A few of South Africa's main National Parks, nature reserves and conservation areas.
Kruger National Park
 Words can hardly describe the wonder and beauty of South Africa's Kruger National Park.
Visitors return time after time, both local and foreign - what is the magical attraction?
The meandering rivers, undulating hills, majestic and intriguing baobabs, unreal forests of green trunked fever trees, the wonderful mountain ranges offering their towering protection, the ever changing greens, blues and ochres of the varying landscapes, the imposing granite outcrops reaching high into the blue skies, the excitement of seeing and being close to wild animals, the sound and sights of a breeding herd of elephants splashing in the river beds, the mournful cry of hyena, the awesome roar of a lion, the exciting, diverse and colourful birdlife or is it simply the sultry evenings listening to the bush sounds, the heady wilderness experiences or the sense of being in a place that is the largest and second oldest formally conserved area in South Africa.
With the help of conservation minded people, the world over, this wonderful park will be here for many more years, invoking the same feelings and thoughts to many new visitors.
 This enormous National Park (2 million hectares) is situated in the 'Lowveld' of Limpopo Province and Mpumalanga. Its eastern boundary lies along the Mozambique border and its northern tip borders with Zimbabwe. The area consists of flat, gently undulating plains lying at about 300 metres above sea level, occasionally broken by scattered inselbergs. The Park is rectangular in shape and stretches 320 kilometres from north to south.
The Kruger National Park is drained from west to east by eight major rivers originating on the great South African escarpment. There is wide habitat diversity due to the complex underlying geology of the region, compounded by the fact that the Park stretches through three degrees of latitude. The dominant vegetation is deciduous savanna, with considerable variation ranging from dense forest to open shrubby grassland.
 The Park supports more than 145 species of mammals, 115 species of reptiles, 30 amphibians, 45 freshwater fish and 490 bird species, about 55 % of the bird species found in the entire southern African Sub-region. In addition, there are over 400 species of trees and shrubs and 220 grass species.
The birdlife in Kruger National Park is awesome and is home to some threatened species like the Bateleur, Lappet-faced Vulture and Martial Eagle.
The 'Camps' abound in bird life and it is quite common to see Owls roosting in trees in camp grounds or the friendly Hornbills hopping around cocking their heads to take a look at the new visitors. The noisy Arrow-marked Babblers and the ever present Dark-capped Bulbul, to the heralding of dawn and dusk by the calls of Francolins and the beautiful sounds of the Woodland Kingsfisher to the vibrant colours and magnificent display flight of the Lilac-breasted Roller, all serve to make Kruger a favourite and worthy destination for bird lovers, the world over.
 Kruger National Park is flanked by several privately owned wildlife areas which offer luxurious accommodation and personalised attention. Within the Park, there are 11 main Tourist Camps, being Berg-en-Dal, Crocodile Bridge, Letaba, Mopani, Oliphants, Lower Sabie, Pretoriuskop, Punda Maria, Satara, Shingwedzi and Skukuza. They all offer varied types of accommodation from camping to chalets, all comfortable and clean.
Target species: African Finfoot, Saddle-billed Stork, White-crowned Lapwing, Black Coucal, Hooded Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Kori Bustard, Southern Ground Hornbill, Martial Eagle, Dickinson's Kestrel, Grey-headed Parrot, Tropical Boubou, Böhms Spinetail plus many, many more.
  
St Lucia Wetlands / iSimangaliso Wetland park
 The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is one of the jewels of the South African coastline. Located on the north-eastern coast of KwaZulu Natal, stretching from Kozi Bay in the north to Cape St Lucia in the south, the park was the first in South Africa to be declared a World Heritage Site.
This park has a remarkable diversity, being made up of around 328 000 hectares of pristine natural ecosystems - including swamps, lake systems, beaches, coral reefs, wetlands, woodlands and coastal forests. The park takes in a 60 kilometre river mouth that creates a huge estuary - Lake St Lucia, running parallel to the coast and separated from the sea by the world's highest forested sand dunes.
