The Wolkberg is a mountain range in Tzaneen, Limpopo Province, South Africa. It is a northern termination and a subrange of the Drakensberg mountain range which lines up from Eastern Cape, Lesotho, Kwazulu Natal and Mpumalanga. At 2200 m (7200 ft) above sea level, it is the highest mountain range in Limpopo, together with the Iron crown mountain. The range extends for about in a NW/SE direction north of Sekhukhuneland. The nearest towns are Haenertsburg and Tzaneen.
Physiography The range forms a high plateau reaching up to 2126 m in height at the Ysterkroon, its highest point. Other conspicuous peaks are 2050 m high Serala,Wolkberg (Northern Part) Map 1838 m high Mamotswiri, 1667 m high Magopalone and 1611 m high Selemole.
The Wolkberg is the source of many small mountain streams, as well as the MohlapitseThe Olifants River System - Ecoregion 2.14 & 2.15 and the Ga-Selati River, tributaries of the Olifants River.The Olifants River System
Ecology
Weather can change very fast from clear skies to becoming misty, with the highest reaches enveloped in clouds. Hence the name of the range, meaning "Cloud Mountain" in Afrikaans. The Wolkberg is rugged, with rocky shoulders and deep humid gorges. There are rare plant and animal species in these areas. Species such as the Wolkberg Zulu (Alaena margaritacea), the Wolkberg aloe (Aloe dolomitica), Wolkberg cycad (Encephalartos dolomiticus), the Wolkberg widow (Dingana clara) and the Wolkberg sandman (Spialia secessus), have been named after these mountains. Some species like the critically endangered butterfly Lotana blue (Lepidochrysops lotana) are only known from the Wolkberg area.
The Wolkberg Wilderness Area is a protected area located in the range.Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area
See also Wolkberg Wilderness Area List of mountain ranges of South Africa
References
External links
Google Earth Map of the Wolkberg Wolkberg Wilderness — near Polokwane, Limpopo Province. Limpopo Tourism and Parks Board: page on Wolkberg