• Home
• Destinations
  Africa & Indian Ocean
  Madagascar
  Seychelles
  Tanzania
  Rwanda
  South Africa
  Namibia
  Central America
  Costa Rica
  Belize
  Panama
  South America
  Brazil
  Ecuador Galapagos
  Peru
  Venezuela
  Guyana
  India Subcontinent
  India
  Sri Lanka
  South East Asia
  Papua New Guinea
  Borneo
• Tailor-Made Tours
• Group Tours
• Wildlife Cruises
• Why Choose Us
  Ten Good Reasons
  Preservation Through Visitation
  Our Conservation Affiliations
• Testimonials
  Madagascar
  Seychelles
  Tanzania
  Rwanda
  Costa Rica
  Belize
  Panama
  Brazil
  Ecuador Galapagos
  Peru
  Venezuela
  Guyana
  India
  Sri Lanka
  Papua New Guinea
  Borneo
• Information
  Useful Information
  Insurance
  Airlines
  ATOL
• About Us
• Contact Us
• News
  New Developments
  Wildlife News
  In The Press
  Your News
  Newsletter
• Booking
  Making a Booking
  Terms & Conditions
• Order A Brochure
• Links
  Conservation Overseas
  UK Based Conservation
  Travel Health
  Travel Equipment
  Wildlife Photography
  Embassies & Tourist Info
  Other Travel Companies
  Useful Information
• Scuba Diving

Family Wildlife Adventures Website

South Africa ~ Kruger & Surrounds

The Kruger National Park

The world-famous Kruger National Park, established in 1898, covers an area about the size of Wales (c.350km from north to south), and offers some of the best game viewing in Africa. It is linked with Zimbabwe and Mozambique as part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park with a total area of 35 000 square kilometres.  There are around 150 species of mammal including the Big Five (animals that are dangerous to approach on foot – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo) as well as cheetah, hippo, 500 birds, 100 reptiles including the Nile crocodile, 30 amphibians, 50 fish species and 300 types of tree. It is one of the most accessible reserves in Africa with an excellent network of roads and accommodation ranges from basic rest camps to exclusive wildlife lodges.

It can be very hot in summer (November-March) with occasional sharp thunderstorms but this is also the season for young animals and the colours of the bush are vivid, providing great contrasts for photography. Winter (April to August) has little rain, is usually bright and sunny with daytime temperatures in the mid twenties but can be very cold at night and in the early mornings. Two plus points of winter are the relative lack of mosquitoes and other insects and the thinner vegetation makes it a little easier to spot the wildlife. Kruger is in a malaria zone so precautions must be taken.

Southern Kruger

Southern Kruger is the most accessible area of the park with abundant wildlife (less skittish than in the north) and a wide choice of accommodation. Vegetation tends to be dense especially in summer due to the higher rainfall in this region but this is the season when herbivores give birth and migrant birds are at their peak. Animals tend to congregate round water in winter (May to October) and the vegetation is thinner. This is a great base for spotting elephants, lions and buffalo as well as general game such as giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and tsessebe antelope.

Central Kruger

Central Kruger with its more open grassland landscapes provides excellent wildlife watching opportunities with a good chance of seeing all the Big Five plus hyenas and countless impala.

Northern Kruger

The remote Northern Kruger is the driest and least visited area of the park with fewer tarmac roads than elsewhere and more dramatic scenery. Wildlife is more sparse and skittish than in the south, but tend to congregate around the rivers and water holes especially in the drier winter months. Wild dogs sightings are more common in the far north, the dogs using termite mounds as dens when they produce their pups from May to July. This region is dominated by mopane trees with baobabs becoming a feature towards the north. Roan, nyala and sable antelope, Liechtenstein’s hartebeest and eland may be spotted in this region. The Luvuvhu River in the far north provides outstanding bird watching including Pel’s fishing owls, silvery-cheeked hornbills, narina trogons, broad-billed rollers and swallow-tailed bee-eaters. Three-banded coursers are likely to be spotted between Pafuri Gate and Punda Maria Camp. The Northern Kruger is also important historically with various San art as well as sites with stone- and iron age artefacts.

Kruger Private Concessions

Kruger Private Concessions give an ideal opportunity to view the ‘Big Five’ and other wildlife with an experienced ranger, by safari vehicle and on foot, in a section of the Kruger without public access, as well as being able to explore the public section of the park. Rhino Post Safari Lodge and Plains Camp provide excellent accommodation and a wonderful African safari experience on their private 12,000 hectare concession.

