witness the 'BIg 5' on a South african safari

Boasting some of the world’s most exciting wildlife, from the Big 5 – lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino – to the elegant giraffes, colourful zebras and abundant impala. Whether you are a first-timer or a seasoned safari pro, South Africa has a wealth of safari styles to make your trip one to remember.

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THE PERFECT HOLIDAY ADD-ON

South Africa has a wide variety of parks and game reserves to suit every budget and needs, but all offering plentiful opportunities for great game viewing. The most iconic area is Kruger National Park (to the east), with a dense and diverse range of wildlife, predators and birds. Many luxurious lodges and camps are situated here, such as the majestic Sabi Sand Game Reserve and our own personal safari adventure from 2016 in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve.

If you fancy something a little more remote, try the picturesque Marakele National Park or Madikwe Game Reserve (both to the north). For something a little closer to Cape Town, the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve is known for rare white lions and contemporary accommodation. Maybe combine a safari in the KwaZulu-Natal Game Reserves with a visit to the historical battlefields and its fully immersive Zulu culture. Or you could make the perfect start (or end) to your Garden Route fly-drive in the Eastern Cape, with many more captivating Big 5 game reserves.

As important as the animals are to a Safari, you also want to be able to do it the way you want, and there are a number of different styles of safari you need to consider. Would you prefer to stay in a luxury safari lodge or sleep out under the stars in a tented camp? Many lodges offer game drives as part of the stay, as well as bush walks and night drives.

Do you want to enjoy game drives with expert trackers and guides, or would you prefer to do it all on your own and go on a self-drive safari in the Kruger National Park? Would you like to enjoy a single stay safari combining your holiday with another unforgettable experience in Southern Africa or maximise your wildlife viewing with a multi-safari vacation, perhaps in Botswana?

The airports of Nelspruit, Skukuza and Hoedspruit are the perfect landing spots to explore magnificent Kruger. All are easily reachable with direct flights from Johannesburg or Cape Town.

SAFARI REGIONS

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

The Greater Kruger Park is the 'go-to' safari destination for anyone visiting Africa, given its unsurpassed concentration and diversity of wildlife on offer. It consists of the vast Kruger National Park, as well as the Sabi Sands, Timbavati and Thornybush private game reserves amongst others. Some of these game reserves share an open border with the Kruger Park, allowing wildlife to roam freely across the area.

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

Accommodation in the private game reserves is usually of a very high standard.

Reasons to visit the Kruger National Park for your safari:

Excellent game-viewing with a diverse variety in habitat offering close viewing of the Big Five
Great choice of private game reserves and Kruger concessions at varied price points
Option to sleep out in a treehouse in the bush at most lodges for the more adventurous
Walking safaris on offer at most lodges in the Kruger Park with highly skilled guides
Located close to the stunning Blyde River Canyon area for your exploration after or between safaris

Best Game Reserves:
Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Timbavati Game Reserve
Thornybush Nature Reserve
Klaserie Private Nature Reserve

Recommended Lodges:

Luxury	Value for Money
Londolozi Tree Camp	nThambo Tree Camp
Lion Sands River Lodge	Jock Safari Lodge
Singita Boulders	Motswari Game Lodge
Great for families	Honeymooners
Simbavati River Lodge	Dulini Lodge
Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge	Savanna Private Game Lodge
Gomo Gomo Game Lodge	Sabi Sabi Selati Camp

EASTERN CAPE

South Africa's Eastern Cape provides some of the country's most accessible Big 5 game viewing.

The Eastern Cape Game Reserves have become very popular for two reasons; they are all malaria-free and they lie within easy driving distance of the Garden Route. Thus making it effortless to add on an Eastern Cape safari without having the hassle of airports and flying to a completely different part of South Africa.

Reasons to visit the Eastern Cape for your safari:

Malaria-free Game Reserves
Close proximity to Port Elizabeth
Easy add to your Garden Route Adventure

Best Game Reserves:
Shamwari Private Game Reserve
Pumba Game Reserve
Addo Elephant National Park
Amakhala Game Reserve
Kariega Game Reserve

Recommended Lodges:

Luxury	Value for Money
Shamwari Eagles Crag	Leopard Mountain Lodge
Founders Lodge by Mantis	Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
Shamwari Long Lee Manor	Amakhala Hlosi Game Lodge
Great for families	Extra Activities
Pumba Water Lodge	Kariega River Lodge
Kariega Main Lodge	Lion Sands River Lodge
Shamwari Riverdene	Bukela Game Lodge

KWAZULU-NATAL

KwaZulu-Natal is the widest expanse of untouched savannah in South Africa, and its only fitting that it would be home to some of the most prestigious game reserves too. A combination of coastal and inland beauty KwaZulu Natal has all the charm of an African adventure but all the refinement one would expect from award-winning luxury holiday accommodation.

There are plenty of places to spot the infamous African Big Five as well as discover bird species that you won’t get the chance to see anywhere else. Private Game reserves such as Phinda and Hluhluwe Umfolozi will captivate your wild side and rekindle a sense of adventure in you.

Reasons to visit KwaZulu-Natal for your safari:

Very scenic game reserves, totally different from the Kruger
Easy to combine with a beach stay at either Thonga, Rocktail Beach camp, White Pearl or St Lucia – with easy road transfers on offer
Excellent for birding
Above-average chance of seeing cheetah
The game lodges generally offer good value for money. So this means that it’s often possible to fit in two contrasting safari experiences, either one in the Kruger and one in northern KZN, or two within KZN.
Some lodges offer very varied activities so that you can focus on game drives at one lodge, and do a range of other activities at another lodge.

Best Game Reserves:
Phinda Private Game Reserve
Thanda Game Reserve
Hluhluwe iMolozi Park
uMkhuze Game Reserve
iSimangaliso Wetlands Park

Recommended Lodges:

Luxury	Value for Money
Phinda Vlei, Phinda Forest or Phinda Rock Lodge	Leopard Mountain Lodge
Thanda Safari Lodge	Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge

Great for families	Extra Activities
Phinda Mountain Lodge	Makakatana Bay Lodge
Amakhosi Safari Lodge	White Elephant Safari Lodge
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge	Ghost Mountain Inn