Kloof Area - Krantzkloof
Overview
Kloof is the area approximately 20km west-north-west inland of Durban, sits on a sandstone-topped escarpment about 500m high. This catches the onshore winds that create high rainfall. The escarpment is cut by the deep gorge of the Molweni river running roughly west to east, and its tributaries. These are filled with Scarp Forest and topped with the endangered KwaZulu-Natal Sandstone Sourveld.
What you can find
The area has a very rich flora and is well conserved. As a result, 204 species of butterfly have been recorded in the area. Beauties like Southern Gaudy Commodore Precis octavia sesamus, Pirate Catacroptera cloanthe, Blood-red Acraea Rubraea petraea, Boisduval’s False Acraea Pseudacraea boisduvalii trimeni, and Mother-of-Pearl Protogoniomorpha parhassus are regularly found here.
Spectacular canopy species like Pearl Charaxes Charaxes varanes and Veined Swordtail Graphium leonidas fly around the hilltops as do rarities like Bicoloured Paradise Skipper Abantis bicolor and Coast Purple Tip Colotis erone.
The main nature reserve in Kloof is the 670-hectare Krantzkloof Nature Reserve which has many trails running through it, ranging from easy to challenging. Fortunately, the easier trails are among the best for butterflies!
There are several smaller nature reserves in the area with similar butterfly fauna. Msinsi Nature Reserve, Nkonka Trust, and Glenholme Nature Reserve are all worth visiting.
Krantzkloof and Nkonka have fine hilltop lookout points that are excellent places to watch and photograph hilltopping butterflies.
