A guide to National Parks in South Africa

South Africa has a vast and diverse collection of national parks, both public and private, which offer amazing game sighting opportunities across distinct landscapes, ranging from deserts to mountainous ranges – the perfect places to experience true wilderness and get close to Africa’s famous wildlife.

But where should you start with so many South African National Parks spread across the country?

Here are the best national parks to add some natural wonder to your South Africa trip as well as some suggested itineraries.

The Eastern Cape

 The Eastern Cape, birthplace of Nelson Mandela, is scattered with traditional African villages and offers fantastic game reserves. Shamwari, which is home to the famous Born Free Foundation, is the oldest reserve in the region.

The region is becoming one of the fastest growing nature conservation areas in South Africa and the main highlight of the Eastern Cape is its malaria-free game reserves.

Plan the perfect Eastern Cape Family Escape

Kruger National Park

Situated along the Mozambique border and covering close to 2 million hectares, Kruger National Park is the most well-known, and one of the largest parks in Africa. A number of private reserves run along the western border – with no fences between the national park and the private reserves, wildlife roam freely across the area, providing you with the ultimate safari experience.

Some of Africa’s most iconic species – elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, rhino, buffalo, giraffe, hippo and zebra are some of the amazing animals you can spot here alongside more than 500 bird species.

Kruger National Park is ideal for self-drive safaris, with entry gates situated in key areas, smooth roads and accommodation strategically positioned around the park. When you choose one of the many private game reserves, game drives are operated with a game ranger.

If you’re looking to travel on a budget and are happy to drive yourself around the park, you can choose from an array of government run lodges and camps within the park boundaries. For a more luxurious and exclusive experience the private game reserves are highly recommended.

Sabi Sabi National Park

Sabi Sabi is a wildlife-rich private reserve in the Greater Kruger area with 4 luxury lodges, each with its own character and style  and it is a great contender for the title of leopard capital of Africa.

The lifeblood of the park is the rivers, with the Sand River cutting through the heart of the Sands and the Sabi River running along its southern border.

Close proximity to the border with the Kruger is also key, so that you can witness the crossover of game from the Kruger National Park.

Phinda Game Reserve

In Phinda you will see animals that you are unlikely to spot elsewhere in Africa such as the Suni antelope. You can experience Phinda in numerous ways such as on game drives, pontoon boat trips and walking safaris.

Check out this itinerary for An Authentic Journey through South Africa: from Cape Town to Kruger 

Madikwe

Madikwe, the second largest game reserve in South Africa is classified as malaria-free, making it popular particularly with families. Located near the border with Botswana you can arrive in around five hours by road, or in just one hour by light aircraft from Johannesburg.

If you saw the painted wolves on BBC Earth’s Dynasties show, Madikwe has got a good populations of these fascinating animals.

The quality and variety of the game viewing in Madikwe is unique and appeals to those who want a more traditional safari experience with fewer vehicles spotted in the park whilst on game drives. There are also over 400 species of bird, so it is a popular choice for bird watching too.

Check out this Land & Marine Big Five itinerary

Makalali Private Game Reserve 

Makalali Private Game Reserve is one of the country’s major privately-owned conservation areas with over 22,000 hectares set in the Lowveld region of Limpopo, an hour west of the Phalaborwa gate of the Kruger National Park and roughly 80 kilometres from Hoedspruit.

It has a series of undulating hills that offer incredible viewpoints and panoramic views across the reserve.

Meaning ‘place of sanctuary, in Tshwane, Marakele National Park lives up to its name. Scenic safaris through its grassy slopes and valleys will give you views of some of South Africa’s most iconic wildlife, known especially for its incredible display of birds and as the home of the largest colony of Cape vultures in the world.

A mixture of wildlife has been re-introduced onto the reserve that includes lion, leopard, elephant, cheetah and rhino, making Makalali home to a rich diversity of animals including the ‘big five’.

KwaZulu-Natal

On the east coast of South Africa, this fascinating region offers warm weather all year round. You will experience a great mixture of adventure, big game, stunning beaches, magnificent landscapes and a rich culture and heritage. KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with a surviving monarchy known as the Zulu Kingdom, it is steeped in history and culture, with the battlefields of yesteryear brought to life by historians.

We recommend the Elephant Coast, situated on the northeastern side of the province stretching 220km long and 70km wide. The stunning landscape consists of beach, bushveld, mountain and the Isimangaliso Wetlands Park, which is a world heritage site. The area offers a wide range of safari options including the ‘big 5’ wildlife safari, birding safari, ocean safari and cultural safari, plus many more.

Addo Elephant National Park

Located close to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Addo Elephant National Park is one of the easiest national parks in South Africa to access and also one of the most beautiful. It’s also the only national park in the whole to house ‘Africa’s Big 7’ — rhino, elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, whale and great white shark.

Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve

Sabi Sabi is a wildlife-rich private reserve in the Greater Kruger area with 4 luxury lodges, each with its own character and style  and it is a great contender for the title of leopard capital of Africa.

The lifeblood of the park is the rivers, with the Sand River cutting through the heart of the Sands and the Sabi River running along its southern border.

Close proximity to the border with the Kruger is also key, so that you can witness the crossover of game from the Kruger National Park.

This is a sponsored post but all views and opinions are my own.