It is really an engaging and amazing experience to be in the natural settings. Visiting a place which has abundance of such natural beauty and large variety of wildlife. This is why South African national parks have become one of the most sought after tourist hot-spots. It becomes even wonderful when you visit with your family. It will have moments of thrill, fun and laughter with memories to cherish for years to come.
10 South African National Parks You Must Visit
South Africa is blessed with every natural beauty element that you can for, be it wildlife, mountains, rivers, or forest. The untouched and raw aspect South African forests can be experienced by visiting its national parks. Here is a list of 10 national parks you must visit on your trip to South Africa.
1. Addo Elephant National Park
It is a dedicated space for the conservation of elephants. It is the third largest national park in South Africa. It is situated near the port Elizabeth of South Africa. They are a wildlife conservation centre for now even for other animals like flightless dung beetle, black rhino, etc. They adorn a lot of interesting living spaces as well. So one could enjoy the natural settings and then sit cosily in the guest cottages.
Location: R335 Paterson Road, Addo, 6105, South Africa
Contact: +27 42 233 8600
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2. Namaqua national park
It is located near the Kamieskroon town and is 495 km north of cape town off the N7 highway. It is the fifth largest national park of the country. The climate is mostly hot and dry with little rainfall and cold winters. The range of temperatures is 7 to 32 degrees Celsius. The animals move to the eastern part for relief due to more rainfall as compared to the western part.
Contact: +27 27 672 1948
3. Kruger National Park
It is one of the most enticing and captivating national park. The amazing safari tours that you can have in here along with your loved ones will create memories for sure. Added to your fun is the availability of multiple national parks. Plus the number of residing areas that are available are comfortable and super cosy. There is a fascinating feature of private games too. You could reach here from cape town, Johannesburg and Durban to its international airport.
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4. Garden Route National Park
It is located in the Knysna area of south Africa. The ride to this park simply takes an hour or even less than that. It is established by SANParks. It includes the wilderness and tzaddikim national parks. This area is the biodiversity conservation hotspot for animal species. The reviews are great for this park.
Location: Dumbleton Cres, Wilderness, 6560, South Africa
Contact: +27 44 877 0046
5. Mountain Zebra National Park
It is one of the conservation areas from the year 1933. Also the beautiful picturesque views will get you enthralled. One would like to visit this place again and again. The camping sites offered in here are just amazing. It leads to various comfortable accommodation options and also wide safari tours which will not let you go.
Location: R51, Cradock, 5880, South Africa
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6. Pilanesberg National Park
It is one of the national parks located near Johannesburg area. It takes around 2 hours to move from there to this national park. It is said to be one of the largest game reserves in the country. The accommodation and safari options to move around and relax are enormous. They ensure your comfortable stay after the day’s exciting journey looking for animals and bird species.
Location: Bojanala, North West, South Africa
Contact: +27 14 555 1600
7. Kgalagadi National Park
It is a combination of two nearby national parks. One of them is the Kalahari Gemsbok national park while the other is the Gemsbok national park. The steps are taken for desert to remain in size and not expand. Also the species habitual to that area re conserved. This national park is located at the tri-junction of South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. The animals can access either of the areas regarding the open borders. Moving around will get to you an unique experience.
Location: R360, Upington, 8800, South Africa
Contact: +27 54 561 2000
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8. Bontebok National Park
This one is located in Swellendam area of the western cape in south Africa. It was made in the year 1931 in an attempt to save and conserve the animal species of that area. It adorn fascinating plant species in addition to the existing animals. There are a lot of activities available in the park to add to your fun. And the accommodation options are also great. This will let you to enjoy while trying to spot the animals of your choice.
Location: Swellendam, 6740, South Africa
Contact: +27 28 514 2735
9. Golden Gate Highlands National Parks
It was established in the year 1963 and is located near the Lesotho border. The population of the animal species has also grown considerably. Initially it was only mountain reedbuck that took refuge in here but now species like the eland, springbok and the red hartebeest have grown in larger amounts. The headquarters for this national park is located at Bethlehem. The interesting patterns of rocks and the plant varieties available there are a highlight of the place.
Location: Clarens, 9707, South Africa
Contact: +27 58 255 1000
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10. Augrabies Falls National Park
This is a national park located near the augrabies falls. These falls are on the orange river. The beautiful falls which look stunning from a distance. One could easily spot the giraffes, monkeys, rodents and plant species in abundance. Few other species like jackal, wild fox, and African wild cat could be spotted if you are lucky enough. These are a must visit national parks due to completely different setting of a traditional national park. One tip could be to take along plenty of water due to the climate and weather at the place. The rawness, quietness and wilderness around will take you into a different setting altogether.
Location: Augrabies, 8874, South Africa
Contact: +27 54 452 9205
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You must be all charged up to visit these South African National parks on your next vacation. This could be an adventurous journey to make in your life. The thrill of suddenly encountering a wild animal standing just a few metres away is going to be an unforgettable experience. So, plan a trip to South Africa now and make some of the most ravishing memories.
