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South African National Parks and Reserves |
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| South Africa is famed for the outstanding quality of its national parks and game reserves, which are among the finest in Africa. South African fauna runs over the whole gamut of African wildlife - antelopes, monkeys, big cats, rhino, elephant, crocodile, mongoose, porcupine, jackals and hyena can be found in excellent national parks in the country. Its relatively mild, largely subtropical climate allows the visitor to view these beasts in a cooler environment than in most of the country's northern neighbours. The 'big five'-elephant, rhino, leopard, lion and buffalo-can only be seen in South Africa with any consistency in the eastern area of the Kruger National Park, neighbouring private game reserves and the Pilanesberg National Reserve next to Sun City.
A vast variety of antelope can be found in South Africa with four species found exclusively in the country. The springbok is commonly associated with South Africa because of its use as the national sporting symbol. Springbok are gregarious, living in the large herds on grass plains and are often to be found in mixed herds with wildebeest, hartebeest and even ostrich. The game reserves of northern Kwa-Zulu Natal; Ndumu, Mkuzi, Hluhluwe, Umfolozi and the Lake St. Lucia complex are almost as rich in birdlife as the Kruger National Park. South of Durban, in the country's most impressive range of mountains, the Drakensberg, is the Giant's Castle Nature Reserve. This is a good place to sight Drakensberg siskin and orange-breasted rockjumper. Much of the west of South Africa is covered by vast stretches of harsh and arid semi-desert. Trees are almost as scarce as water, so the species which have settled there have adapted to ground living, and have evolved ways to cope with the scarcity of water. The best place to see the rarer species of this habitat is the Kalahari Gemsbok Park. |
The Pilanesberg National Park |
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| Situated only about 15 kilometers from Sun City, the Pilanesberg National Park ranks among the largest national parks in southern Africa. A mere hour drive from Johannesburg International Airport, this park is home to the "Big Five". The reserve covers an area of 55,000 ha. which supports over 7,000 head of game. The scenic beauty of Pilanesberg is reflected in a large central lake. Since late 1979, the largest game translocation ever undertaken at the time, tourists have been able to take note of nature's alphabet - from aardvark to zebra. In addition to the big five, a wide variety of rare and common species exist with endemic species like the nocturnal brown hyaena, the fleet-footed cheetah, the majestic sable, as well as giraffe, zebra, hippo and crocodile.
Bird-watching is excellent with over 300 species recorded. Near Manyane Gate in the |
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| east there is an outstanding walk-in aviary for close encounter of the feathered kind.
The provision of tourism facilities and activities in Pilanesberg has been a key factor in the park's operations since the early 1980's. Over the years, the number of people visiting Pilanesberg has increased steadily. The recent efforts to enhance game-viewing through the introduction of predators and improvements in facilities, has significantly increased the number of visitors (over 200,000 people) and the revenue generated. Ballon safaris, wilderness trails led by the Wilderness Leadership School, daily trails by game trackers and the separate lodges, and a self-drive geology trail are all popular. The three lodges operating in Pilanesberg, namely Kwa Maritane, Bakubung and Tshukudu, are all run by Pilanesberg Resorts. In addition to the accommodation offered, each lodge operates a fleet of game-viewing vehicles which take residents into the park. |
The Sun City |
| Nestled in the rolling hills of the Pilanesberg, only an hour and a half by car from Johannesburg and Pretoria - one of South Africa's most scenic locations in the North West Province. Sun City is a world unto it's self and has earned it's reputation as Africa's Kingdom of Pleasure.
Whatever you want, you'll find it at Sun City from sizzling entertainment, world class casino's and restaurants to cater for all tastes, to more relaxed poolside venues, quiet places, lush botanical gardens and extensive sporting facilities including the Valley of Waves and two world-class golf courses. These are just some of the elements that make Sun City unique to the worlds of entertainment resorts. Known all over the world as the venue for the annual Nedbank Golf Challenge this |
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| Gary Player designed golf course is probably recognized as one of the best in South Africa. Off the back markers the course measures over 7,000 meters which makes it one of the longest in the world. But a variety of tees make it possible to shorten the course and render playable for all levels of golfers.
Click here for hotels and lodges in Pilanesberg www.parks-nw.co.za/pilanesberg/overview.html |
The Northern Provinces |
| Besides being known for its wilderness areas, Northern Province boasts a number of hot springs. The best known resort is at Warmbad, a small town which lies 100 km to the north of Pretoria. The waters are rich in salts such as sodium chloride and calcium carbonate which flow from a hot spring at a speed of approximately 22,000 litres per hour. They are believed to have restorative powers for rheumatism sufferers.
The Waterberg Mountains which stretch for a distance of 150 km from Thabazimbi in the west to the Lephalala River in the north-east, form a backdrop to the towns of Nylstroom and Naboomspruit. Aptly named because of the many streams and springs which flow through the range. The mountain scenery of the southern Waterberg range is characterized by steep vertical cliffs and spectacular rock formations. The highest mountain in the north-western Transvaal is to be found in the Kransberg region of the range. It reaches a height of 2,100 meters above sea level. |
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Click here for Waterberg game lodges |
Kruger National Park |
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| One of the most well-known national parks in the world, and one of the oldest, is the Kruger National Park. The southern part lies in Mpumalanga on the eastern borders of the country, while the northern part of the Park lies in the Northern Province. The present day Park of some two million hectares, stretching 400 km from north to south and 70 km from east to west, is larger than Israel and about as big as Wales. In 1998 the South African National Parks celebrated its centenary. The Kruger National Park is unrivalled in its diversity of lie forms, which include: 300 tree species; 33 amphibian species; 114 reptile species; 50 fish species, 507 bird species and 147 mammal species.
Click here for game lodge in the Kruger National Park Click here for sightseeing tour in the Kruger National Park |
 South African Holidays GSA Sun Aviation Co., Ltd. 20th Fl., Vorawat Bldg., 2001 849 Silom Road, Bangkok 10500
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