one of the few permanent waters on the western highveld, fed on and off by the Harts River, and when the surrounding pans dry the birds pour in. The water covers around 2,000 hectares; with Leeupan and the grassland the reserve tops 4,000. It was among South Africa’s first Ramsar sites, listed in 1975. Nobody comes for the scenery. They come for the ducks.

Getting there

From Johannesburg take the N14 west through Krugersdorp and Ventersdorp; allow about three hours. The reserve is signposted off the N14 between Sannieshof and Delareyville, and the gravel road runs 6.3 km from the turn to the entrance. Gate hours are roughly 06:00 to sunset, with longer summer hours quoted by some sources, so check if you plan a dawn or dusk session.

When to go

Winter and early spring, when the smaller pans across the highveld have dried, is when the numbers peak. Tourism sources point to September and October, and counts of more than 40,000 waterbirds have been made against a normal 20,000 or so. Summer, November to March, adds the Palaearctic waders and the grassland is green, but the birds are spread thinner. It is open, treeless country: bring a hat and sunscreen in any month, and warm layers for winter mornings on the water.

What to do

Birding from the hides and the network of gravel tracks that loop the birding section of what BirdLife rates an Important Bird Area. Around 350 to 365 species are recorded, including all but one of South Africa’s ducks. Regulars look for South African shelduck, Maccoa duck, black-necked grebe, lesser flamingo, great white pelican and chestnut-banded plover on the water, and Orange River francolin, double-banded courser and pink-billed lark in the grass. A telescope earns its weight here. Anglers fish for carp, barbel and yellowfish from the shore and the lake hosts regional competitions; canoes and rowing boats are allowed on the southern section but power boats are not. The grassland holds black wildebeest, blesbok, springbok, zebra and ostrich.

Good to know

The reserve has self-catering guest houses, campsites along the angling shore and a lapa, and the Barberspan Hotel and holiday resort next door offers chalets and rooms. Casual visitors need a few hours; serious birders stay a night or two and do the dawn shift. Angling permits are sold at the gate on top of the entry permit. Bring binoculars, a bird guide and, ideally, a scope.

Last updated 6 October 2026. Sources: BirdLife South Africa (Go Birding), South African Tourism, SA-Venues, South African History Online, Wikipedia (Ramsar sites list).