Table of contents for go! Wild Places in go!

There are few greater privileges than growing up in a family where you go to a game reserve every other holiday. By the time we were 12 or so, my brother, sister and I all wanted to become game rangers! But life is unfair and we can’t all become game rangers. (My sister is the exception – she became a field guide in the Eastern Cape.) When you do that aptitude test in high school and the dice falls on “accounting”, then it’s off to university you go. Which is fine, because someone has to count the beans, but it does mean that “real life” tethers you to an office chair and a network connection indoors. That’s when a break to a nature reserve becomes a very important survival mechanism.…

HISTORY The story of Mokala starts with another reserve, Vaalbos National Park. Vaalbos was proclaimed in 1986 and covered about 220 km2 next to the Vaal River west of Kimberley. In 2002, a successful land claim for the property was lodged and the animals had to find a new home. SANParks bought a 196 km2 tract of land south-west of Kimberley from Wintershoek, a big game and hunting farm, which officially became Mokala National Park in June 2007. The animals had been moved the year previously. I know what people think when they read, “It’s a place that will make you appreciate the smaller things in nature.” Because what the poor writer is actually saying is that he didn’t see anything interesting… But this sentiment really is true in Mokala. You get excited…

Mandy Mitchell Ixopo, KZN IG: @mandymitchell1156 The Nhlamvini Valley is hidden away in the bushveld between Ixopo and Richmond, close to the Umkomaas Valley. It’s the home of the iXhobo River system, and a conservancy made up of several game farms, protecting the rich biodiversity found in the area. We farm in this beautiful valley and because I’m a keen photographer, I enjoy exploring the network of gravel roads that criss-cross the hills and valleys, eventually winding down into the Umkomaas (Mkomazi). These are public roads, and anyone can drive them – try the D299, the D738 and the Inhlamvini road. You’ll see some game by the roadside as you go. It really is a great place to spend a quiet weekend immersed in nature. There are a few self-catering…

ADDO ELEPHANT NATIONAL PARK Come for the elephants, stay for the rest of the Big Five, plus southern right whales and great white sharks! The park has several sections: Darlington, Kabouga, Zuurberg, Nyathi, Addo Main Camp, Colchester, Woody Cape and Bird Island. Except for Bird Island (which can‘t be visited), the sections are all close to each other; you can drive most of the routes in a weekend. DO THIS: Visit the Woody Cape section to see the Alexandria dune field and walk the 7km Tree Dassie Trail for beautiful birdlife and orchids. Daily conservation fee: R90 per adult; R45 per child aged 2 – 11; free with a Wild card. ACCOMMODATION: Addo rest camp: Camping with power from R350 p.n. for two people; R100 per extra adult; R50 per…

EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE BOOKINGS All rates listed here are valid until 31 October 2022. Reservations for uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and HluhluweiMfolozi can be made with the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife central reservations office (033 845 1000) or online at bookings.kznwildlife.com UKHAHLAMBA DRAKENSBERG PARK This park forms the Maloti-Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site, together with Sehlabathebe National Park in Lesotho. The Drakensberg is vast and has no shortage of activities (hiking, rock climbing, fishing, swimming, rock art, horse riding, mountain biking…) but you’ll probably end up on a stoep just staring at the view! DO THIS: Once you’ve stood on the edge of the Amphitheatre at nearly 3000m in altitude, South Africa’s other mountains seem rather trivial! Go and do the hike to the plateau from the Sentinel parking…

MARAKELE NATIONAL PARK If you thought the Bushveld was flat and monotonous, wait until you see Marakele. Soaring above the acacia trees are some of the highest mountains in the Waterberg. Make sure to drive to Lenong Viewpoint on top of the mountain, for the tremendous view, and also to get a glimpse of the circling Cape vultures that nest nearby. DO THIS: There is a two-hour morning or sunset drive every day. R315 per adult; R157 per child aged 2–11. Daily conservation fee: R60 per adult; R30 per child aged 2–11; free with a Wild card. ACCOMMODATION: Bontle rest camp: Camping (with power) from R325 p.n. for two people; R100 per extra adult; R50 per child aged 2–11 (six people per stand). Safari tents from R1470 p.n. for two…