St Lucia's wide variety of ecosystems and natural habitats support an astounding diversity of wildlife species, from Hippos, Crocodiles, giant Leatherback Turtles, Black Rhinoceros, Leopards to an exciting array of bird and marine life.
 There are over 420 species of birds to be found in the Greater St Lucia Wetlands region, with these waters being graced by Greater and Lesser Flamingos in vast numbers.
The abundance of wildlife, sheer beauty of the region and the range of activities attract visitors time and time again. Activities such as fishing, boating, scuba diving, horse riding, game viewing, whale and bird watching are available and there are plenty of hiking trails through the park - ranging from a 'few hours' to a 'few days' worth - offering the opportunity to see a huge variety of animal and bird life.
There are extensive accommodation options, ranging from camping, chalets, and hotels to private game lodges.
Target species: Rosy-throated Longclaw, Lemon-breasted Canary, African Broadbill, Green Malkoha, Crested Guineafowl, Pink-backed Pelican, Brown Scrub-Robin, Yellow-spotted Nicator, Saddle-billed Stork, Neergard's Sunbird, Pink-throated Twinspot plus many more.
Ndumu Game Reserve
 Ndumo Game Reserve is situated on the banks of the Pongola and Usutu rivers and despite being only around 9 000 hectares, this is one of the most attractive reserves in Southern Africa.
The Fever and Fig Tree woodland and the many large pans support an amazing birdlife. Ndumo is one of South Africa's most productive birding areas with well over 400 species recorded here, several of which are at the southernmost limit of their ranges.
In the Sand Forest, you can find Pink-throated Twinspot, Rudd's Apalis, Lizard Buzzard and Neergard's Sunbird. The wetland area within the Sand Forest can turn up Black Coucal in summer. The more open woodland areas can produce Flappet Lark, Lilac-breasted Roller, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Jameson's Firefinch, Grey Hornbill, White-faced Owl, Grey Go-away-Bird, Bearded Woodpecker and Green-winged Pytilia.
The thick Mahemane Bush can produce Crested Guineafowl, Pink-throated Twinspot, Gorgeous Bush Shrike, Eastern Bearded Scrub-Robin, Eastern Nicator and African Barred Owlet, while within the tall, thick woodland areas you can find Grey-headed Kingfisher, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Retz's Helmet-Shrike, Stierling's Wren-Warbler and African Pygmy-Kingfisher. Striped Kingfishers are common, as well as Golden-breasted Bunting and Crowned Hornbill.
The Pongola River passes through patches of Sand Forest, grasslands and riverine forest with Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Narina Trogon, Dark-backed Weaver, Collared Sunbird, Green Malkoha, Black-throated Wattle-eye and the elusive duo, Pel's Fishing Owl and African Finfoot being seen.
 Nyamithi Pan is the centre of Ndumo's attraction. Highly seasonal, this pan attracts numbers of specials including Great White and Pink-backed Pelican, Woolly-necked, Saddle-billed Stork, African Openbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Lesser Jacana, Black Heron, Fulvous Duck, African Pygmy Goose, Water Thick-knee, Comb Duck, Goliath Heron and, in summer, Sooty Falcon, Collared Pratincole and Blue-cheeked Bee-eater.
Banzi Pan, holds impressive numbers of African Pygmy-Goose (up to 600) and White-faced Duck (>1000). This and other pans support Whiskered and White-winged Terns, Lesser Jacana, African Openbill and Spurwinged Goose, and the elusive marsh species such as Dwarf Bittern, Rufous-bellied Heron, African and Baillon's Crake, Allen's Gallinule, Lesser Moorhen and Greater Painted-Snipe can be found.
 Raptors are common, with at least 40 species recorded. Bateleur, Lesser Spotted, Steppe, Martial, African Crowned and Wahlberg's Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle, African Goshawk, Eurasian Hobby, Bat Hawk and Osprey are some of the specials found in Ndumo.