PRIVATE GAME RESERVES BORDERING OR NEAR THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

Private game reserves to the west of the Kruger National Park offer luxurious accommodation, great food, outstanding service, dawn and afternoon open vehicle safaris accompanied by experienced rangers and often a tracker. Guided bush walks are generally available. 

Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve

The 65,000 hectare Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve has some of the most exclusive lodges in Southern Africa and is probably the best place anywhere for sighting leopard and lion. As there are no fences between this reserve and the Kruger National Park wildlife is free to roam over a vast area. Viewing is assisted by rangers being able to drive off road to approach the animals (unlike in public parks such as Kruger), which also has the secondary effect of opening up the bush for greater lines of sight. Sabi Sands comprises several smaller private game reserves: Singita, Djuma, Mala Mala, Londolozi, Lion Sands, Exeter, Sabi Sabi, Savanna and Ulusaba and there is a comprehensive range of accommodation to suit individual requirements (at a price). The lodges pride themselves on superb service, food and general experience.

Timbavati Private Game Reserve

The 53,400 hectare Timbavati Private Game Reserve shares an unfenced border with the Kruger National Park, ensuring a great diversity of free roaming wildlife. The ground is more undulating and the bush thicker than Sabi Sands but sightings are still excellent from the accommodation, open vehicles or foot safaris. This is the area noted for its white lions (a recessive genetic trait)  - though none has been seen for many years.  Accommodation choices range in style from luxury tented safari camps, traditional thatched bush lodges and colonial style game lodges.

Thornybush Private Game Reserve

The 11,500 hectare Thornybush Private Game Reserve is fenced off from Kruger but still has the ‘Big Five’ plus a high density of other African wildlife. The setting is mainly undulating open lowveld with a delightful backdrop vista of the Drakensberg mountains.

Manyeleti Private Game Reserve

Manyeleti, meaning ‘’Place of the Stars’’ in Shangaan language and managed for the community's benefit by the local Mnisi tribe, shares fenceless borders with Kruger, Timbavati and Sabi Sands reserves so that elephant, lion, cheetah, leopard and other wildlife can roam freely.   The 23,000 hectare reserve is easily accessible, but away from major tourist areas and hosts the ‘Big Five’ and a great diversity of other wildlife in a landscape of open grasslands and rocky outcrops.  Accommodation ranges from rustic to luxury and so can cater for various budgets. Enthusiastic rangers, great food and service will leave you with unforgettable experiences of your stay in the bush under the glorious African sky.

Klaserie Private Game Reserve.

Klaserie, unfenced from Kruger National Park so animals can roam freely between the two as part of the Greater Kruger Park, is situated to the northwest of Timbavati. General game is less plentiful than some other areas but Klaserie is noteworthy for its undulating scenery, winding river beds and herds of elephants who enjoy grazing by the Klaserie River and where rhino, warthog and lions are also seen. The reserve covers 60,000 hectares spanning either side of the river and accommodation ranges from simple self-catering rondawels to five star all-inclusive luxury.

Kapama Private Game Reserve

The 13,000 hectare Kapama Private Game Reserve is the largest single-owner game reserve in the region and ideally located close to Hoedspruit airport. It has the ‘Big Five’ and is ideal for leopard. As well as the usual game drives in open vehicles, the reserve offers river boat cruises, guided bush walks and elephant-back safaris. Accommodation is excellent with a choice of styles, sizes and outlooks - from luxury canvas tents on stilts in the trees to elegant five star suites with private plunge pool.

Balule Private Game Reserve

Balule Private Game Reserve is a 40,000 hectare nature reserve straddling a 20 km stretch of the perennial Olifants River. Balule was created when farm owners decided to eliminate the game fences between their properties and more landowners are constantly joining the scheme, increasing the Greater Kruger National Park Management Area.   The ‘Big Five’, abundant plains animals and bird life inhabit the reserve and high quality lodges ensure a great African bush experience.

Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve

The 35,000 hectare Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve (also known as the Makalali Conservancy) is ultimately intended to recreate the wildlife migration corridor linking the Kruger National Park to the Drakensburg Mountains in the west. The Makhutswi River flows through the reserve of lowveld acacia bush and open savanna grassland interspersed with occasional marula, knobthorn and jackalberry trees. It lies an hour’s drive westward from the Phalaborwa Gate of the Kruger National Park. The Shangaan translation of Makalali is ‘place of rest’ and the concept of the luxurious lodge retreats is to experience the African bush in an unhurried manner. Game drives and walks are on offer, but also outdoor candlelit bush baths and sleep outs – a very special experience where one is left with a bed under the African Sky, with only a net between you and the sounds of the night.