I took this photo in the Cape of Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park. These two young chacma baboons were searching for mussels on washed-up kelp on the beach at Buffels Bay. I spent an hour or so at the beach watching the entire troop feeding on mussels and other shellfish among the rocks surrounding the tidal pool. At this point, the two laaities and a couple of other juveniles were lagging behind the rest of the troop. They were relaxed enough with my presence, so I sat down on the sand to frame this shot with Cape Point in the background. The baboon troops that live around Cape Point are unique – they’re the only primates in the world that routinely visit coastal areas to feed on…

I just love it when someone uses a pink highlighter to point out my position in the universe. In the office at Ithala Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, the receptionist pushes my chalet key across the counter – one of those keys attached to a big wooden ornament so that you don’t accidentally drive off with it when you leave. (This particular key would barely fit in the boot of a Jimny…) Then she puts down a map of the rest camp, one that has been photocopied a thousand times, and whips out her pink highlighter. “We are here,” she says, circling the reception area and thus confirming our existence in this happy place. “You follow this road, turn right at the big rock over here…” She taps a pink dot.…

TAYLEN KENCH IG: @tayyk_photography There’s something about a setting sun and golden sky that seems to settle and calm the world, and yet at the same time, bring it to life. We were travelling along Tshwene Drive when I noticed a herd of impalas grazing on a hilltop. At first I wasn’t sure if I should stop for the photo – it’s definitely more of an“artsy”shot. Pilanesberg’s different landscapes and biodiversity help to heighten your curiosity, as you never know what may lie around the next corner. GEAR: Nikon D5100; Nikon 18 – 55 mm lens SETTINGS: Shutter speed 1/400 second; aperture f11; ISO 200 JOHAN THEUNISSEN IG: @fatman_j The reflection of the colours on the water and the tendrils of mist have turned sunrise at Mankwe Dam into something…

The further away a place is from people, the more afraid people are to go there. Remote places like the Richtersveld are seen as too rugged for some. I find that interesting, because isn’t it people who cause other people the most harm? The Richtersveld is a semi-desert in places, full-on desert in others. There are empty plains where nothing moves and there’s no sound. Like when the earth first started to turn. It’s that silence that makes the Richtersveld so special. There are few other places where you, the rocks, and the creatures among them, are on equal footing under the sun. But even though you’re small in this landscape, you have nothing to fear. I promise. Come, let me show you. HISTORY On the South African side, an…

CONTRIBUTORS Belinda Joubert, Esma Marnewick, François Haasbroek, Grant Christie, JP du Toit, Jon Minster, Kyra Tarr, Lukas Niemand, Mia Louw, Rogan Kilfoil & Jordan Hodgson, Sophia van Taak, Toast Coetzer, Willem van der Berg, Xolani Tembu & Rea Ntshabele, Karen Bayley QUICK FINDER Western Cape page 82 Eastern Cape page 88 Northern Cape page 94 Free State page 98 KwaZulu-Natal page 102 Gauteng page 108 North West page 112 Limpopo page 116 Mpumalanga page 122 ABBREVIATIONS NR – Nature Reserve GR – Game Reserve PGR – Private Game Reserve PNR – Private Nature Reserve…

For more information about the Kgalagadi, including the Botswana side of the park, order go! Kalahari (R112) from 🖰 yumna.tofey@media24.com MOKALA NATIONAL PARK – see page 24 |AI-|AIS/RICHTERSVELD TRANSFRONTIER PARK – see page 56 KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK The Kalahari is pure magic: red dunes, camel thorn trees, the roar of a black-maned lion in the dark… This arid park straddles the border between South Africa and Botswana and feels wild and pristine. DO THIS: You can explore the park in your own vehicle, but book at least one guided game drive during your visit. The main camps sometimes offer game drives in the morning or late afternoon – enquire at reception. If you’d like to see nocturnal creatures like owls and Cape foxes, a night drive is a good idea.…

DINOKENG GAME RESERVE There aren’t many places where you can leave the noise and traffic of a big city and hear a lion roar in the wild only 40 minutes later. Dinokeng is the only place in Gauteng where you’ll find the Big Five roaming free, and thus it’s hugely popular. Depending on where you choose to stay, you can look forward to guided game drives, bush walks and fine dining. DO THIS: There’s a 140km road network in the reserve and day visitors can explore in their own vehicles. A self-drive route permit costs R250 per vehicle for one day; R320 for two days and R380 for three days (includes vehicle entrance fee). Buy a map guide (R30) for stops, restaurants, picnic sites and hides along the way. Daily conservation…

