Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve, Protected area in Eastern Cape, South Africa.

The Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve is a protected area in the Eastern Cape between the Baviaanskloof and Kouga mountain ranges, about 95 km northwest of Port Elizabeth. Its core, the 184,385 ha Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve, is South Africa's third largest protected area; the reserve also takes in Groendal and Formosa nature reserves and private land. The terrain is mountainous, cut by many rivers and ravines, and Cockscomb in the Groot-Winterhoekberge reaches 1,758 m.

The Baviaanskloof Forest Reserve was established in 1920. The wider Baviaanskloof area now includes the Groendal and Formosa nature reserves and private land, managed by the Eastern Cape Parks Board. In 2004 the area became part of the Cape Floristic Region World Heritage Site.

The name Baviaanskloof is Dutch for "Valley of Baboons", and baboons are among the mammals recorded in the reserve. The valley lies between the Baviaanskloof and Kouga ranges, with its eastern end about 95 km northwest of Port Elizabeth. The reserve also includes the Groendal and Formosa nature reserves and private land.

You can reach the reserve through Willowmore, where lodging ranges from campsites to comfortable guest facilities scattered throughout the area. Planning ahead and gathering information about trail conditions helps you make the most of your visit.

The Baviaanskloof valley's name is Dutch for "Valley of Baboons". Its highest point is Cockscomb (1758 m) in the Groot-Winterhoekberge, and thirteen fish species live in its rivers and dams, among them the Cape kurper (Sandelia capensis) and the Eastern Cape redfin (Pseudobarbus afer).