Other interesting species found throughout the reserve in suitable habitat include White-eared Barbet, Golden-rumped Tinkerbird, Purple-crested Turaco, Tambourine Dove, Grey Cuckooshrike, Gorgeous Bush-Shrike, Woodward's Batis, White-browed and Red-capped Robin-Chat, African Yellow White-eye, Grey Sunbird, Green Twinspot and Red-headed Weaver.
Ndumo also has a reputation of producing South African rarities. Exciting species that have been recorded include Long-toed Lapwing, African Skimmer, Chestnut-fronted Helmet-Shrike, Thick-billed Cuckoo, Southern Carmine Bee-eater, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Eastern Saw-wing and Ayres' Hawk-Eagle.
Mkhuze Game Reserve
 Mkhuze Game Reserve covers 40 000 hectares and rates as one of South Africa's favourite birding destinations and one of the top three birding spots in Zululand. The diversity of habitats including pans, swamps, acacia thornveld, sand forest, riverine forest, open woodland as well as mountainous areas with cliff faces and open grassland in places, supports an exciting 400 + species.
The various habitats support their own special species, with the Sand Forest area being the best place to find Pink-throated Twinspot, African Broadbill, Gorgeous Bush-Shrike, African Barred Owlet and Yellow-bellied Greenbul. Two hides in this forest area support an amazing array of birds including, Purple-crested Turaco, White-crested Helmet-Shrike, Woolly-necked Stork, Comb Duck, Lesser Moorhen, Dwarf Bittern, Stierling's Wren-Warbler, Red-backed Mannikin, Grey Waxbill and Crested Guineafowl.
 In the open thornveld, species such as Burnt-necked Eremomela, Grey Penduline Tit, Bushveld Pipit, Flappet Lark, Grey Go-away Bird, Brownheaded Parrot and a number of raptors including Tawny, Steppe and Lesser Spotted Eagles can be seen. The Olive-tree and Icterine Warbler are two specials that can be found in some of the thornveld areas.
In the extensive wetlands, fed by the Mkhuze and Umsunduze Rivers, South Africa's only breeding colony of Pink-backed Pelicans can be found as well as Yellow-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Goliath Heron, African Openbill, African Pygmy-Goose and Lesser Jacana.
The Fig Forest is a magical, enchanting place filled with birds such as Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Narina Trogon, Broad-billed Roller, Green Malkoha, Southern-banded Snake Eagle, Blue-mantled Crested-Flycatcher, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Black-bellied Starling, Green Twinspot and many more. Trumpeter Hornbills are constantly calling in the forest, their eerie wails echoing amongst the tall trees and Pel's Fishing Owl is resident, but not often seen.
A further interesting aspect of this reserve is the sacred burial ground of the Jobe Clan whose members have lived in the region for hundreds of years. Close by is a cultural village where members of the community make and sell their handcrafts.
Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park
 Hluhluwe- Umfolozi Game Reserve is one of South Africa's oldest reserves, making it the birth place of conservation in KwaZulu-Natal and consists mainly of steep wooded hills, grass covered slopes and riverine woodland along the many rivers and streams.
With its huge diversity of wildlife, landscapes and scenery, the reserve offers a wide range of activities to the many people that visit it, including game viewing (both day and night drives in open vehicles), self guided auto trails, birdwatching, guided walks, and the exhilarating wilderness trails. This reserve is renowned for its White Rhino conservation and was the home of 'Operation Rhino' in the 1950's and 60's.
 The accommodation ranges from the luxurious Hilltop Camp and bush lodges like Muntulu and Gqoyeni to more rustic bush camps like Sontuli and the African experience of the safari tented camp at Mpila.
The combined areas of Hluhluwe and Umfolozi are nearly 100 000 hectares and contain an immense diversity of fauna and flora with the northern section of the park being noted for its wide variety of bird life.