Makuleke Private Concession / Pafuri Triangle, Northern Kruger

In Northern Kruger, the 24,000 hectare Makuleke Private Concession or ‘Pafuri Triangle’ is an area of land at the confluence of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu rivers, with the Limpopo River defining the border with Zimbabwe, and the more powerful Luvuvhu River carving its way through the sandstone escarpment, creating the impressive Lanner Gorge. The wildlife here in the northern Kruger is not as dense as in the centre and south of the National Park, but the ‘Big Five’ are present and excellent sightings are still possible. Large herds of elephant congregate in the drier months and the rivers attract species such as eland, nyala, warthog, bushbuck, zebra and other game. The area is particularly noted for its exceptional birdlife (including species such as three-banded courser, Pel’s fishing owl, Böhm’s and mottled spinetails, racket-tailed roller, black-throated wattle-eye …) and stunning scenery. The variety of landscape ranges from baobab forests, fever tree forests, gorges with dramatic cliffs and peaceful rivers edged with riverine forest.  It is also an important area for both ancient and more recent human civilisations with interesting sites showing signs of early Stone Age and Thulamela civilisations as well as recent Makuleke villages. The area is best explored on game drives and on foot.

Soutpansberg Mountains

The Soutpansberg Mountains (Afrikaans for Salt Pan Mountains) are dramatic outcrops of pink quartzite rock which rise over 1700m extending from the town of Vivo in the west to Punda Maria in the Kruger National Park in the east. Moist sea air from the Indian Ocean precipitates on the southern slopes and, due to the terrain, varied microclimates range from verdent areas with over 2,000mm rainfall to semi-desert. In turn this has encouraged high species diversity and endemicity and the Soutpansberg is proposed to become part of the Vhembe UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This is no ‘Big Five’ experience (although rhino and leopard are present) – it is an area to enjoy scenic hiking through rocky gorges and forests with giant cabbage trees, proteas, yellowwood trees, forest fever trees, ancient tree ferns. It is also a fascinating area for the indigenous culture with rich archaeology, diverse rock art and also for the important history of European settlement in the region.  Horse riding for experienced riders is also possible.

Surrounding Lowveld and the Panorama Route

The area to the west of Kruger National Park includes the popular town of Hazyview – a base from which to explore the Kruger and also to visit the nearby Elephant Whispers sanctuary and explore the stunning 156km Panorama Route along the Drakensberg Escarpment to encounter the spectacular Blyde River Canyon, Gods Window and numerous waterfalls. Visit the gold-mining town of Pilgrim’s Rest for a chance to pan for gold and learn about the early gold prospectors’ stories. For the adventurous, white water rafting, hot air ballooning, rock climbing, bungee jumping, and caving are all possibilities – as is freefalling 68 metres at 180km per hour on a ‘Big Swing’...if you so wish!

WESTERN LIMPOPO PROVINCE

Waterberg Savanna UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

The malaria-free Waterberg Savanna Biosphere Reserve was designated by UNESCO in 2001 and an area marrying conservation with the benefits of tourism. It includes the Lapalala Wilderness Area, Marakele National Park – both offering simple accommodation - and Welgevonden Reserve with more luxurious options. The extensive Waterberg Massif reveals deep valleys, grassy hills, majestic mountains, open plains, rivers and bushveld. The varied habitats are ideal for wildlife.

The Waterberg is fascinating for its archaeology, with finds dating back to the Stone Age. Skeletons and from primitive man (Australopithecus africanus and Homo erectus) have been found nearby which suggest early humans could have lived in the Waterberg as early as three million years ago, perhaps using the overhanging cliffs as natural shelters. San (bushmen) hunted in the Waterberg around 2000 years ago, leaving rock at Lapalala depicting antelope and rhino. In the Iron Age around 1300AD, Nguni people left defensive dry stone walls, some of which can be seen today.

As well as game drives, the area offers great bush hiking, mountain biking and excellent horse-riding through the wilderness

Welgevonden Private Game Reserve

The 36,000 hectare Welgevonden Private Game Reserve in the Waterberg Savanna Biosphere Reserve, unfenced to Marakele National Park, provides a total roaming area of 100,000 hectares to the wildlife. Welgevonden is excellent for white rhino sightings, and contains lions, leopards, buffalo, elephant – over 50 species of mammal in total. Bird watching is particularly good in the rainy season with over 300 species of bird, including the rare blue crane.