National Parks in South Africa

South Africa is a popular tourist destination because of its beauty, biodiversity, infra-structure and national parks such as the Kruger Park and Pilanesberg nature reserve. Most national parks in South Africa are managed and administered by SANParks. SANParks (or South African National Parks) falls under the jurisdiction of the departments of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and is the principal conservation authority in the country.  They are also responsible for around 38 000 sq km of protected land and strive to improve conservation and promote tourism. The diverse nature of national parks in South Africa is great for tourists as there is something for everyone. Whether you interested in bush walks, BIG 5 game viewing, marine life, canoeing, fishing, hiking, mountaineering, bird watching, mountain biking, fishing, sailing, skiing, conservation, paleontology or some other adventure or discipline, there will be a national park that offers just that. The national parks in South Africa are world class and offer visitors excellent accommodation facilities as well as many activities and things to do. Tourists and gusets can visit there parks directly or make use of packages offered by tour operators. You can see a full list of national parks on the Sanparks website that include world famous reserves such as the Kruger Park and Kgalagadi. Not all parks fall directly under SANparks, for example the Pilanesberg National Park is currently administered by the North West Parks and Tourism Board. Summary of National Parks in South Africa

Park Name	Highlights	Activities	Location	Accommodation
Addo Elephant Park	Elephants, dung beatles, marine life	Elephant encounters, game drives, hiking, horse riding, 4×4, marine eco-tour	72 km from Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape	Bush camps and lodges
Augrabies Falls National Park	Orange river, rock formations, waterfalls	Hiking, waterfall, birding, hot air ballooning	Northern Cape	Camp sites, chalets, guesthouses close by
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	Spans 3 countries, gemsbok, Kalhari lion,desert landscape	Drives, walks, 4×4	South Africa, Namibia, Botswana	Rest camps and wilderness camps
Kruger National Park	BIG 5, impressive diversity of wild life	Safaris,  Game drives, bush walks	Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa	Camps, lodges, private reserves
Pilanesberg National Park	Big 5, wildlife, malaria free, close to Johannesburg	Safaris,  Game drives, bush walks, hot air ballooning	North West Province	Camps, Lodges
Table Mountain National Park	Table Mountain, beaches, scenery, botanical gardens, Cape Town metropole	Hiking, water sports, hang gliding, mountain biking, boat trips, surfing, kite-surfing, various tourist attractions	Cape Town, Western Cape	Hotels, guesthouses, backpackers
Garden Route National Park	Forrest, luscious vegetation, landscapes, scenery, beaches, lagoons, lakes	Hiking, water sports, boat trips, various attraction	Southern Cape	Hotels, guesthouses, backpackers
Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve	Worlds 3rd largest canyon, sandstone formations, rock formations	Hiking, horse riding, white water rafting, kloofing, hot-air ballooning, fly-fishing, biking, tours and boat trips .	Eastern Mpumalanga	Lodges & Guesthouses
Agulhas National Park	Southern most tip of Africa where 2 oceans meet	Hiking, watersports, shipwrecks	Southern Cape	Camps, lodges, guesthouses, hotels
Drakensberg National Park	Mountain ranges, peaks, cliffs, forests	Hikes, walks, fly-fishing, caving	Natal	Hotels, resorts

            –