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UNTOUCHED
WILD
YOUR WAKE-UP CALL
COMES HOURS BEFORE
SUNRISE SO THAT YOU
CAN TRACK LEOPARDS,
LIONS AND OTHER
NOCTURNAL HUNTERS
BEFORE THE HEAT OF
DAY KICKS IN.
After a quick cup of coffee, you
embark on a three-to-fourhour
game drive with your
knowledgeable ranger and tracker
– and the sightings begin.
Kruger National Park
Meerkats pose for the camera
You spot not just one elephant,
but a dozen – from a playful baby
to a two-story bull – and a regal
gemsbok, with its slender, scimitarlike
horns that may have inspired
tales of the fabled unicorn. The roar
of a male lion, a few yards from
the safari vehicle, leaves you nearly
breathless.
Return to camp for a fresh cooked
breakfast, followed by a nature
walk with a ranger. After lunch,
take a nap at the height of the
midday heat or go for a swim. Then,
following afternoon tea, you’re
off on an evening safari drive that
includes a stop for a sundowner, or
a cocktail, to pass the sunset.
Back at your lodge or campsite,
enjoy dinner under the southern
constellations, a completely
different array of stars from what
you see at home. Then it’s off to
bed and dreams of the wildlife that
you’ll encounter tomorrow.
Kruger National Park, Photo: Laura Pedrick,
www.pedrickphoto.com
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
The best-known safari destination
in South Africa is the Kruger
National Park. Located in the northeast
corner of the country along
the border with Mozambique, this
remarkable conservation area spans
the provinces of Mpumalanga and
Limpopo, with more than 7500
square miles of land and 16 distinct
natural regions. The southern end
of the park, which has the most
developed tourism facilities, is the
most visited.
The Kruger is a renowned location
for Big Five viewing; lion, leopard,
elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros
can all be found here. In addition,
you can spot giraffes, zebras,
antelopes, wildebeests, and almost
as many types of birds as there are
stars in the southern hemisphere’s
skies. Elephant-back safaris are
offered at the park, as well as
the more traditional walking and
driving safaris. Accommodation
ranges from basic campsites to
luxury safari lodges, with prices to
suit every budget.
DID YOU
KNOW?
KRUGER
NATIONAL PARK
IS ROUGHLY
THE SIZE OF THE
STATE OF
NEW JERSEY.
SOUTH AFRICA’S NATIONAL PARKS
Map: Albert Mena
FOR A FULL LIST OF NATIONAL PARKS, VISIT WWW.SANPARKS.ORG
THE KRUGER ISN’T
SOUTH AFRICA’S
ONLY WILDLIFE
HOTSPOT.
Across the country you’ll find
a range of distinctive parks
and reserves, including:
MADIKWE GAME RESERVE
Lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, as well as
white and black rhinos call this reserve home. It
sits in the northern reaches of the North West
province, on the border with Botswana.
KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK
Located in Northern Cape’s shimmering
Kalahari Desert and operated in conjunction
with Botswana, this is the largest park in Africa.
The border is unfenced, and wildlife including
black-maned Kalahari lions, gemsboks, meerkats
and elephants search for water along the same
riverbeds as their ancestors have for centuries.
PILANESBERG NATIONAL PARK
Set in an ancient volcanic crater in the North
West province, and just a two-hour drive from
Johannesburg, this park’s dramatic landscape
of rocky outcrops and thick bush supports a
wide variety of plants and animals, including
the Big Five.
HLUHLUWE-UMFOLOZI GAME RESERVE
KwaZulu-Natal province’s prized game reserve
is one of the most popular destinations in all of
Africa for walking safaris (traditional safaris are also
available). Though only one-fifth the size of the
Kruger, it has a remarkable population of wildlife,
including the Big Five. Hluhluwe-Umfolozi is also
known worldwide for its conservation efforts – its
staff is almost single-handedly responsible for
saving the white rhino from extinction.
ADDO ELEPHANT NATIONAL PARK
This reserve, 45 miles outside of Port Elizabeth,
in the Eastern Cape, has 300 elephants, plus
prime viewing opportunities and a range of
accommodation. Visitors might also spot some
180 bird species.
GOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK
Located in the Free State near the Lesotho
border, the park’s most notable features are its
golden, ochre, and orange-hued, deeply-eroded
sandstone cliffs and outcrops. Numerous caves
and shelters display ancient San rock paintings,
while zebra, eland and over 100 bird species can
be found.
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