| A South Africa safari is the ideal wildlife trip to go | | | | reasonably deep pockets this fantastic reserve will |
| on because the infrastructure and accommodation | | | | be out of reach which is why it doesn't get the Nr |
| is superb in all the wildlife parks there and it is still | | | | one ranking for South Africa safari national parks |
| highly affordable in comparison to other African | | | | and reserves. |
| countries. | | | | 3. Hluhluwe Umfolozi NP |
| But given a choice some of the national parks and | | | | If you want to see the endangered black and |
| game reserves are better than others. | | | | white rhinos in the wild then this is the park to |
| Here is a top five list ranking them according to | | | | head for because this is where the inexorable tide |
| travel reports received at the African Safari | | | | to extinction for the white rhino in Southern |
| Journals website, my safari experience of twenty | | | | Africa was stemmed. |
| plus years, industry forums, magazines and the | | | | It now boasts the largest population of white |
| general consensus of the experts. | | | | rhino in the world numbering over 1600 and also a |
| 1. Kruger NP | | | | slowly increasing population of black rhino at just |
| The Kruger National Park has to rank as one of | | | | over 400.on a South Africa safari here you will |
| the best South Africa safari destinations, only | | | | also be able to see lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant |
| slightly behind the Masai Mara and Serengeti when | | | | and cheetah in this park and more than 400 bird |
| it comes to wildlife viewing because the | | | | species have been recorded. Due to the large |
| vegetation in Kruger can be dense and sometimes | | | | number of resident elephants you might have |
| mars the ability to see longer distances. | | | | some close encounters with them on the roads |
| But the variety of animals, birds and ecosystems | | | | as they cross in front of you. |
| that you can experience here are unparalleled | | | | You can go for a daily walk in the park in the |
| anywhere else in Africa and the accommodation, | | | | company of an armed ranger or you can do a |
| roads and facilities are top notch and all at a very | | | | several day extended hike in the southern |
| affordable price. | | | | umfolozi portion. |
| It's not unusual to see lion, leopard, cheetah, a | | | | 4. Madikwe GR |
| pack of wild dog, rhino, elephant, buffalo and a | | | | This is a latter day Noah's ark story because |
| whole host of antelope, crocodile and hippo in the | | | | most of the wildlife contained in this park was |
| course of a single trip including a variety of insects | | | | relocated here from other areas in 1991. |
| and reptiles. | | | | Twenty seven different species amounting to |
| On the bird front you will be spoiled with a | | | | over 10 000 head of game were re-introduced |
| seemingly never-ending supply of eagles, hawks, | | | | into this area where they once thrived but had |
| water birds and a host of migratory and | | | | disappeared because of hunting and habitat |
| indigenous species to the tune of about 510 | | | | destruction. |
| different varieties. | | | | A huge advantage of taking a South Africa safari |
| You can easily do a self drive safari here and still | | | | in this park is that it is not situated in a malaria |
| see a decent amount of wildlife especially if you | | | | area so you don't have to bother about taking |
| stick to the central and southern portions of this | | | | malaria tablets as you do in most other reserves. |
| massive park (larger than Ireland). The north has | | | | All of the big five are on view here as well as |
| fewer animals due to dryer conditions but also | | | | cheetah and the rare wild dog packs which are |
| less tourists which makes for a more isolated and | | | | the stars of the show here being regularly sighted |
| intimate wildlife experience. | | | | patrolling their huge territories. Your chances of |
| If variety is the spice of life then a South Africa | | | | seeing them seem to be better here than most |
| safari in the Kruger National Park is a rich dish | | | | other parks. |
| indeed. | | | | Rare antelope like the eland, gemsbok and sable |
| 2. Sabi Sands GR | | | | put in an appearance here too and you will be able |
| Sharing a fenceless border on the western side of | | | | to enjoy your wildlife viewing in relative peace and |
| the Kruger National Park is the Sabi Sands game | | | | isolation because not many tourists know about |
| reserve which has a number of world famous | | | | this excellent game reserve. |
| private concessions like Mala Mala, Sabi Sabi and | | | | 5. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park |
| Londelozi. | | | | The locals know that this is an excellent game |
| The removal of the fence between the two | | | | park and it falls into that "best kept secret" |
| parks allows the animals to move around freely | | | | category that each country seems to have |
| and the game viewing experience is just as in the | | | | where for some unknown reason a reserve |
| Kruger National with one important difference. | | | | doesn't get the notice from tourists and safari |
| Because this reserve is privately held, off road | | | | companies that it deserves. |
| game tracking is allowed which improves your | | | | Maybe it's because this reserve is set in the |
| chances of finding the elusive big cats, elephant, | | | | Kalahari desert and people don't normally |
| rhino, buffalo and wild dog to a large degree. They | | | | associate deserts with lots of wildlife but there |
| also make use of two way radios in each safari | | | | are always exceptions to the rule and this South |
| vehicle so that if one finds something noteworthy | | | | Africa safari park qualifies. |
| the others can be alerted. | | | | You can see some pretty specialised and very |
| The sand and sabi rivers which bisect the reserve | | | | interesting game here such as the gemsbok |
| provide the focal point which attracts the wildlife | | | | antelope which can go for months without water, |
| to the area especially in the dry season. | | | | springbok, blue wildebeest, eland and red |
| So viewing the big cats on a South Africa safari | | | | hartebeest. |
| here is virtually guaranteed and the | | | | And wherever there is a good supply of antelope, |
| accommodation is some of the best in the world | | | | the predators are never far away such as the |
| as illustrated by the Singita lodge which was the | | | | black maned lions which this area has a |
| first and only accommodation in the history of the | | | | disproportionate supply off, leopard and cheetah |
| Conde Nast Gold List Reader Poll to get a perfect | | | | which can make full use of the wide open spaces |
| 100 score, an honour it has held for three years. | | | | to chase their prey at top speed. |
| There are about thirty different top class lodges | | | | The meerkat (suricate) is also regularly seen here |
| situated in the reserve. | | | | and bat eared foxes contribute to the scavenging |
| But this all comes at a price and unless you have | | | | duties. |