Tag: Game Reserves

When you think about the best African destination from where you can enjoy wildlife view, South Africa must come into your mind. South Africa has numerous game reserves that will ensure you have outstanding game experiences whenever you visit. The country has some of the largest and the oldest game reserves in Africa and showcases unmatched game abundance.

It is essential that you understand the game reserves in South Africa to make your trip as easy whenever you visit. Roughly, South Africa has a total of 42 game reserves that are all unique. Outlining some of the best reserves and giving you an overview of the rest is worthy.

Here is a list of some of the best of the 42 game reserves found in South Africa:

ADDO ELEPHANT PARK (EASTERN CAPE) :

As the name indicates, if you are an elephant enthusiast, then Addo Elephant Park is a must-visit. It is interesting to note that this park is the third-largest in South Africa. Once you reach Port Elizabeth, you will drive for only three hours to reach this park. One of the favorable attributes of Addo Elephant Park is that it is malaria-free.

In addition to more than 600 elephant species you will see in this park, there are other games such as the Cape buffalo, antelopes, and black rhino. Through the assistance of qualified guides found in this park, you will enjoy the exceptional luxury found in the park right from the comfort of your vehicle.

HLUHLUWE UMFOLOZI GAME PARK (KWAZULU NATAL) :

Africa has several game parks, but Hluhluwe Umfolozi remains to be the oldest. By that virtue, this park should always be included in your travel bucket list. This Park is often referred to as the “Big Five Pack” because it has higher numbers of Elephants, lions, buffalo, Rhino, and Cheetah. Once you are at the park, you will be able to enjoy self-drive. However, when you want to have shorter safaris, half-day and full-day safaris without any inconvenience, it is advisable that you make advanced bookings to allow you to have spectacular sightings. Be sure to remain keen so that you can experience African wild dogs and the leopard.

KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK (NORTHERN CAPE) :

Perhaps you have thought of visiting a destination from where you will see wildlife without much human interference. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is such a destination. Located within the Kalahari Desert, you will find a unique vast landscape and great wildlife experience that you can never find anywhere in the world.

The variety of animals you will find include herds of black-mane lions, blue and eland wildebeest, springbok, and gemsbok. Once you are in the park, you can enjoy self-drive. However, you must note that at times, morning and sunset safaris can be booked at a few of the various camps available.

THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK :

This is one of the largest parks in the world and the most popular safari destination in South Africa. Within the vast land of the park, you are likely to have a great animals experience, inclusive of the Big Five. Additionally, you will experience unique vegetation throughout the park. When you want to see the largest concentration of game at the park, you should move to the southern portion which is often wooden, lush, and drier than both the northern and the central regions. You can either chose a self-drive using a 4 x 4 wheeled vehicle or book in advance for the game drives through the rest camps.

LION SANDS GAME RESERVE :

When you visit the Kruger National Park and the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, you will locate the Lion Sands Game Reserve with its four luxurious lodges. This reserve serves as an essential ecosystem, hosting the largest number of games in the Southern Hemisphere. Once at the reserve, you will not only sport the Big Five but also other animal species such as hyena, antelope, etc., You will be highly advantaged by the morning and evening safaris which do not take place strictly within the roads but instead, remains flexible to ensure that you are taken as close to nature as possible.

OTHER GAME RESERVES :

Having mentioned the top 5 game reserves in South Africa, it is essential to provide you with a list of the others. They include Madikwe game reserve, Mapungubwe national park, Marataba Safari Lodge, Pilanesberg Game Reserve, Sabi Sands, and Shamwari among others. All these reserves are unique and offer you a great experience whenever you visit. Indeed, South Africa boasts of several parks and the diverse animal species found within the parks.

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When you are enthusiastic about experiencing the greatest wildlife adventure, then you should think of planning a safari. Tanzania is one of the best destinations you can visit to experience a wide range of games. It is interesting to note that 38% of Tanzanian land is reserved for the protection of wildlife. It, therefore, means that when you visit Tanzania, you will have an opportunity to experience a wide range of game reserves and national parks. All the parks and reserves are designed in unique ways to serve different travel preferences and interests.

