The road trip that visits every national park in South Africa
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Loading... - Amanda Brian
- 10 Jun 2022
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Some people invest in unit trusts, others in property, but not all pension plans look the same and since putting this list together, my one now involves a countrywide road trip to visit all of our 19 national parks. Six weeks seems like a good amount of time to devote to it.
This isn’t the first time someone has thought to put together a road trip like this. In the United States, it’s a fairly common pursuit for those who love nature, are adventurous and can tolerate long drives.
Scott Ramsay spent three years visiting South Africa’s wild places between 2011 and 2013. On his journey, which was supported by South African National Parks, he visited more than 50 protected areas in South Africa, including all 19 national parks. A regular contributor to our print magazine, Scott has carved a life out of documenting such places and has now photographed more than 100 protected areas and conservancies in 12 African countries.
This proposed road trip, starting and ending in Johannesburg, clocks in at 7260 km.
You may want to slice up the route slightly differently between the Garden Route and the Karoo, but I suppose that’s the joy of a road trip – the freedom to be the master of your own journey. Interestingly, KZN doesn’t appear on the list. (Royal Natal National Park, despite its name, is in fact not a national park.)
The trip, in this order, would visit the following parks:
1. Golden Gate Highlands National Park
Start your trip off with a gilded bang as you explore the rolling foothills of the Maluti Mountains in north eastern Free State. The park derives its name from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun on the park’s sandstone cliffs. Stand the chance to see black wildebeest, eland, oribi, zebra, the rare bearded vulture (lammergeier) and the equally rare bald ibis, which breed on the ledges in the sandstone cliffs.
2. Mokala National Park
Established in 2007, Mokala is one of the country’s newest parks and situated in the far eastern corner of the Northern Cape. Mokala is a Setswana name for camel thorn, which is an incredible resource to the wildlife that survives in often harsh conditions characteristic of this area. Many animals have been relocated to the park and include black and white rhino, tsessebe, roan antelope, red hartebeest, buffalo, gemsbok and black wildebeest.
3. Camdeboo National Park
You’ve now entered the Karoo, a place that has a soft spot in many South African’s hearts. Camdeboo National Park provides a fascinating insight into the unique landscape and ecosystem, not to mention awesome scenic beauty. And if you want a taste of the local people, head into the historic town of Graaff-Reinet. Or, probably an even better idea, visit the nearby Valley of Desolation.
4. Mountain Zebra National Park
Next, head east towards Cradock to discover the conservation success story of a park that saved the Mountain Zebra species from extinction. In 1937, when the park opened it had only six zebra on 1 712 hectares of land. These zebra didn’t survive but donations by local farmers ensured the species and the park continued. Today it boasts 370 zebra roaming in 28 412ha, kept company by black rhino, eland, black wildebeest, red hartebeest and Cape buffalo.
5. Addo National Park
Time to take things up a level – all the way up – for a rendezvous with the world’s largest animal. Originally proclaimed in 1931 with only 11 elephants, today this finely tuned ecosystem is a sanctuary to over 450 of the animals – the densest elephant population on earth. The iconic black-maned lions of the Kalahari were introduced to Addo over 15 years ago. The big reason for choosing these lions (as opposed to somewhere like Kruger) is because they are disease-free and would not affect the buffalo population, which might have otherwise caught tuberculosis.
6. Garden Route National Park
You’ve now made it all the way to the lush slopes of the Garden Route and its national park where you can explore the beautiful beaches, rugged coastlines, indigenous forests and much more. Guides here can take you on an epic journey by foot, kayak, lilo, boat, mountain bike, scooter and Segway. And, if you’re lucky, you might even slip in a trip on the Otter Trail. Read More…
