What Are National Parks?
A National Park Is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a government declares or owns. Although individual countries designate their own national parks differently, there is a common idea: the conservation of ‘wild nature’ for posterity and as a symbol of national pride. National parks are almost always open to visitors.
How Many National Parks In South Africa?
South African National Parks (SANParks) is the body responsible for managing South Africa’s national parks. SANParks was formed in 1926, and currently manages 19 parks consisting of 3,751,113 hectares (37,511.13 km2), over 3% of the total area of South Africa. Many parks offer a variety of accommodations.
After each park’s name, we’ve listed the main attractions, animals/birds, and activities found in the national park.
| National Park Name | Attractions: Wildlife, Birds, Habitats, Highlights | Activities & Interests |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Addo Elephant National Park | Big 5 animals (lots of elephants), breeding Cape gannet population, African penguins (St. Croix Island), 5 of South Africa’s 7 biomes, endemic flightless dung beetle, southern right whales, great white sharks, coastal dunes | Guided safaris, self-drive game drives & ocean safaris |
| 2. Agulhas National Park | The southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, Southern Right Whale (June to November), African Black Oystercatchers, where Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet | Hiking, bird watching, historical interest, scenery & swimming in the lagoon |
| 3. Augrabies Falls National Park | Augrabies Falls waterfall, Broadley’s flat lizard, remote location, along the Orange River, arid environment, antelopes | Walking trails, scenery, historical interest |
| Hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, and kayaking (bring your own), self-drive game drives, birding, swimming, picnicking & fishing | Bontebok antelopes, Cape Floral Kingdom, African clawless otter, Stanley’s bustard, secretary bird, the blue crane, Cape mountain zebra, tortoises, caracal, bat-eared Fox, Cape Fox, aardwolf | Hiking, mountain biking, canoeing and kayaking (bring your own), self-drive game drives, birding, swimming, picnicking & fishing |
| 5. Camdeboo National Park | Breathtaking scenery, Valley of Desolation (Cathedral of the Mountains), antelopes (springbok, blesbok, kudu, grey duiker, hartebeest, gemsbok, steenbok, and wildebeest), black eagles, national monument of geological and scenic value. | 4×4 Trails, walking, picnicking, hiking trails, mountain biking, game viewing, birding, and watersports and fishing at Nqweba Dam, geology, history |
| 6. Garden Route National Park (Wilderness National Park & Tsitsikamma National Park) | Scenic mountains, indigenous forests, fynbos vegetation, dramatic coastline, Knysna Lakes, marine life, bird watching, wildlife, cultural heritage, historical sites, beaches, adventure activities, wildlife | Scenery, hiking, walking, mountain biking, kayaking, adventure activities, kayaking, tubing, swimming, boat trips, fishing & bird watching, history & culture |
| 7. Golden Gate Highlands National Park | Maluti Mountains, vulture’s restaurant (bird hide), Basotho Cultural Village, cultural interest, historical sites, Cathedral Cave, Brandwag Buttress | Hiking, horse riding, exploring caves, culture, history, birding |
| 8. Karoo National Park | Scenic landscapes, interesting plant and animal life, Ou Schuur Interpretive Centre, lush gardens, Klipspringer Pass, Rooivalle viewpoint, Verreaux’s eagle. | Mountain biking, walking, 4×4 trails, game drives, swimming, picnic, birding |
| 9. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa) | Kalahari Desert, red dunes, black-maned Kalahari lions, cheetah, leopard, brown and spotted hyena, honey badger, pangolin, bat-eared fox, antelopes, over 52 raptor species, about 92 resident bird species, migratory birds, Auchterlonie Museum, remote wilderness, (meerkat) | Game drives, guided walks, birding, mountain biking, 4×4 routes, 4×4 eco trail, history |
| 10. Kruger National Park | South Africa’s flagship national park, Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo), cheetahs, wild dogs, giraffes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, San rock art, archeological sites, cultural and historical sites, bushveld scenery, biodiversity | Guided walking safaris, game drives, eco trails, mountain biking, wilderness trails, birding, golfing, 4×4 safaris, history, archeology |
