Why go
Choose a region and an ecosystem before planning the drive. Kruger National Park suits a northeastern wildlife trip; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park brings red dunes and dry riverbeds; Addo Elephant National Park combines elephant viewing with wider coastal conservation. Table Mountain National Park protects the Cape Peninsula, while Bontebok and Namaqua reward more specialised interests.
Useful to know
- Choose one or two park regions first; the collection spans much of the country.
- Check each park’s current access, road conditions and seasonal conditions before setting a route.
The route, stop by stop
Times are planning estimates. Unknown visit durations start at an editable 30 minutes; access is checked separately.
- 01
Optional · – min
Kruger National Park
Kruger is a vast protected area across Limpopo and Mpumalanga, suited to a dedicated wildlife trip rather than a quick detour from a city.
Explore - 02
Optional · – min
Addo Elephant National Park
Addo began as a refuge for the area’s remaining elephants and now covers a wider mix of inland and coastal habitats near Port Elizabeth.
Explore - 03
Optional · – min
Augrabies Falls National Park
Augrabies combines the Orange River waterfall and a deep granite gorge with an arid Northern Cape landscape of quiver trees and bare rock.
Explore - 04
Optional · – min
Bontebok National Park
Bontebok National Park near Swellendam protects a rare antelope alongside fynbos and renosterveld, making it a compact conservation-focused stop in the Cape.
Explore - 05
Optional · – min
Golden Gate Highlands National Park
Golden Gate Highlands is a Free State landscape park where warm-coloured sandstone cliffs, high grassland and rock shelters take priority over big-game viewing.
Explore - 06
Optional · – min
Karoo National Park
Karoo National Park near Beaufort West makes the Great Karoo’s semi-desert and escarpment visible through contrasting plains and plateau drives.
Explore - 07
Optional · – min
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Kgalagadi crosses the South Africa–Botswana border in the southern Kalahari, offering red dunes, dry riverbeds and wildlife adapted to aridity.
Explore - 08
Optional · – min
Mapungubwe National Park
Mapungubwe combines Limpopo riverine habitat and sandstone scenery with the remains of an Iron Age kingdom, making culture central to the park visit.
Explore - 09
Optional · – min
Namaqua National Park
Namaqua protects Succulent Karoo habitat near Kamieskroon and is especially sought out for spring flowers, whose display depends on seasonal conditions.
Explore - 10
Optional · – min
Table Mountain National Park
Table Mountain National Park protects the Cape Peninsula’s mountain spine and fynbos, from city-facing peaks to Silvermine and Cape Point.
Explore - 11
Optional · – min
Tankwa Karoo National Park
Tankwa Karoo National Park is a remote stretch of arid Succulent Karoo between the Cederberg and Roggeveld mountains. Its sparse vegetation and wide horizons reward a deliberate trip rather than a quick detour.
Explore