The Red Desert of the South Coast

10 kilometers to the west of the coastal town of Port Edward is the surprising phenomenon of a tiny desert surrounded by lush coastal greenery. As you can see from the aerial picture (above), the soil is reddish in colour, and leads to it being called the Red Desert. It is about 200 meters in diameter, but the Nature Reserve itself is 11 hectares in its entirety.
Visiting this area is hugely interesting, as it is as if you stumbled into an alternate universe. Moving from the vibrant and lush coastal greenery into a seemingly dead area is an experience in itself. Without the usual background noises of the birds and insects to keep you company, it is quiet and strangely peaceful. However, when the wind blows, the quiet turns into an eerie whistle, underscoring the feeling that you entered an alternate universe.
What caused the
existence of the
Red Desert?


No, the Red Desert wasn’t caused by an alien landing or by magic but by simple mismanagement.
In the 1800’s, a Zulu tribe kept a large cattle herd here after stealing the herd from the Pondo’s, leading to severe trampling and overgrazing. The subsequent wind erosion turned it into a small desert.
The ongoing erosion is clearly visible in the image above.



Things to do:
- Hiking/Walking
- Mountain biking
- Study the Geology, Archeaeology and Botany
- Birdwatching
- Viewing points
- Enjoy nature

You can expect to glimpse a variety of small animals like the caracal, serval, genet, buck, (reed, bush, grey, and blue) monkey, (vervet, samango) baboon, dassies, mongoose, (water, white-tailed, large grey) otter, mouse, and even bush pig.
The bird life won’t disappoint birdwatchers, and the plant life to be found here will be very interesting when compared to the surrounding sub-tropical area.
Where is the Red Desert?
GPS: -31.066467, 30.191706
Website: www.reddesertnaturereserve.co.za
It is to the west of Port Edward on the border of KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape next to the Mtamvuna river and can be reached via a dirt road.
- You are here: Red Desert >
- Home