Gamkaberg Nature Reserve, Protected area in Little Karoo, South Africa

Gamkaberg Nature Reserve protects an isolated mountain range in the Little Karoo, 33 km southwest of Oudtshoorn and 32 km southeast of Calitzdorp in the Western Cape. Its 9,428 ha core area has plateaus cut by deep gorges, and four vegetation types occur: mountain fynbos, arid fynbos, succulent Karoo and riverine gallery forest.

Gamkaberg Nature Reserve was established in 1974 to protect one of the region's last remaining herds of Cape mountain zebra, which had fallen to only five surviving animals by 1976. The reserve was also created to reintroduce game that formerly occurred in the region. It is managed by CapeNature and has since been declared a World Heritage Site.

The name Gamka comes from the Khoi-khoi word gami, meaning lion, joined to the Afrikaans -berg, mountain. The reserve's remote stone shelters are the remains of herders' huts, kept as rustic mountain accommodation. Visitors can also walk a labyrinth and follow educational trails near the information centre.

Access is available during daylight hours, and visitors should bring sturdy footwear and plenty of water for the terrain. Early morning is the best time to spot wildlife and enjoy cooler conditions.

The reserve's remote stone shelters are the remains of herders' huts, kept as rustic mountain accommodation. The core reserve covers 10,430 ha, while the greater Gamkaberg Conservation Area, managed with Rooiberg and Groenefontein reserves, spans 80,000 ha. The Protea Mimetes chrysanthus was only discovered here in 1987.