Raptors are well represented by Bateleur, Tawny and Wahlberg's Eagle, being the most common. However, Lesser Spotted, Martial and African Crowned Eagles can still be viewed as can smaller raptors such as Lizard Buzzard, Black Sparrowhawk and Gabar Goshawk.
  Along the rivers African Darter, Hamerkop, Woolly-necked Stork, Green-backed Heron and the exciting African Finfoot can be seen as well as other water-associated species including the Pied, Giant and Malachite Kingfishers. The riverine forests support a variety of species such as African Green Pigeon, Trumpeter Hornbill, Square-tailed Drongo, White-browed and Red-capped Robin-Chat, Ashy Flycatcher, Black-bellied Starling, Grey, Eastern Olive and Collared Sunbirds.
Most of the reserve is covered in savanna woodland which supports its own large range of species, with the grassland areas, forever supporting the myriad of LBJ's as well as the endangered Ground Hornbill.
During summer, the resident species are boosted by the arrival of Intra-African migrants such as Jacobin and Red-chested Cuckoos, European Roller, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Red-backed Shrike and Violet-backed Starling.
Itala Game Reserve
 Situated in the rugged, mountainous thornveld of northern KwaZulu-Natal, this magnificent reserve tumbles from the heights of the Ngotshe Mountains down a thousand metres into a deep valley on the banks of the Pongola River.
The reserve's multitude of habitats host a spectacular array of wildlife species and some of the oldest rock formations in the world are found here, dating back 3 000 million years. There are many sites within Itala, littered with stone age spear and axe heads dating back some 20 000 years.
The reserve is 29 653 hectares of stunning scenery which extends over a diverse terrain of lowveld and densely vegetated riverine valleys to extensive high-lying grassland plateaus, ridges and cliff faces which all support an amazing birdlife, with around 400 bird species being recorded.
This is an ideal haven for a large variety of birds. Sightings of large birds at Itala may include Verreaux's Eagle, Lappet Faced and Whitebacked Vulture, Common Ostrich and Secretarybird stalking across the veld.
Other species to be found here include: Southern Bald Ibis, Barrow's Korhaan, Black-bellied Bustard, Half-collared Kingfisher, Red-billed Oxpecker, Buff-streaked Chat, White-throated Robin-Chat, Mountain Wagtail and Swee Waxbill.
Cape Point Nature Reserve
 This reserve is at the south-western most tip of Africa on the Cape Peninsula and now forms part of the newly proclaimed Peninsula National Park. It is flanked by two oceans, and is most famous for its spectacular scenery with rugged shoreline and sheer cliffs, its rich history and botanical diversity.
There is extensive coastal fynbos vegetation, with an amazing 1 000 and more plant species, including giant headed Protea bushes flowering in winter and pretty little Ericas which you will not see anywhere else in the world.
The scenic Atlantic beaches and rocky shores will often produce African Black Oystercatcher, White-fronted Plover and Little Egret foraging an can be joined in summer by Whimbrel, Turnstone and Sanderling, Swift, Sandwich and Common Terns. White-breasted and Crowned Cormorants can be seen roosting on the shoreline rocks.
 The coastal thicket areas support Fiscal Flycatcher, Cape Bulbul, Southern Boubou and Speckled Mousebird, whilst the various flowering patches within the reserve attract large numbers of nectarivorous species, such as Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Malachite Sunbird and Southern Double-collared Sunbird.
Ground Woodpecker, Jackal Buzzard, Cape Rock-Thrush, Cape Siskin, Familiar Chat and the much rarer Sentinel Rock-Thrush can be found in the rocky areas of the reserve.
Within the reserve, is a shop and restaurant and visitors can take a short funicular ride up to South Africa's oldest lighthouse (built in 1860), which offers sweeping views of the ocean, the cliffs, and the craggy length of the Cape Peninsula.
Target species: Cape Siskin, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Grey-winged Francolin, Peregrine Falcon, Cape Bunting, Cape Grassbird, African Black Oystercatcher, Ground Woodpecker, Sentinel Rock-Thrush and Plain-backed Pipit.
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