Mpumalanga
Kruger National Park
Remarkable fact: South Africa's oldest national park, proclaimed in 1926.
?Day 1 · 20 Oct
Wild places. Unforgettable roads. A country full of surprises. Explore your favourites, test your knowledge and find your next adventure.
[Cover image, one-line description, R1,250 and the pre-order button go here on 3 November.]
One park a day, every day until 17 November. Each one rated the way we rate them: Big Five, predators, herbivores, birding, scenery and plants. A new park unlocks here every day.
Day 1 of 28 unlocks Tuesday 20 October
Remarkable fact: South Africa's oldest national park, proclaimed in 1926.
Remarkable fact: A sanctuary park that breeds rare species for reintroduction across South Africa's protected areas.
Remarkable fact: Home to over 2 000 plant species, more than many countries.
Remarkable fact: A landscape of extremes: from escarpments at 1 450 m down to Lowveld plains at around 400 m.
Remarkable fact: Summer temperatures may exceed 45°C, while winter nights can drop below freezing.
Remarkable fact: In the Valley of Desolation, dolerite columns rise up to 120 m above the valley floor.
Remarkable fact: Africa's oldest proclaimed game reserve, with origins dating back to 1895.
Remarkable fact: Surrounds Allemanskraal Dam, one of the largest dams in the Free State.
Remarkable fact: Grew from just 11 elephants in 1931 to more than 600 today.
Remarkable fact: A birder's paradise: over 400 bird species, including many rare and tropical specials.
Remarkable fact: A park in a crater: it lies within the eroded remains of a volcano more than 1.2 billion years old.
Remarkable fact: The Nyl River flows north, unusual in South Africa, which helped inspire the name 'Nile Marsh'.
Remarkable fact: uKhahlamba means 'Barrier of Spears' in isiZulu, describing the jagged skyline.
Remarkable fact: A fully fledged game reserve located entirely within a major metropolitan area.
Remarkable fact: The Golden Rhino, Africa's most iconic archaeological find, was discovered here.
Remarkable fact: Established to protect the bontebok, once reduced to just 17 animals.
Remarkable fact: Golden sandstone cliffs in the Maloti Mountains, along the Lesotho border.
Remarkable fact: Gauteng's only free-roaming Big Five reserve, less than an hour from Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Remarkable fact: Part of the Succulent Karoo, one of the richest arid regions on Earth.
Remarkable fact: Known for the Cape vultures of the Waterberg.
Remarkable fact: One of the best land-based whale-watching sites in the world.
Remarkable fact: The Orange River plunges 56 m into a dramatic granite gorge.
Remarkable fact: Once down to fewer than 20 Cape mountain zebras, it now protects a thriving population.
Remarkable fact: A seal colony, dramatic coastal scenery and archaeological caves.
Remarkable fact: Africa's largest estuarine system: Lake St Lucia stretches over 80 km.
Remarkable fact: Part of the Karoo Basin, an incredibly rich fossil region.
Remarkable fact: The Postberg section opens only during the spring flower season.
Remarkable fact: Some of South Africa's oldest trees grow here, over 800 years old.
Ratings: ★★★★★ = outstanding. Big Five dots show which of lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino you can find there.
Test yourself with facts from more than 30 years of exploring South Africa's parks. Some will surprise even seasoned self-drivers.
10 questions about South Africa's parks, from record-breaking palms to fences made of tram rails. Every answer comes with a fact worth knowing.
Four tight crops of our photographs, each with a single clue. How many parks can you name?
ClueOne of the few national parks in the world that surrounds a historic town.
Thirty South African road-trip experiences. Tick the ones you've already ticked off, and let the rest plan your next trip. Your ticks are saved on this device.
Tell us where you live and how many days you have. We'll suggest a destination: a group of parks close together, with how many nights to spend in each, drive times, where to stay and the best time to go, from more than 30 years of driving them ourselves.
Please note: this planner is an automated tool that gives a rough idea of what you could see and how a trip might fit together. Distances, drive times and park details are estimates and can change, and we can't accept responsibility for errors or for plans based on it. Always check routes, gate times, accommodation and road conditions with the parks before you travel.
Choose any two of our parks and see how they compare in our ratings: Big Five, predators, herbivores, birding, scenery and plants.
| Bontebok National Park | Rietvlei Nature Reserve | |
|---|---|---|
| Big 5 | Leopard | Leopard, Buffalo, Rhino |
| Predators | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Herbivores | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Birding | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Scenery | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Plants | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
Six questions, one for each of our rating categories. We'll match you to the South African park that suits you best.
Answer honestly. Your perfect park might not be the one you expect.
On Tuesday 3 November we reveal what we've been working on. Leave your email and you'll see it first.