From Cape Town to Johannesburg, South Africa is jam-packed with exciting cultural attractions, so if you’re thinking about visiting this fantastic country this year, there’s plenty for you to see. If you’re looking for a naturalistic experience in South Africa however, little do people know that it’s home to some of the world’s most beautiful national parks, allowing visitors to discover ecosystems and wildlife in a protected environment.
Especially if you’re travelling with your family, a tour of South Africa’s national parks is the perfect way to indulge yourself in nature, and from 4×4 guided tours to feeding pens, you won’t even have to visit the cities if you don’t want to. Let’s take a look at some of the country’s top national parks, and see if you can be persuaded to compare flights to South Africa this year!
Addo Elephant National Park
This is the third largest national park in South Africa, and covering over 180,000 hectares it’s a huge place to explore. Home to the biggest conservation of elephants in the country, this park has been expanded many times over its history to encompass new natural landscapes, a wealth of biodiversity, flora and fauna. Stretching from Darlington Dam all the way over the towering Zuurberg Mountains, and even taking on parts of the Sundays River, the Addo Elephant National Park is a great place to begin your tour of South Africa, offering the chance to see over 500 elephants, lions, zebra, leopard and black rhino!
Kruger National Park
With over 2 million hectares to sink your teeth into, it will take you more than one trip to experience everything the Kruger National Park has to offer. From historic archaeological sites to age-old ecosystems, this world renowned conservation effort ranks top with only a handful of others on the planet. Established in 1898, there’s no bigger landscape of diversity in South Africa, making it a true flagship attraction that can’t be missed. As bushman rock paintings and over 150 different types of mammals take up most of your attention, try book an evening tour of the park as you’ll get to see a sunset in South Africa like never before!
Bontebok National Park
For simplistic beauty and a relaxing, peaceful charm, the Bontebok National Park is the place for you. With some of South Africa’s most majestic mountains looking over these lush landscapes, views don’t come much more picturesque than this, and that’s before you even see the animals! There’s a huge bird population at the Bontebok National Park, and located just 5km from the Western Cape town of Swellendam, you can commute to and from the park with ease by car.
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
With 3.6 million hectares of national park to take in, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier is one hell of a place to visit. Gemsbok are the main attractions here, and the striking desert antelope should be seen by 4×4 as you make your way past the black-maned Kalahari Lions. There’s even a community of pygmy falcon here!
