Discover South Africa’s Less-Crowded Safari Parks

The vast savannas and wetlands of South Africa teem with wildlife, and a game-viewing trip there is the travel adventure of a lifetime for family travelers. A stay at a safari lodge offers the chance to spot the famous “Big Five” (elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and Cape buffalo), as well as hippos, crocodiles, zebras and other exotic animals kids have seen only in zoos or pictures.

The vast Kruger National Park and Sabi Sands Reserve are South Africa’s best-known game reserves, but they are also the most crowded. Your family can enjoy a more leisurely experience at several other parks that are less well-known; some of them, such as Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, have wildlife that cannot be seen elsewhere.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Also known as the Kalahari, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park includes game reserves in neighboring Botswana, home to a wide variety of wildlife. Along with leopards, cheetahs and hyenas are herds of graceful gemsbok, springbok and eland, as well as the blue wildebeest. You might even see the Kalahari lion, unique for its black mane. You can rent a tent lodge for overnight stays.

iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Unusual for its variety of habitats, iSimangaliso Wetland Park connects a wide variety of ecosystems, from savannas and rivers to coastal dunes and coral reefs. More than 500 species call it home, including rhinos, leopards, hippos and crocodiles. In the marine reserve, go kayaking or snorkeling, adding variety to game viewing.

Pilanesberg National Park

Less than a three-hour drive from Johannesburg, Pilanesberg National Park may be small, but its high concentration of wildlife means you have a good chance of seeing several of the Big Five, plus zebras and giraffes, both kid-pleasers. Rent a safari tent or stay in one of the lodges. The best news? This park is malaria-free.

Addo Elephant National Park

Founded to save the few remaining bush elephants, Addo Elephant National Park today is home to hundreds of the animal, which you can watch gather by the watering holes. This is also a good park for viewing the Big Five, zebras and smaller African animals.