South African National Parks

The park's main attraction is undoubtedly the thundering 56m Augrabies Falls, which the Khoi called 'the great noise.' Besides the falls, which form part of the immense Orange River Gorge, the park boasts many other unique sights, including fascinating geological formations like Moon Rock and the Swart Rant. Though the park is not known for its wildlife, dassies (rock hyrax) and klipspringer enjoy frequenting the rocky, arid landscape.

The picturesque Bontebok National Park park is situated in the Cape floral region under the imposing gaze of the Langeberg Mountains. It is full of various plant, animal, and bird species. The park was established to protect the bontebok, which faced extinction in the 1800s. From the original 17 bontebok, the park is now home to approximately 200 of the 3000-strong global estimate.

The park is located in the Eastern Cape within the uniquely beautiful region of the Karoo. The vast, arid landscape surrounds the sleepy town of Graaff-Reinet and includes the Valley of Desolation, with its giant, towering dolerite pillars. A variety of activities are available to visitors, from boating on the Nqweba Dam to scenic hiking trails.

Found in the Maluti Mountains of the northeastern Free State, Golden Gate National Park is characterized by striking sandstone rock formations that display magnificent golden hues when bathed in sunlight, most notably the Brandwag Buttress. Black wildebeest, eland, blesbok, oribi, springbok, and Burchell's zebra roam this stunning landscape, while rare bird species like the bearded vulture and bald ibis own the skies.

This boundless semi-desert region is known for the vast diversity of life that ekes out a living and survives in this harsh environment. Recently, many species have been reintroduced that used to occur here naturally, including lion, brown hyena, and Cape mountain zebra. South Africa's national animal, the springbok, is quite common throughout the park.

The park shares its borders with Botswana and Zimbabwe, making it part of the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area. Its collection of archaeological treasures has also earned it UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Mapungubwe Hill marks the remnants of an Iron Age African civilization that once prospered here. Elephant, giraffe, white rhino, eland, gemsbok, and numerous other antelope species occur in the area.

Marakele National Park lies deep within the captivating Waterberg Mountains. The park is remarkably diverse in wildlife due to its location, habitat, and climate. Marakele also plays sanctuary to the largest colony of endangered Cape vultures. Elephant, rhino, lion and leopard roam this malaria-free reserve, known for its particularly handsome kudu population. In addition to basic park accommodation, luxury lodges have recently emerged across this magical landscape.

This Eden in northern Zululand is bordered by and named for the Mkhuze River on the eastern slopes of the Lebombo Mountains. The habitats, which include wetlands, woodlands, riverine forests, and swamps, make this region a bird-watching paradise. The 40 000 ha reserve also forms part of the Greater iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Mammals frequently encountered include black and white rhinoceros, elephant, giraffe, nyala, blue wildebeest, warthog, eland, hippo, impala, kudu and other smaller antelope.

Vast sandy plains, dolerite hills, and semi-desert terrain provide the setting for one of South Africa's newest additions to its family of national parks. The park boasts various indigenous plant species, such as the culturally valuable camelthorn tree. Situated south of Kimberley's historic Northern Cape mining town, Mokala is named for the camelthorn tree that sprouts across its koppieveld and sandy, open plains.

Twenty-eight thousand hectares in the Eastern Cape make up this scenic sanctuary for an assorted collection of wild animals, most notably the once-threatened Cape mountain zebra, which is now flourishing due to concerted conservation efforts. Today more than 700 Cape mountain zebras enjoy refuge in the park. Other endangered species thriving include black rhino and cheetah – the only major predator that occurs here.

The park forms part of Namaqualand, a semi-desert area in the succulent Karoo biome. With the advent of spring, this ordinarily arid region undergoes a fairy tale transformation into a sea of color with a dazzling display of flowering plant species. Remarkably, more than 1 000 of its estimated 3 500 plant species are found nowhere else on earth.

Extraordinary arid landscapes unfold in the Tankwa desert of the Northern Cape. This vast, flat park is one of the finest destinations in South Africa for stargazing. Though wildlife occurs far and in between, sightings of springbok, gemsbok, and red hartebeest are frequent, as encounters with reptiles like tortoises and skinks. The park is situated within the Succulent Karoo Biome, one of the 25 richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life on earth.