From wonderful wildlife to breathtaking landscapes, South African National Parks is the custodian of South Africa's wild spaces, including some of the country's premiere tourist attractions, according to Cameron Ewart-Smith.

The moment is clear in my memory. It was just after dawn on a cool winter morning in the Lowveld, the swath of low-lying bush in the north east of South Africa that encompasses the world famous Kruger National Park. My brother yelled out excited, "Leopard!" And sure enough there walking calmly towards the car along the side of the road was the most beautiful cat I'd seen.

Bars of golden light filtered through the trees setting the leopards coat alight as it prowled through the mosaic of light and shadow. As it came abreast of where we were parked the leopard paused in its morning prowl, sniffed the air cautiously and then settled down in a patch of sunlight undisturbed by our presence.

The light danced on its spotted coat and the faintest wisps of steam escaped its mouth as its warm breath condensed in the cool air. I was only ten, but some days when the pressures of work crowd in, I can still close my eyes and capture those precious moments in my mind. My story is not unique, and tourists and locals alike are drawn to South Africa's wild places to recapture a world lost to our modern existence. Draped across the southern tip of Africa, South Africa is a land of contrasts. It has a dynamic economy and is the powerhouse of Africa. There are large vibrant cities and the country is served by a well developed road and transport infrastructure. And yet in most travellers' minds it is the large wild spaces, those far from the busy urban hubs, which define South Africa.

Tasked with minding these 'wild' spaces, South African National Parks (SANParks) operates a network of 20 national parks across the country (there are also additional smaller parks and reserves run by regional and local authorities). The park network, which dates back to humble beginnings in the early 1900s, is the pride of South Africa and is home to its iconic land and seascapes, not to mention its precious ecosystems teaming with plant and animal life.

Possibly the most famous of these is Kruger National Park. Spanning roughly 2.2 million hectares along the border between South Africa and Mozambique, Kruger welcomes more than a million visitors a year. Little wonder as wildlife sightings are prolific, especially in the southern regions of the park, and tourist facilities are superb. No matter who you are, you can find an accommodation option to suit your taste and budget. These range from simple camping sites, where you provide your own tent or caravan to comfortable self-catering chalets and bungalows. For those where budget is no constraint, there are also a number of privately owned, ultra-luxury lodges which operate on concessions within the park.
 

Beyond Kruger National Park

It would be a mistake, however, to think that Kruger is the only park worth visiting. In fact if you ask any local you'd be surprised at how many of them favour one of the lesser known, smaller national parks. And here it generally is a question of terrain. As an enthusiast, I have wandered the arid, semi-desert landscapes of the Kgalagadi National Park and the Karoo National Park, hiked along the majestic Tsitsikamma coastline following the Otter Trail, one of SA's premier hiking trails, and wandered the paths that criss-cross the Table Mountain National Park which harbours both Table Mountain, that spectacular table-shaped massive that defines Cape Town, one of the world's most beautiful cities and Cape Point one of the countries most popular tourist destinations. It's hard to pick a favourite as each is unique and special in its own right.

So how do you choose where to go? Well, first time visitors to South Africa generally head for the southern regions of the Kruger as this probably offers the best chance of seeing the Big Five in the least amount of time. But, if you are more adventurous and prefer a quieter, less travelled option where seeing the Big Five is not paramount, it is worth investigating the Kgalagadi or Addo Elephant National Parks as both offer the potential of awesome animal sightings.If you are a repeat visitor more interested in the diversity of South Africa's landscapes it is worth hiring a car or booking a tour that visits a number of different parks. If you are keen on mountains, consider heading for the Golden Gate National Park in the Drakensberg Mountain Range. While these don't rival the Himalayas in size, they certainly offer dramatic landscapes and visitors feast on the splendid scenery.

Alternatively, if you prefer the coast, you really are spoilt for choice. South Africa has a dramatic coastline stretching from the cold waters of the west coast round to the blue balmy waters of the tropics in the northern regions of the east coast. Dotted along this coastline are a number of National Parks (West Coast, Table Mountain, Addo, Tsitsikamma, Knysna, Agulhus and the soon to be added Garden Route National Park). Each offers visitors the opportunity of exploring an unspoilt coastline including the ability to see a variety of marine birds - such as a selection of wading birds, albatrosses and so on and mammals, including whales, dolphins and if you're very lucky, otters.

More than simple tourist attractions
With its well developed tourism infrastructure, it is easy to forget that SANParks runs more than simple tourism attractions. In reality, their most important role is as guardians of the natural heritage of South Africa. As such there are few conservation organisations anywhere in the world that can compete. Currently, the network of 20 national parks encompasses more than 3.5 million hectares of protected land.

This mosaic of conserved areas is home to many iconic African species, and tourist draw cards, such as elephants and lions, while at the same time harbouring many of Africa's most endangered mammal species including among others, black rhinos which can still be found in Kruger and Augrabies Falls National Parks, and the riverine rabbit, which is now practically restricted to the dry river beds of the Karoo National Park. It is impossible to list the plants and animals that survive because of the conservation efforts of SANParks. Suffice to say that without SANParks, South Africa would be a shadow of what it is today - a world leader in protected area management and one of the world's most sought after tourist destinations.

1. Kruger Park: Characterised by combinations of savannah, thornveld and woodland eco-zones. Large African mammals including all of the Big Five are present. Kruger has 12 main rest camps, 5 bushveld camps, 2 bush lodges and 4 satellite camps.

2. Arid Cluster: Characterised by an arid climate, sparse vegetation and sandy soils, these parks fall in the Northern Cape Province. Large African mammals are present. Augrabies Falls, Namaqua, Kgalagadi Transfrontier, |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld and Mokala National Parks fall into this cluster.

3. Cape Cluster: Falling within the South Western reaches of the Western Cape Province these parks are home to the endemic Cape Floral Kingdom. As such they generally do not have large populations of large mammals. They are better known for the scenery, which may feature mountainous, coastal, riverine or estuarine habitats. Bontebok, Table Mountain, Tankwa Karoo, Agulhas and West Coast National Parks fall into this cluster.

4. Frontier Cluster: Located in the frontier regions of the Eastern Cape and made popular by the travails of the 1820 Settlers. Large African mammals are found in these parks that include Addo Elephant, Karoo, Camdeboo and Mountain Zebra National Parks.

5. Garden Route Cluster: Located in the picturesque Garden Route on South Africa's southern coast and renowned more for spectacular scenery than large mammals, these parks feature a range of habitats including rocky shorelines, temperate forests, lakes, rivers, estuaries and fynbos. Tsitsikamma and Wilderness National Parks fall into this cluster, as well as the Knysna Marine Protected Area.

6. Northern (Grassland and Savannah) Cluster: Featuring savannah thornveld or grasslands, these parks are located in the northern provinces of South Africa and include Golden Gate, Mapungubwe and Mokala National Parks.

Accommodation 15 of South Africa's 20 National Parks offer park/camp-run accommodation, each with its own unique selection of accommodation types. For specific information, visit the website www.sanparks.org

All accommodation, ablution and kitchen facilities are serviced by cleaning staff on a daily basis. Most parks and rest-camps have small shops and restaurants. Vehicle fuel is available in all parks (or is available on the park periphery) and in the main rest camps in Kruger and Kgalagadi.

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