Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park covers nearly two million hectares of bushveld in north-eastern South Africa, making it one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It is home to lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos, along with giraffes, zebras, wild dogs and more than 500 species of birds.

You can explore on game drives from rest camps inside the park, but many travellers prefer the private reserves along its western edge, such as Sabi Sand, which share an unfenced boundary with Kruger and where rangers and trackers can drive off-road to bring you close to leopards and lions. Days follow two game drives, one at dawn and one into the evening.

The dry winter months, May to September, are best for spotting animals around waterholes. Kruger is reached by a short flight from Johannesburg or Cape Town.