Talking about game reserves, we refer to categories of wildlife-protected areas that have been declared for the purpose of game conservation. This implies that both non-consumptive and consumptive wildlife utilization is permitted by obtaining a license from TAWA. Within the reserves, no human activities are allowed apart from the ones permitted by the director of TAWA. Currently, Tanzania’s destination has a total of thirty-two (32) game reserves. Here is a list of the top game reserves in Tanzania, and more information about them.

SELOUS GAME RESERVE :

This is the oldest of Tanzanian Game reserves. It was established in 1896 by the German governor Herman Von Wissmann. In 1982, this reserve was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its immense diversity of wildlife and undisturbed nature. This reserve has leopards and lions in large numbers, several bird species (over 440 known species), and more than 50% of the endangered African wild dogs. Other animals such as hyena, vervet monkeys, colobus, impala, hartebeest, baboon, kudu, crocodiles, hippo, sable, elephant, buffalo, and giraffes are found in Selous game reserve.

When you visit Selous game reserve, there are several activities you can engage in. However, the most common activities include walking safari, bird watching safari, boat safari on Rufiji River, and game viewing safari. If you are wondering about the best time, you can visit this game reserve, it is a period between July to October when most of the areas in the reserve are extremely attractive.

GURUMETI GAME RESERVE :

This reserve is found along the Serengeti National Park’s North-western border, in the Northern Tanzania circuit. You can get there either by road or by air. When you decide to use the road, you will pass through Serengeti National Park Mugumu and Bunda townships and drive for approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. On the other hand, when you opt to use air, you will travel from Arusha to Seronera and Forty Ikoma airstrip and take about one and a half hours. The best times for visiting this park are January to February and June to October. You will have an opportunity to see many animals since this reserve lies within the migration corridors.

MASWA GAME RESERVE :

When you visit the Southwestern boundary of Serengeti National Park, you will find the Maswa Game reserve. You can reach the reserve by either traveling by road from Serengeti National Park using four-wheel drive cars or by air, using chartered aircraft. The best time to visit is during the dry season from October to mid-December. One of the most predominant activities you can engage in when you visit is hunting.

MOYOWOSI GAME RESERVE :

If you are enthusiastic about watching animals such as crocodile, hippo, Greater waterbuck Sitatunga, Roan antelope, Hartebeest, Giraffe, Zebra, Lion, Topi, and buffalo, then Moyowosi Game reserve is the perfect destination to visit. The birders are not left behind since there are unique bird species such as the Shoebill stock and wattled crane. This reserve is found in the western part of Tanzania at Kigoma Region. The best time to visit is during the dry season, from October to mid-December. The most common activities include hunting and bird watching among others.

KIGOSI GAME RESERVE :

For anyone interested in visiting wetland ecosystems and floodplains, this is the best destination reserve. It is the largest in East Africa and has numerous mammals and bird species. Kigosi game reserve is found between Urambo District in Tabora region and Kahama District in Shinyanga region to Bukombe. You can get there either through chartered aircraft trips or by road using four-wheel-drive cars. Preferably, you should visit during the dry seasons from June to September.

OTHER GAME RESERVES :

Having talked about 5 major game reserves in Tanzania, it is essential to give you a list of other minor reserves. They include Ugalla River, Muhesi, Kizigo, Rumanyika, Biharamulo, Ibanda, Usangu, Likwati, Rukwa, Burigi, Luhira, Ikorongo, Uwanda, Mkungunero, Kijereshi and Pande. All these reserves have abundant wildlife and breathtaking nature that will ensure your safari is full of great experiences. Indeed, Tanzania offers you the best trip packages whenever you visit.

