Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga, which means "land of the rising sun" in the local SiSwati language, has it all - from exhilarating wildlife, to secluded mountain retreats, ancient ruined cities, wild water sports, and some of South Africa's most diverse and vibrant African cultures.

Nowhere else in the world can compete with Mpumalanga's wilderness or conservation offerings, ranging from the super-exclusive private lodges to community-managed biospheres, niche bird reserves, wildlife farms, hunting reserves, national parks, and the ultimate inner sanctum -- pristine wilderness areas protected from any human interference at all.

The region, far larger than many independent countries, is home to Earth's largest concentrations of free roaming elephant, lion, rhino, leopard, buffalo, cheetah, and literally hundreds of other species of wild mammal.

Kruger National Park

Nearly 2 million hectares of wilderness with unrivalled diversity of life forms fused with historical and archaeological sights – this is real Africa. The Kruger National Park offers a world-renowned wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Established in 1898 by then President Paul Kruger, to protect the wildlife of the South Africa, it is world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies.

The park is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. These include lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, white and black rhino, cheetah, hyena, giraffe, zebra, waterbuck, hippo, wildebeest, kudu, crocodile and many other mammal, reptile and bird species.

Man's interaction with the Lowveld environment over many centuries - from bushman rock paintings to majestic archaeological sites like Masorini and Thulamela - is very evident in the Kruger National Park. These treasures represent the cultures, persons and events that played a role in the history of the Kruger National Park and are conserved along with the park's natural assets.

Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve

The Sabi Sand region is one of the most prolific wildlife areas in the world. The reserve boasts the ‘big five’ and a myriad of smaller creatures. The Sabi Sand Reserve is bisected by the perennial Sand River, and game viewing is abundant in this part of the world. Groves of acacia thornveld and Marula trees give way to open expanses of grassland where zebra, antelope and wildebeest graze freely.

The region is famous for its big cat activity and leopard sightings. Leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo, white rhino, cheetah, hyena, giraffe, zebra, waterbuck, hippo, wildebeest, kudu and many other mammal and bird species occur.

Botswana

Botswana is a country of magnificent extremes, from scorching desert to lush waterways and from wide open plains to thick riverine woodland.

Here is a country that echoes a time thought to be long-gone – a time when great herds roamed a land untouched by human hand. The continent’s largest elephant concentrations wander across the vast tracts of wilderness and predators abound, including the largest population of the critically endangered African wild dog. But a Botswana safari is more than dramatic African wildlife. A Botswana safari shows Africa in its most pristine form.

Selinda Reserve

135 000 hectares of pure wilderness!

There are few places on earth where humans have not walked. Yet deep in the forest of Selinda there are such places. Impenetrable woodlands and rolling great plains, dotted with seasonally filled rainwater pans, places that are for lions and elephants only, or herds of buffalo that are never exposed to the pressures of human society.

National Geographic filmmakers and explorers, Dereck and Beverly Joubert, with a small group of good friends, have passionately contributed to the healing of this area. An incredible reformation has been achieved, from a once trophy hunting area to a now calm haven where nature and beast breathe a deep sigh of relief. Elephants sense the difference, allowing humans to pass by closely; lion and leopard numbers are increasing and the African wild dog come to Selinda to den and raise their young.

The private wildlife sanctuary straddles the best of both the Okavango and Kwando/Linyati systems in northern Botswana. What makes this reserve so special is exclusivity. Within this massive wilderness, only 18 permanent guest tents exist.

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