It’s an overcast night and the mopane veld is hushed. The campfire chat slows down as the coals begin to flutter. Just as we prepare to crawl into our tents, someone whispers: “I think I can hear an elephant…” Our tour leader, Janco Scott, pans a spotlight towards the largely dry riverbed about 30m from where we’re sitting. Sure enough, it illuminates an elephant. Janco clicks off the light and we listen as the elephant sniffs the air, flaps its ears and, after drinking from a small pool, crunches away over the sand. Does this sound like your type of bush holiday? It feels like we should be somewhere in Botswana, but we’re in a little-known provincial park called Letaba Ranch just north of Phalaborwa. Over the next four days…

I put my head under water and a whole new world unfolds. There’s a unified flash as a school of fish changes direction and dashes the other way, and here’s something bright blue… No, it’s not someone’s old toothbrush, it’s another fish! This is why Aquarium Reef is a famous snorkelling site. Just a couple of hundred metres from where you park your car at Kosi Bay Mouth, you can access this underwater wonder world with nothing but a decent mask strapped to your head. Before I set off on this trip, I went full Takealot. I didn’t go as far as fins, but I also bought a snorkel along with my mask. For someone who grew up in the Karoo, a snorkel is as alien as a surfboard, and…

It’s affordable (bycomparison) There are accommodation options for every budget, from campsites without power to luxury lodges with artwork on the walls. If you want a self-catering unit with a complimentary coffee station, your Kruger holiday will be expensive. But if you’re willing to give up a few luxuries, you won’t break the bank. The campsites offer good value for money (from R340 per night for two people for a stand with no power). Quality varies from rest camp to rest camp, but in general, the campsites are spacious and shady with old but tidy facilities. There are communal bathrooms and kitchens with two-plate stoves, sinks, an urn for hot water, and sometimes a microwave. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a stand next to the fence and you can watch…

What is a Wild card? If you’re a regular visitor to some of our most popular parks and reserves, having a Wild card will end up saving you a lot of money. When you’re a member of SANParks’ loyalty programme, Wild, you get one year’s unlimited entry to more than 80 national parks and reserves in South Africa and eSwatini. In other words, you won’t have to pay the daily conservation fee when you show your membership card upon arrival. The card can be used at SANParks, CapeNature, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (not all), and Msinsi (resorts near Durban and Pietermaritzburg) reserves – see 🖰 wildcard.co.za for a comprehensive list. You can buy a membership for all parks or only specific clusters. There are different membership packages available: You can buy…

GOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK This park at the base of the Maluti Mountains is known for its golden-hued autumn landscape, its poplar trees, sandstone cliffs and bearded vultures. In summer it’s lush and green, in winter the mountains are dusted with snow. DO THIS: Drive the two game-viewing routes – Oribi Loop (4,2 km) and Blesbok Loop (6,7 km) – and go for a guided horse ride (R350 p.p. for an hour). Daily conservation fee: R60 per adult; R30 per child aged 2–11; free with a Wild card. ACCOMMODATION: Glen Reenen rest camp: Camping from R280 p.n. (no power) or R310 (with power) for two people; R100 per extra adult; R50 per child aged 2–11 (max six people per stand). Self-catering rondavel (sleeps two to four people) from R1105…

READER FAVOURITE Belinda Joubert, Hartbeespoort “The Pilanesberg is my happy place. At night, the veld comes alive with croaks, chirps and whistles. The stars are bright and if you’re lucky you’ll hear a lion roar. “We visit the reserve throughout the year. Every season has its charm. In winter you get golden grassland and dramatic clouds. In autumn, the trees change colour and insects are more noticeable – dung beetles, rhino beetles, longhorn beetles, butterflies and dragonflies. “I’ve seen most, if not all, of the species in the reserve – even a secretary – bird. You soon learn that a southern tree agama is just as special as a lion.” Follow Belinda on Instagram: @bj.inspire PILANESBERG GAME RESERVE Trade the elephant sculptures of nearby Sun City for the real thing…