Safaris

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is Africa's oldest proclaimed park and KwaZulu-Natal's only state-run park containing all of the Big Five. In fact, thanks to a massive conservation effort Hluhluwe-iMfolozi now has the world's largest population of white rhinos, as well as African wild dogs and plenty of other rare species. It is a beautiful park, with varied flora and a lot of space. Tracking rhinos is one of the most thrilling experiences possible in Africa, and with such high numbers Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is an ideal place to try it. South African parks often feel a bit over-managed, and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is no exception - roads are paved, and no off-road driving is allowed - but the feeling is not as strong as it is in busier parks such as Kruger, and it really is an excellent park. For a real wilderness experience, however, going on a multi-day walking trail is an excellent option, as it will take you off the roads and away from all other visitors.

Kragga Kamma is a small private game park on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth and sports plenty of wildlife. There are giraffes, cheetahs (in a separate enclosure), buffalos and rhinos here, and many species of antelope. Although Kragga Kamma can in no way compare to the larger parks and reserves, there are a few good reasons to visit. One is its proximity to Port Elizabeth - if you are in town and want to go for an afternoon game drive, this is a good option. Second, Kragga Kamma provides an opportunity to get up close and personal with cheetahs. Finally, it is a good place to see what measures poachers are forcing conservationists to take in South Africa, as the proprietors of Kragga Kamma made the difficult decision to dehorn their rhinos in response to repeated reports of threats. Kragga Kamma will not keep you busy for more than a few hours, but it is a very pleasant place, and the wildlife is never far away.

Though Pilanesberg National Park is both smaller and less famous than Kruger, it's an equally good big game reserve - some think it's even better. All of the Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino) are here along with giraffe, zebra, hippo, baboon, hyena, wild dog and a long list of antelopes and birds. You can drive in your own car along a network of tar and gravel roads, and there are both safe picnic areas and hides. The park is fairly small, meaning it's easier to get to the parts where the animals are, but the herds are correspondingly small. The landscape is mostly savanna with tall grass and thorn trees, but there are also bushy regions, rocky outcrops and mountains. The area around Mankwe Dam is particularly good for game viewing. Another appealing feature of Pilanesberg is it's only two hours drive from Johannesburg, making it a possible day trip.

Not only does Yala National Park have the world's highest concentration of leopards, but the landscape is extremely diverse, ranging from dense jungle over open scrubland to sandy beaches sloping into the Indian Ocean. The park is packed with all kinds of wildlife like Asian elephants, crocodiles, Grey langurs, Sloth bears (like Baloo from the Jungle Book) and more than 150 kinds of birds, including White-bellied Sea Eagles and Painted- and Black-necked storks. This is what makes the park so special:; there are literally animals everywhere and you get fairly close to them in the small jeeps.

The Ngorongoro crater is one of those magical places you can't forget. The collapsed volcano is the largest unbroken caldera in the world (300 sq km), home to a great variety of wild animals, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Picture everything you can imagine about the East African plains: tall grass in hues ranging from green to golden, a soda lake whitening as dry season advances, grazing antelopes, hunting lions... All of this surrounded by a tall wall of mountains, with the rim of the crater often coated in a thick fog, much like whipped cream on a Bundt cake. The descent into the crater is breath taking: the view of the entire caldera is spectacular in itself, but as you go down, you start to make out the different animals that you will come to meet up close. The area is not a national park, and the Maasai people that inhabit the region have a special agreement with the government regarding the use of the land. Seeing these beautiful people tending the cattle just adds to the experience.

The Serengeti is one of the most famous national parks in the whole of Africa – and for good reasons. There are many big cats (particularly lions) and the plains get crowded during the annual migration of more than a million wildebeests and other grazers, when they march to Maasai Mara in Kenya for better grassland. The northward migration normally takes place in June, where the wildebeest congregate on the banks of Grumeti River before crossing, to the joy of the ravenous crocodiles. The southward migration normally takes place in October. But no matter the season, there will always be game (elephants, zebras, buffaloes, giraffes, warthogs, and various gazelles and antelopes) to see in Serengeti. Keep in mind that predators, like cheetahs, leopards, and jackals, are more difficult to see during the lush and green period (November-May) than the dry season (July-October).

Despite its proximity to its far more famous cousin to the south, North Luangwa is an entirely different experience. Very remote – access for visitors is by chartered plane only – this is a place to visit if you wish to spend time in a true wilderness, and to do so without seeing more than a handful of people while you do so. The bush here is often fairly dense, making it less suitable for traditional safaris than South Luangwa, but most people come up here to experience the wild on foot, not by vehicle. If you wish to tick off the Big Five in a day, this probably isn’t the place for you (although lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos can all be found in the park). If you wish to experience a real wilderness and get away from the crowds, however, North Luangwa is perhaps the best place in Africa to do so.

South Luangwa National Park is not just the best in Zambia, but considered one of the best in the whole of Africa in terms of variety and density of animals. There are literally animals everywhere: Impalas, pukus, buffaloes, waterbucks, hippos, crocs, elephants, zebras and giraffes, where some are of species that are endemic. Furthermore, there are good chances to come across hyenas, leopards and lions on the game drives. Birds are equally plentyful and come in all colours and sizes so even ornithology-ignorants get drawn by them. Snake eagle and different storks are common - and even the African fish eagle, which is on the Zambian flag, is easily spotted. Lodges in all budget categories can be found near the small dusty village of Mfuwe, the gateway to the park. Here, the wildlife come to you at nighttime, so be careful not to tumble upon a munching hippo or elephant when moving around the lodge grounds (walking outside the lodges is suicidal).

According to some accounts, the Luangwa Valley was the birthplace of the walking safari – at least the kind that involves just looking at wildlife and not shooting at it. Since it was pioneered here in the 1960s by Norman Carr, South and North Luangwa national parks have both retained a reputation of being perhaps Africa’s best walking safari destinations. In addition to the standard morning or afternoon walks available in so many parks and reserves, there are several safari operators that offer extended walks, stretching over several days and sleeping either in tents or in seasonal bush camps. This is very different from the shorter walks, and sleeping under the stars to the roar of lions after a day of tracking animals on foot is quite the experience. One of the highlights of longer walking safaris is actually the not walking bits – simply taking the time to sit under a tree or on the banks of the Luangwa River just to see and hear everything that goes on around you.

Fancy the chance to get close to elephants and wild dogs on foot – without a guide? Mana Pools is a very, very cool place. It’s absolutely gorgeous, located on the Zambezi River, but it’s the activities on offer that are the park’s real drawcard. Canoeing will allow you to get very close to elephants in particular, but with some luck also other animals as they come down to drink. Most people come here to get close to wildlife on foot, however. While this is always safer with a guide, it’s quite exhilarating to do on your own. A few of the elephants allow people to come very close indeed, something that’s bound to get your adrenalin rushing. And those photos you might have seen of bull elephants up on their hind legs? That’s also likely to be from here.