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Here is a list of 5 best safari parks and game reserves in Rwanda:
In the recent past, Rwanda has suffered harsh and turbulent history. However, it is currently gaining both environmental and economic resurgence, placing it as one of the top tourist destinations to visit in Africa. If only you didn’t know, Rwanda is a landlocked country located in the East Africa region. It is one of the countries that boasts majestic volcanoes, dense vegetation, lush and spectacular wildlife. You want to reach dizzying mountain peaks, monkey around with gorillas, and wade through plush vegetation, then the best you can do is to plan and visit Rwanda.

PARK NACIONAL VOLCANS :

Any trip to Rwanda is highlighted by a visit to Park Nacional Volcans. If you are interested in tracking silverback gorillas, which are a rare species inspiring the Hollywood blockbuster Gorillas in the Mist, then this is the park you must visit. Out of all the attractions you could experience in Rwanda, gorilla tracking is ranked third.

Through tracking, you will be able to learn and know more about gorillas than before. Park Nacional Volcans is therefore considered as a home to the most endangered gorilla species. It is made up of five fascinating volcanoes steeping in bamboo and lush forest. Out of these volcanoes, Karisimbi is the tallest, rising to heights of over 4,500m. Since climbing mountains is one of the most fulfilling attractions in Africa, Rwanda charges fair prices to ensure that you enjoy yourself when you visit Park Nacional Volcans.

NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK:

When you visit Rwanda, do not fail to travel to the Southwestern part. This is where you will find Nyungwe Forest National Park, which is considered the largest and most significant biodiversity destination. You will be surprised to know that this park has more than 1000 species of plants, hundreds of species of birds, and about 75 different types of mammals. Nonetheless, it also has about 13 primates’ varieties.

For natural wildlife lovers, this park offers you a paradise. Flora and fauna are found in abundance within this park. This park survived the Ice Age and currently, it serves as a home to the oldest rainforest in Africa. You can undertake activities such as tracking chimps and rare monkey species such as the Angolan Colobus that frequently swing enthusiastically on the trees of the forest. You can opt to trek along the Nile and the Congo rivers and experience more monkeys and gorillas, and also see the magical water springs leading to the headwaters of the Albertine Nile.

PARK NACIONAL DE L’AKAGERA :

This park was constructed in 1934 basically to protect the regions surrounding the Kagera River. It was considered one of the best wildlife reserves in entire Africa. However, due to political violence observed in the 1990s, many emigrants occupied this park, reducing its area, and making it a region of concentrated charities. It took the efforts of different organizations such as the Akagera Management Company and the African Parks Network to transform the park into the natural paradise it once was.

Currently, the bird-watching experience offered by this park is unparalleled. It has several species of eagles, raptors among other birds that often soar through the skies. If you want to watch zebras roaming the wild while the area is brimmed with elephants and buffalos, then this remains to be one of the parks you can visit. Measures have been enacted to ensure there is no poaching here, an aspect that has ensured the re-introduction of both black rhinos and lions.

MUKURA FOREST RESERVE :

In entire Africa, there are only a few remaining montane forests, and Mukura is one of them. It rises to an altitude of about 2,600m and remains to be one of the most continuous and extensive regions of forest in Rwanda. Here, you will have an opportunity to see about 150 different animal species. It is estimated that there are about 1000 species of birds and over 293 reptiles and amphibians species in this park.

GISHWATI FOREST RESERVE:

This reserve has been seen as vanishing over time. It has lost about 99% of its initial land coverage, courtesy of human intervention and natural disasters to some extent. However, several efforts have been made since 2001, ensuring reforestation of the area is done, which have increased the parking area by approximately 1000 acres.

Despite the challenges faced, the Gishwati reserve is still one of the leading attractions in Rwanda, and it clearly portrays why Rwanda has been referred to as the “Land of a Thousand Hills.” When you visit the reserve, you will witness many undulating and fascinating hills areas and will be able to experience some of the idyllic tea plantations surrounding the edges of the reserve. The destination is absolutely breathtaking.

