Pongola Nature Reserve Game Reserve at the Pongolapoort dam. Antelopes, zebras, giraffes, rhinos, buffaloes and elephants. No lions. Anglers' paradise.
Pilanesberg National Park
Quite a spectacular park with the "Big Five" in the North-West Province near Sun City. Big 5.
The many National Parks and Game Reserves certainly belong to South Africa's main attractions. Here one can observe the huge variety of African animals at close range and in grandiose sceneries. In a safari group with tour guide or travelling on your own - you can always be sure to have unforgettable encounters and lastung impressions.
Most of them dispose of beautifully positioned camps where bungalows and huts of different quality standards are for rent. Some also have a camping ground.
This menu presents the most outstanding and important of these South African reserves.
Addo Elephant National Park
About 500 elephants on 12,000 ha. Also rhinos, antelopes and many bird species. Good travelling throughout the year. Close to Port Elizabeth.
Augrabies Falls National Park 820 sq km nature reserve. On both sides of the Orange river. Impressive waterfalls. Rhinos. Desert vegetation with Kokerboom trees. Best time: April to September.
Bontebok National Park A small game Reserve in the Western Cape for the conservation of the rare Bontebok antelope.
De Hoop Nature Reserve Enchanting dune landscape. 60,000 ha nature reserve. Nursery of the Southern Right Whale. More than 200 bird species, zebra, bontebok, eland.
Giant's Castle Game Reserve
Mountain park in the southern Drakensberg. For nature lovers and hikers. Lots of game, especially eland antelopes. Breeding area for Cape and Bearded vulture.
Golden Gate National Park
A quiet mountain world for nature lovers and hikers. Colourful sandstone formations. Zebras, wildebees and eland antelopes. Bushman paintings.
Ithala Game Reserve 30,000 ha game reserve of exquisite scenic beauty. Savannah, plateaus and river valleys. Huge game stock and variety, but no lions.
Karoo National Park
32,000 ha nature conservation area. Springbok, kudu klipspringer and tortoises. Fossiles collection. Good accommodation. Best time to travel: April to October.
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park A well kept secret. 20,000 sq km in the middle of the Kalahari desert. Excellent for lion viewing. Very good accommodation. Best time: April to September. No malaria.
Kruger National Park Biggest game reserve on 20,000 sq km. Unique game stock with 147 mammal and 507 bird species. Good infrastructure. Best time to travel: June to August.
Madikwe Game Reserve Game reserve of 60,000 hectares at the Groot Marico river on the border to Botswana. Vast savannah with sporadic mountains. All big game species.
Mapungubwe National Park Reserve of 28,000 hectares on the Limpopo river. Cultural history park with important archaeological sites.
Marakele National Park A relatively new game park in the Waterberg area of the Limpopo Province. Many Cape Vultures breeding pairs. 4x4 required.
Mkhuze Game Reserve 5 hours from Durban. 250 sq km. Large herds of blue wildebeests, kudus, nyalas, zebras, giraffes. Over 400 bird species. Game viewing hides. Perannual season.
Mountain Zebra National Park Small game reserve near Cradock in the Karoo, dedicated to the protection of the Cape Mountain Zebra. 28,000 ha of rocky plateau. Also buffaloes and antelopes. Malaria-free.
Ndumo Game Reserve 10,000-hectare game reserve in northern Zululand. Wetlands, lakes and grassland. Many hippos and crocodiles. No lions.
Pretorius Game Reserve
Small game reserve. African savannah around a dam. Rhino, herds of buffalo and giraffes. Good accommodation with chalets overlooking dam. Perannual season.
Private Game Reserves There are numerous private game reserves in South Africa and Namibia. Most of them are well stocked with game, some of them even have the "Big Five".
Richtersveld National Park
Spectacular mountain desert. Unique vegetation with numerous species of succulents. Difficult accessibility. 4WD and compass required. Royal Natal National Park
Mountain park at the foot of the Mont-aux-Sources (3280). Roaring wild streams and thundering waterfalls. A paradise for hikers. Good accommodation and campground.
Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park
Huge lagoon, separated from the sea through chain of dunes. Swamp forests and mangroves. Numerous seabirds, crocodiles and hippos. Anglers' paradise.
Table Mountain National Park
Small nature reserve on the Cape Peninsula. Different kinds of antelopes and birds. In spring beautifully blooming fynbos fields.
Tembe Elephant Park 30,000 ha game reserve in northern Zululand. Sandy bushland. Elephants and other big game. Four-wheel drive required.
Tsitsikamma National Park
80 kilometres coastline at the Storms River. Rainforest. Extended hiking trails. Waterfalls. Interesting tidal waves. Good accommodation and camping site.
Umfolozi & Hluhluwe Game Reserve
3 hours from Durban. Hilly savannah landscape. 1100 sq km. Many rhinos, but also elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, giraffes etc. Perannual season.
West Coast National Park
Lagoon and swamp plains. Nesting place for numerous bird species. At times over 100,000 migratory birds. Walking and canoeing.
Wilderness National Park Rivers, lagoons, saltwater lakes and swamps. One of the riches and most diverse waterbird reserves.
