Wild South Africa : Safaris, Bush & Great Spaces

Oct. 22 2015

by misterb&b

Bordered by two oceans, South Africa offers an endless variety of landscapes, from the bush of the Kruger Park, to the vineyards of Franschhoek, to the wild beaches of the Garden Route and the green hills of the Pilanesberg. It also presents the overwhelming spectacle of wildlife, which you will observe on memorable safaris where you can gaze into the eyes of the king of the savannah.

Get ready to eat up the miles! With no less than 19 national parks, arguably the best developed on the continent, South Africa is the ultimate destination for discovering the wilderness, its most stunning landscapes and the most noble representatives of its wildlife.

In the northeast of the country, on the borders of Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the mythical Kruger National Park is the largest park and game reserve in the country. It welcomes more than one million visitors per year and nearly 800 animal species including the "Big 5", elephants, lions, buffalos, leopards and rhinos, who live peacefully in vast expanses of bush and forest.

From the south of the park - the most frequented area - to the north, wilder, a paradise for bird lovers, count on 3 to 4 days of safari. Private game reserves also border the park to the west, offering idyllic and often luxurious conditions for your own version of "Out of Africa".

Further west, the Mpumalanga Plateau with its scenic drive and the 800m deep Blyde River Canyon (pictured above) offer impressive views, the most famous being the Three Rondavels.

In the east of the country, bordering Lesotho, the Drakensberg Park(photo below) offers more mountainous landscapes, with peaks with green slopes culminating at more than 3000 m altitude. A paradise for hikers.

South of Durban, the Wild Coast is aptly named, with its 300 kilometers of jagged coastline plunging into the Indian Ocean. Even further south, towards Cape Town, the Garden Route offers a succession of immense beaches and wild dunes and the remains of primary forest.

Another South African icon, Table Mountain, is located in Cape Town. This flat mountain dominates the city of Cape Town, and was named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2011. The surrounding park, which mixes terrestrial and marine ecosystems, extends to the Cape of Good Hope peninsula. On your way, you will meet penguins, baboons, ostriches but also 9 000 different species of plants.

If you go to Hermanus, a little further south, between June and November, you will witness the majestic spectacle of the southern right whales, sometimes present in mass. In Gansbaai, the most daring can try to meet the great white shark.

SAFARI, LIFE IN ITS PUREST FORM

You have to imagine the nature and the horizon as far as the eye can see, the late afternoon light that starts to give all its relief to the savannah, suddenly warming the colors. In the rustle of the high grass, the ranger who accompanies you has suddenly stopped the engine of your specially equipped vehicle. Your neighbors hold their breath, their finger tensed on the shutter of their camera. A few meters away, the reason for this stop has just wagged an ear: you have just met your first lion...

Few words can describe the feeling that such a spectacle provokes, when an elephant nonchalantly brushes against your 4x4 or when two hyenas fight near your tent in the middle of the night, in the middle of the bush. The safari is a unique and unforgettable experience. Whether you are camping or staying in a luxury lodge, you are in the heart of nature, humbled, with no guarantee that the animals you come to see will want to show themselves.

Numerous parks and private reserves await you, all over South Africa. In addition to the mythical Kruger Park, the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Reserve, not far from Swaziland, is home to the highest concentration of rhinos (white and black) in the world, as well as lions, cheetahs, giraffes and elephants. The Addo Elephant National Park, north of Port Elizabeth, is home to several hundred elephants and many other species. The huge Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is located on the border between Botswana and Namibia.

Each of them offers its own tours and activities. At dawn or at sunset, sometimes at night, on foot with an experienced ranger, by car, alone, on horseback, or in a hot air balloon, you will experience magical moments, in the footsteps of the great mammals of the South African bush.

Practical information

Prefer the period from April to September, the low height of the grass allows a better visibility of the predators and to make the most of a safari trip. June to November for whale watching.

Lodging inside the parks and reserves: from simple camps to luxury lodges, it is the insurance of memorable souvenirs. Even more culturally rich, a home stay is also possible.

The weather is excellent and warm from November to March, with temperatures even exceeding 35°C inland. But it is the high tourist season, so think about booking your trip early!

South Africa is 11 hours flight from Paris and is served by all major airlines. Advantage: there is no time difference with France!

No visa or vaccination is required, but an anti-malaria treatment is recommended if you go on safari in a high-risk area.

Prepare your trip: http://country.southafrica.net
The official website of South Africa's national parks: http: //www.sanparks.org