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Any time you hear the topic about African Safari, then Kenya must come into your mind as one of the best destinations to visit. Of great interest is that Kenya is considered the birthplace of African Safari and, the first country to introduce the Big 5 concept. If you are enthusiastic about experiencing a wide array of animals, then Kenya is a must-visit destination for you. However, knowing the best parks and reserves you can travel to may be a challenge. Keeping that in mind, it is essential that you know some of the best game parks and reserves in Kenya, to make your safari as easy.

Here are the Top 5 game parks and national reserves in Kenya:

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE :

This reserve is considered the jewel of Kenya’s wildlife viewing areas, and rightly so. It lies within a varied land of woodland savannah, wide grassland, and riverine forest. Therefore, it acts as a home to the largest predator population all year round. By implication, in this reserve, you will be able to see a pride of lions and cheetahs executing their hunt in open plains. Additionally, you will see leopards stalking in the forests, making your safari more attractive.

Perhaps you are wondering the best time to visit the Masai Mara National Reserve. You should know that the ultimate time is from July through to September, when thousands of wildebeests will be migrating across the Masai Mara River, in what is considered the Great Migration. Nonetheless, in Masai Mara, you will also find some of the best camps and lodges such as the famous Governor’s camp lying along the Mara River. Such camps allow you to track wildebeest migration effectively.

LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK :

If you are a birder, then Lake Nakuru Park is the perfect destination for you. Here, you will be able to see thousands of flamingos gathering at the lake as well as many other bird species that call the park home. It is said that currently, the number of flamingos found here has reduced significantly. Nonetheless, the number is known to rise up to about 1.5 million. This park is a paradise to birders!!

If you are not a bird enthusiast, it does not imply that you should not visit this park. There is ideally something for everyone in the park. Starting from 1983, Lake Nakuru National Park has been declared a rhino sanctuary. Currently, the park is home to impressively healthy populations of both white and black rhino. Additionally, you may opt to move southwards past Flamingo Hill to a known lion spotting region from where you will see several lionesses sleeping in trees. By chance, you may also see a few leopards.

LAIKIPIA NATIONAL RESERVE:

If you visit the northwest region of the snow-capped Mount Kenya, you are bound to see Laikipia plains which are considered one of the top premier tourist destinations in Kenya. The wildlife view found in this plane is considered extraordinary when compared to other regions in the country.

In terms of wildlife population, Laikipia is considered second after Masai Mara. It also serves as a home to the most endangered mammals than any other reserve in East Africa. Supposing you want to see some of the endemic species of animals such as the reticulated giraffe and Gravy’s zebra, then plan your trip and visit Laikipia plains. If that is not enough, then you should know that the Laikipia reserve is home to 50% of the total rhino population in Kenya.

MERU NATIONAL PARK:

In the early 1990s, this park experienced massive poaching which led to a decrease in wildlife species. However, with the current poaching controls, it is becoming one of the most fascinating wildlife viewing destinations in Kenya. Although it has remained to be one of the least visited wildlife destinations, that works in its favor because its vast land stretching to an area of about 870 km remains unspoiled, waiting to be discovered.

Despite the low number of visitors compared to other established parks, you should note that the game viewing opportunities and the animal population here match that of any other park in Kenya. The most common wildlife you will view in this park includes the Big 5, cheetah, and other savannah species. To an advantage are the numerous streams running through the park, facilitating an excellent view of hippo, African fish eagles, and crocodiles.

SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE:

The name of this reserve is derived from the occupant people, the Samburu. It is a smaller park in Kenya. However, the fascinating wildlife viewing experience it offers makes it rank as one of the best destinations. Within its unrestricted savannah grasslands passes the Ewaso Nyiro River which attracts many animals such as the Nile crocodile. It is also vital to understand that this park acts as a home to the “Samburu Special 5,” which includes beisa oryx, gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, and the Grevy’s zebra.

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