Other Information
Walking Trails
There are SIX WALKING TRAILS at Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve: - Shelter Falls Trail, Inkonka Trail, Black Eagle Trail, Grasslands Trail, Rietspruit Trail and Dwarf's Dawdle Trail.
There is also an AUTO TRAIL : There are 11 numbered markers dotted along the road into the nature reserve. Each point has a corresponding number in the Auto Trail booklet which will offer some interpretation / information about that particular point. The drive is about 6 km each way.
Trees
Some of the trees found in the nature reserve are:
Natal Cycad - Encephalartos natalensis
White stinkwood - Celtis africana
Cabbage Tree - Cussonia spicata
River Bushwillow - Combretum erythrophyllum
Tree fuchsia - Halleria lucida
Plus Acacia , Ficus , Euphorbia , Aloe and Rhus species to name but a few.
For people who would like to learn more about trees, the booklet “Trees of Umgeni Valley” may be purchased at the reserve reception.
NDIGENOUS TREE TRAIL : - This is located around the offices and is for people who cannot manage the demands of the valley trails. A booklet to guide and inform you can be purchased at a nominal price.
Birds
Here are a few of the 270 bird species which may be found at Umgeni Valley. A detailed check-list is obtainable from the reserve reception:
Black Collared Barbet, Longtailed Wagtail, Black Eagle, Narina Trogon, Chorister Robin, Paradise Flycatcher, Crowned Eagle, Redbilled Woodhoopoe, Fish Eagle, Red Bishop, Green spotted Dove, Southern Boubou, Gymnogene, Shelley's Francolin, Jackal Buzzard,
Trumpeter Hornbill, Knysna Lourie, Whitefaced Duck, Long-crested Eagle, Wood Owl.
Mammals
A SPOOR SHEET and illustrations of the ANIMALS found in the nature reserve are available from the reception:
Nyala, Bushbuck, Impala, Blesbuck, Burchell's zebra, Reedbuck, Blue wildebeest, Duiker, Giraffe, Warthog, Clawless otter, Porcupine, Vervet monkey,
Rock Dassie, Spotted genet, Mongoose, Oribi, Aardvark, Leopard, Caracal.
Lists of BUTTERFLIES and REPTILES are also available.
Field identification booklets may be purchase