Wildlife

Experience the sardine run

South Africa's annual sardine run is a marine spectacle for everyone to enjoy, from birdwatchers and marine-life enthusiasts to amateur snorkellers and experienced divers. more
De Zeekoe Fair Trade Farmstay, Oudtshoorn

A farmstay near Oudtshoorn offers meerkats, good birdlife, buck and the 'Shy 5'. Stay in self-catering wooden cabins or in more luxurious rooms. more
Augrabies flat lizards

Even if you’re not into reptiles, you’ll find the Augrabies flat lizard quite fascinating. The advantage is they’re easy to see, and live in a startlingly beautiful place. more
KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board

The KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board – the only organisation of its kind in the world – has protected the province’s bathers from shark attacks for more than 40 years. more

More about Wildlife

BirdLife South Africa

Whether you’re a twitcher, a serious birder, a beginner, or if you just love birds, then BirdLife South Africa should be your first stop. more

Phezulu Safari Park, KwaZulu-Natal

Phezulu Safari Park has been built on the lip of the Valley of a Thousand Hills and offers visitors a wonderful insight into flora, fauna and Zulu culture. more

Kestrelling in South Africa

Kestrels mostly hunt insects. Kestrellers mostly hunt for sightings of these intriguing little raptors. Some are resident in South Africa. Others are long-distance travellers. more

Wildlife wonders in North West

1Pilanesberg Game Reserve

This game reserve has been conveniently established inside the crater of a long extinct volcano. The Pilanesberg covers over 55 000 hectares and is home to the Big 5, wild dog and other sought-after species.

2Madikwe Game Reserve

One of South Africa’s conservation success stories, the land where Madikwe Game Reserve is located was once farmland that has been transformed into ‘Big 5’ country.

3Magaliesberg Mountain Range

The rocky kloofs of the Magaliesberg mountain range north of Johannesburg are the ideal place for birdwatching. Here you’ll find Cape vultures, black eagles, jackal buzzards, falcons and many more.

4Barberspan Bird Sanctuary

A birdwatcher's paradise – the Barberspan Bird Sanctuary boasts 365 bird species including rare migrants. Look out for many waterfowl, storks, ibis, flamingos, herons - and there are plenty of unique species that will excite birders.

5Bush Babies Monkey Sanctuary

A haven for rescued orphaned and abused primates, this family friendly rehabilitation centre is located in a gorge in the Magaliesberg mountains, where a natural setting provides a sanctuary for spider monkeys, lemurs, vervets and indigenous bush babies.

6The Tswaing Crater

The hills of the Tswaing Crater are the result of an impact crater that impacted the Earth here more than 200 000 years ago. Known for its prolific birdlife, the area is home to African hawk eagles, Wahlberg’s eagles and a number of owl species.

7Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre

A captive breeding facility for cheetah and other endangered animals, the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre lies in the foothills of the Magaliesberg mountain range. The Centre has released many threatened animals back into the wild and is internationally renowned for its pioneering work.

8Kgaswane Mountain Reserve

Famous for its breeding herd of sable antelope, Kgwasane Mountain Reserve, just above Rustenberg, is home to 800 antelope species such as oribi, mountain reedbuck, impala, red hertebeest, zebra, springbok, steenbok, kudu and waterbuck. Predators including leopard, caracal, aardwolf and jackal are also found here.

9Mafikeng Game Reserve

Perfect for wildlife lovers with only a few hours to spare, drive the 2-hour loop through this compact reserve and spot white rhino, buffalo, gemsbok, giraffe, ostrich and more. Facilities include a picnic site and educational programmes are offered.

10The Elephant Sanctuary

For an unforgettable one-on-one experience with these magnificent sentient creatures visit the Elephant Sanctuary in the Magaliesberg. Walk with them, watch them feed and learn how they live and interact with one another. A truly hands-on opportunity.