Popular National Parks in South Africa

South Africa is a huge nation with various attractions such as a long list of must-visit national parks. Below you can clearly check out some of the amazing national parks in South Africa that you should not miss. This article will help you to make the right decision regarding the popular national park visit in South Africa.

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List of Popular national park visit in South Africa

List of Popular national park visit in South Africa

Augrabies Falls National Park at Northern Cape

The Augrabies Falls was aptly referred to as “Aukoerebis by the Khoi people. It always thunders down from the Orange River Gorge. The meaning of this name is “place of great noise”. It has the 56-meter descent that develops in an ear-piercing noise as water drops down into the river below. You can do various activities in the national park comprising two hiking trails, the Dassie and the Klipspringer, mountain biking and birding, and night drives for spotting nocturnal animals.

Addo Elephant National Park at Eastern Cape

The Addo Elephant National Park is the third biggest national park in South Africa. It is popular for being a shelter for more than 350 elephants. The park was launched in 1931 to safeguard the rest of the 11 elephants in the region. This park safeguards various habitats that are rich with flora and fauna. It includes the rare flightless dung beetle, black rhino, Cape buffalo, and many species of birds. One can also visit many archaeological places constituting artifacts of the nomadic “Strandloper” people, discovered in the Alexandria dune fields. Visitors can book a guided walk, trek one of the hiking or 4×4 trails, or have a picnic when they are not relaxing.

Golden Gate Highlands National Park at Free State

The Golden Gate Highlands National Park possesses expansive views across open plains and rolling hills The Drakensberg is also visible in the distance. The name of the park suggests that it is decorated in a golden hue when the sunlight falls on them. Hiking is possible here. One can also find the Khoisan rock paintings in caves scattered all over the park. However, the best spot to hike is the Brandwag Buttress. It takes only one hour to complete as it is only 2.4 kilometers from both the ways. Visitors would require to take a small climb to reach the top and see the stunning sight.

Camdeboo National Park at Eastern Cape

The Camdeboo National Park is a paradise of birds. Around 250 bird species have been found in this park. Therefore, one must take binoculars with them to watch different kinds of birds. Many other options are also available to unleash the adventure tourist in you. They are nothing but walking routes to water sports in The Nqweba Dam and 4×4 trails. The Karoo park is located in a region that is filled with must-view places like the historic town of Graaff-Reinet and the Valley of Desolation.

Garden Route National Park at Eastern & Western Cape

The huge Garden Route National Park scatters from Tsitsikamma to Knysna to Wilderness across amazing parts of the nation. Visitors can undertake various activities right from forest excursions and mountain biking to water activities, birding, and the Otter Trail. The Otter Trail is one of the most famous hiking trails in South Africa. This national park has numerous accommodation options to fulfill all needs of travelers. However, you should ensure on which area of the park you want to visit while booking.

The Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, & Limpopo

Kruger National Park is one of the must-visit places in South Africa. It covers nearly two million hectares of land. It is crucial to note that the huge park has distinct environments each with an exceptional accumulation of flora and fauna. One should certainly plan their trip as it is not possible to cover big distances. There is a common map that will offer you sufficient information to make the right decision. The park shelters the Big Five and it is unusual to spot all in one day. Therefore, always speak to other visitors, keep your eyes peeled, and check the sighting boards at the rest camps.

Table Mountain National Park at Western Cape

The Table Mountain National Park covers a huge area of the Western Cape right from The Cape of Good Hope to Table Mountain. The park constitutes Boulders where tourists share the beach with a must-visit colony of Table Mountain and African penguins. You will get an unforgettable experience no matter which activities you will undertake here.

Mapungubwe National Park at Limpopo

Mapungubwe National Park is one of the eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South Africa. It constitutes a rich history equipped with tales of royalty. This national park was sheltered to an African Kingdom thousands of years ago. It was prospered on trade with the East. The Golden Rhino has got the most popular discovery here as evidence of the wealth of the population. Apart from amazing history, the park also possesses awesome diverse birdlife and wildlife sighting opportunities with above 400 recorded species.

Namaqua National Park at Northern Cape

Each year, Namaqua National Park comes alive in spring when the wildflowers start to bloom. It colors the landscape in shades of pink, purple, and yellow. There are over 3500 species of plants among which more than 1000 are endemic and it dominates Namaqua National Park. If you are not visiting this place during the flower season, there are many activities to do like hiking, visiting national monuments, birding, and camping.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park at Northern Cape

The desert and arid landscape of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park looks unassuming at first glance. It is only till a leopard and her cubs lie down in the shadow of your game-viewing vehicle. Or else a black-maned lion walks through the unfenced camp. The red sand dunes are characteristic of the Kgalagadi that it forms a backdrop against which majestic gemsbok are noticed. The visitors can spend a quiet evening listening to the sounds of wild animals and stargazing.