Best Safari National Parks in South Africa

Home to the Big 5 and breathtaking natural beauty, South Africa has claimed its status as a leading safari destination. South Africa's game reserves are teeming with lion and elephants to rare and endangered animals from rhinos, leopards and cheetahs to game favourites like giraffe and gazelles. You'll find Big 5 safaris in malaria free areas to a first world infrastructure making South Africa the ideal choice for a first-time safari goer to families, honeymooners and adventure seekers of all ages. Here, are the best safari national parks in South Africa to make your Big 5 Dreaming come true and more.

 

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Kruger National Park

For the ultimate Big 5 safari in South Africa, nothing beats the Kruger National Park, one of the world's greatest wildlife-watching destinations. It is home to some of Africa’s most iconic species- elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, rhino, buffalo giraffe, hippo, zebra and more. It is widely considered the best place in Africa to see leopard, the most elusive of all big cats. Expect up-close and reliable Big 5 sightings all year round. Accommodation options are some of the finest safari lodges in Africa ranging from 5-star to star-lit, and include family lodges, honeymoon hideaways, and grand tented camps. The Kruger can sometimes become crowded with safari groups. However, its vast network of roads makes this one of Africa’s most accessible parks and well suited for families. It is also an ideal reserve to explore with your own vehicle or join a join a guided wildlife safari.

 

The ease of getting around South Africa and its neighbouring safari destinations makes it simple and ideal to combine the Kruger's big game viewing with island holidays of Mozambique and top destinations like Cape Town. Check out our Cape to Ocean: Cape Town, Kruger Safari & Mozambique Island Bliss 11 Days.

 

Best Time to Go: the Kruger in terms of climate and game viewing is during the dry season (from about late May to October).

 

We recommend a stay at one of the Kruger's private reserves that adjoin the national park, or one of the exclusive-use concessions located within it – these promise crowd-free environments where the game viewing ranks among the best in Africa. These include Sabi Sands, Timbavati and Thornybush. Read on to find out more.

 

 

Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve 

If leopards are on your safari list and must tick off the Big 5 sightings in minimal time, then look no further than the Sabi Sands. Adjacent to the world-renowned Kruger National Park, the Sabi Sand Game Reserve is the most prestigious game park in South Africa. With the density of game in the Sabi Sands, it is not unusual to see the Big 5 in a single day where leopards sightings are so good! The Sabi Sands is renowned for some of the best Big 5 game viewing in the country particularly its leopard viewing. With no restricting fences between the Sabi Sand and the Kruger, means greater diversity of animals as they can roam freely in a vast conservation area that covers almost five million hectares (over two million acres).

 

It is privately owned and managed where only guests staying at its lodges are permitted to enter and no day visitors or self-drives are allowed. This makes for an exclusive and intimate safari experience. Here, guides can undertake spot-lit game drives after dark for a glimpse at nocturnal animals, guided nature walks and off-road game driving to add to an exhilarating adventure. While open-top tree houses, world-class spas, fine dining and private villas combine to immerse in an exquisite South Africa safari experience. Read more: Best Safari Lodges in Kruger.

 

Our favourite reasons to travel is that it can be easily combined with encompassing the highlight of Southern Africa from Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Victoria Falls and Cape Town. From the pursue of the Big Five to the thrilling power of Victoria Falls, across South Africa to Zimbabwe, savour the timeless grace of Southern Africa on our Cape to Victoria Falls by Rovos Rail.

 

 

Phinda Private Game Reserve 

Phinda offers the discerning safari traveller some of the most diverse wildlife viewing in South Africa. It encompasses an impressive 29 866 ha (73 800 acres) of private traversing across seven distinct habitats allows for a great diversity of landscapes and exclusive game viewing. Limited number of vehicles at sightings and sensitive off-roading practices means you get close-up sightings of Big Five and other rare and iconic wildlife. Boasting environments ranging from palm savannah to sand forest, you’ll enjoy day and night game drives, guided walks and river safaris. Here, the Big 5 are present but is best known for its large population of cheetah and black rhino. The sand forest is home to the shy suni and the rare red duiker, two tiny antelope that are seldom encountered elsewhere. Bird lovers are in for a treat as Phinda has recorded an astounding 415 bird species.

 

Just a 3-hour drive from King Shaka International Airport in Durban (or fly directly in), Phinda sits at the heart of the KwaZulu-Natal safari experience. It’s a private reserve usually offering exclusive safaris but you can opt to self-drive as part of a larger KwaZulu-Natal itinerary.

 

 

Tswalu Kalahari

Located in the Northern Cape, Tswalu Kalahari is South Africa’s largest private game reserve. A desert region of vast open savannah, sandy dunes and diverse habitats matched with an incredible wildlife population including zebra, giraffe, oryx and eland. Lion and cheetah thrive here, where the massive lions of the Kalahari are well known for their stunning black manes. Thriving here are also the arid-area antelope and black rhino, and if you are after more, then Tswalu is arguably Africa’s best destination for its two most elusive animals – the long-snouted aardvark and Africa’s version of a roll-up armadillo – the pangolin. The Kalahari offers unique safari experiences set against broad expanses of pristine semi-arid grassland, rugged dunes, and towering Korannaberg Mountains. Expect exquisite spot-lit night drives, rhino tracking, stargazing and horseback safaris.

 

The Tswalu Kalahari makes an ideal honeymoon destination with Tswalu’s malaria-free setting making it attractive for families. We recommend a stay at the award winning Tswalu The Motse Kalahari offering a truly unique and intimate South African experience off the beaten track.

 

 

Pilanesberg Game Reserve

The Pilanesberg Game Reserve is a perfect choice for a malaria free and family friendly safari. It is home to the Big 5 and located next door to Sun City, Africa’s biggest holiday resort. An ideal family safari combining a mix of waterslides, championship golf courses with unmatched game viewing and opportunity for hot air balloon safari over beautiful wilderness. Pilanesberg is just over two hours' drive from Johannesburg and offers great game viewing year-round with excellent sightings of elephant, lion, rhino, cheetah and brown hyena.

 

 

Madikwe Private Game Reserve

Madikwe is set against the Botswana border close to the Kalahari Desert boasting a diverse landscape from dense acacia thicket and classic bushveld to the Kalahari Desert’s transition zone. Madikwe is a private reserve meaning only guests in lodges are allowed in and no day visitors, creating an exclusive sense of safari experience. A private reserve also means opportunities for off roading and night game drives. It is home to a beguiling mix of desert and savannah species matched with a range of accommodation from family-friendly camps to ultimate romantic luxury lodges of lavish lantern-lit dining affairs away from camp. Apart from the Big 5, sightings of cheetah and aardwolf are quite frequent, making Madikwe a must for those who want to see those species in the wild. It is home to the rare wild dog and track unusual species like brown hyena and pangolin.

 

Madikwe makes an ideal choice for a family-friendly and malaria free safari. Read more on our 11 Days Luxury-Malaria Free Family Fun in South Africa (Self-Drive) Adventure.

 

Best time to go: Anytime between early May and the end of October as there is barely any rain and game viewing is good, as animals concentrate near water.

 

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