| 11. Mapungubwe National Park | Historical and cultural significance, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mapungubwe Kingdom site, scenic natural landscape, archaeological sites, baobab trees, sandstone boulders, mongoose, zebra, eland, giraffe, elephant, warthog, antelopes (including wildebeest), remote wilderness, over 400 bird species, museum | Guided Heritage Walks, guided bush walks, game drives, 4×4 trails, treetop walkway, Confluence View Deck (Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa meet), stargazing, birding, history |
| 12. Marakele National Park | World’s largest colony of Cape Vultures, Waterberg Mountains, elephants, leopards, hyenas, lions, antelopes (including sable and tsessebe), baboon, vervet monkey, unusual bird species, endemic Waterberg cycad, transitional vegetation zone | Guided bush walks, game drives, bird watching, 4×4 eco trail, scenic mountain pass drive, Cape vulture colony |
| 13. Mokala National Park | The newest park SANPark, cultural heritage, introduced rhinos, buffalos, zebras, giraffes, antelopes (including tsessebe and roan), ostriches, transition zone (Kalahari and Karoo biomes) | Guided day and night game drives, guided game drive and bush dining experience, guided San rock art tour, 4×4 trails, fly-fishing, birding |
| 14. Mountain Zebra National Park | Beautiful scenery, remote, cheetah, Cape mountain zebra, aardwolf, Cape buffalo, birds (Blue crane and Denham’s bustard), peaceful nature getaway | Game drives, hiking, walking, cheetah tracking on foot, San rock art cave visit, birding & 4×4 trails |
| 15. Namaqua National Park | Spring wildflowers, diverse Succulent Karoo, quiver trees, small mammals (hares, mongoose, bats, genets, aardwolf, caracals, African wild cats, aardvark, dassies, antelopes, foxes), reptiles, amphibians, granite outcrops, rugged coast, caves, open landscapes, speckled padloper, birds (African black oystercatcher, Verreaux’s eagle, Kori bustard, Namaqua sandgrouse, spotted eagle-owl). | Guided flower viewing drives, Caracal 4×4 Eco Route, mountain biking, walking trails, birding, picnicking, Skilpad and Korhaan walking trails in flower season, 4×4 trails, remote, tranquil getaway, botany |
| 16. Table Mountain National Park | Table Mountain, Cape Floral Kingdom (80% fynbos), mountains, beaches, coastal cliffs, Cape of Good Hope, Boulders Beach Penguin Colony, Silvermine, Signal Hill, and Lions Head, views of Cape Town and Cape Peninsula coastline, beautiful scenery, marine life, forests, antelopes, Cape mountain zebra, caracal, genets, rock hyrax, mongooses, baboons, Cape clawless otter, Cape Fox, great white shark, southern right whale | Cable-car ride, hiking, walking trails, guided walking, dining, abseiling, history, penguin viewing, surfing, angling, picnicking, beach time, swimming, road cycling, mountain biking, horse riding, paragliding, hang gliding, scuba diving, rock climbing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, fishing (permit required), |
| 17. Tankwa Karoo National Park | Stark landscapes, aardvark, tortoises, lizards, gemsbok, red hartebeest, Cape mountain zebra, springbok, mongooses, skinks, toktokkie beetles, Leeuberg 4×4 Eco-trail and the Watervlei 4×4 Route, endemic Karoo bird species, Succulent Karoo Biodiversity Hotspot, endemic plant species, Afrikaburn festival | Self-drive game viewing, hiking, cycling, 4×4 trails, bird watching, botany, stargazing, tranquil getaway, remote wilderness |
| 18. West Coast National Park | Spring wildflowers, scenic coast, beaches, rock formations, gemsbok, zebra, bontebok, tortoises, over 250 bird species, whale watching (August to September) from Tsaarsbank section, Geelbek Restaurant, and Visitors Center, shipwreck, Seeberg Viewing Point, lagoon, white dunes, rare fynbos, birding wetlands, Eve’s Trail | Watersports on Langebaan Lagoon (kitesurfing, waterskiing, fishing, kayaking, fishing, angling, snorkeling, SUPing, boating, sailing, board sailing), houseboat stays, game drives, birding, walking, picnicking, beach, guided hiking trail, stargazing, mountain biking, history, dining |
| 19. Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (Richtersveld National Park in South Africa) | Remote wilderness, spring wildflowers, mountainous desert, dramatic landscapes, Sendelingsdrif Pontoon, mammals (zebras, rock hyrax, bats, hares, monkeys, baboons, porcupines, caracals, African wild cats, black-backed jackals, bat-eared and silver foxes, Cape clawless otters, honey badgers, meerkat), San rock art, endemic succulents, quiver trees | Flower viewing, bird watching, hiking, Vensterval Trail (April to September), old pont crossing, view San rock engravings, stargazing, tranquil getaway |
Why Is A National Park Special?
World-class landscapes with the power to inspire everyone, they’ve been designated on behalf of the entire nation because of their special qualities. Stunning natural beauty, beautiful wildlife, and fascinating cultural heritage make these living and working landscapes truly unique.