Waterhole · Rietvlei Nature Reserve
Rietvlei Dam, Rietvlei
Rietvlei Dam is a waterhole in Rietvlei Nature Reserve, 500 m off the Acacia Route, about 2 km from Main Gate.
About Rietvlei Dam
Rietvlei Dam was built between 1932 and 1934 to supply Pretoria with drinking water and is fed mainly by the Rietvlei River, together with springs and boreholes. The nature reserve around it was proclaimed in 1948, and several bird hides look out over the dam and its reedbeds.
Where to find Rietvlei Dam
Rietvlei Dam is a waterhole in Rietvlei Nature Reserve, 500 m off the Acacia Route, about 2 km from Main Gate. See exactly where it is on the map, and navigate to it, in the opspoor app.
Recent activity near Rietvlei Dam
Sightings already logged near Rietvlei Dam
Last logged 19 Jul 2026. See what was seen, when, and where in the app. Pins appear after a short delay that protects the animals.
Open in opspoorWhat lives around Rietvlei Dam
Good country for these, going by the habitat around it, not today's sightings.
Habitat around Rietvlei Dam
Dam by Main Road (dams and rivers): Permanent open water: dams, lakes and flowing rivers.
Habitat mapped by opspoor. Data sources
Best time to visit Rietvlei Dam
Animals move most in the first hours after the gates open and the last hours before they close; the midday heat is quietest.
Nearby waterholes, hides and camps
- Island View HideBird Hide
- Coots CornerBird Hide
- Main GateGate
- Finfoot Bird HideBird Hide
- Fern Fountain Bird HideBird Hide
- Panorama Look-outLookout Tower
- Hippo View Bird HideBird Hide
- Marais Dam HideBird Hide
Rietvlei Dam questions
Where is Rietvlei Dam?
Rietvlei Dam is a waterhole in Rietvlei Nature Reserve, 500 m off the Acacia Route, about 2 km from Main Gate.
Which road is Rietvlei Dam on?
Rietvlei Dam is about 500 m off the Acacia Route.
What animals can you see at Rietvlei Dam?
Rietvlei Dam sits in dams and rivers: good country for african darter, african fish eagle, african helmeted terrapin, black heron and cape clawless otter.
Can I use opspoor at Rietvlei Dam without signal?
Yes. Signal in Rietvlei Nature Reserve can be patchy, and opspoor works fully offline: you can see sightings you've already loaded and log your own, which sync when you're back in range.
Heading to Rietvlei Dam? See where sightings have been logged around it and log your own.