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We typically book comfortable semi-luxury lodges and national park accommodation, but luxury private lodges in select world-class reserves are also available.
Some target species include Aardvark, Caracal, Black-footed Cat, Aardwolf, Striped Polecat, African Wild Cat, Meerkat (Suricate), Cape Fox, Bat-eared Fox, South African Hedgehog, Cape Porcupine, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Brown Hyena, White Rhino, Roan, Sable, Gemsbok (Southern African Oryx), Smith’s Red Rock Hare, and Eastern Rock Sengi (Elephant Shrew). At the same time, sightings of other mammals, such as Cape Mountain Zebra, Eland, Tsessebe, Red Hartebeest, Springbok, Greater Kudu, Grey Rhebok, Mountain Reedbuck, Klipspringer, Yellow Mongoose, Cape Hare, Springhare, Steenbok are likely.
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is an amalgamation of Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and Gemsbok National Park in Botswana. Kgalagadi means “place of thirst” and covers 38,000 square kilometres.
Approximately three-quarters of the park lies in Botswana and one-quarter in South Africa. The red sand dunes and waterholes in the inhospitable semi-desert form a magnificent backdrop for wildlife viewing and photography.
It is not a Big Five destination, as it has no elephant, rhino or buffalo. Animal numbers are lower than in more classic safari destinations, but the open terrain makes for very good viewing.
Predators are the park’s biggest attraction. These include Leopard, Cheetah, Spotted Hyena, Brown Hyena, and smaller species such as Bat-eared Fox and Cape Fox. Lions are numerous and males are known for their spectacular black manes.
For many, the scenery is as much an attraction of this park as the wildlife. The red sand dunes and endless vistas are special. The dry riverbeds of the Nossob and Auob are lifelines in this harsh environment.
Birding specials: Bateluer, Red-necked Falcon, Pygmy Falcon, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Burchell’s Sandgrouse, Sociable Weaver, Burchell’s Courser, Black-eared Sparrowlark.
The 6,000 hectare KhoiSan Karoo Conservancy combines two proclaimed private nature reserves along the Seekoei River near Hanover in the Northern Cape, South Africa.
The first reserve is Karoo Gariep Nature Reserve, a former livestock farm which, due to the love to nature, is being turned into a conservation success. The second more recent reserve is the adjacent Hanover Aardvark Nature Reserve which protects a mountain ridge with large game species and typical Karoo veld.
These reserves offer a variety of activities, from bird watching, game drives, a 3 day horse trail, fishing and mountain biking. Further, it boasts an astounding diversity of nocturnal animals seen during the renowned Shy 5 night drives.
Possible sightings include Aardwolf, Cape Fox, Bat-eared Fox, African Wild Cat, Aardvark, Cape Porcupine, Striped Polecat, both Large and Spotted Genet, and Springhare to name a few species, and if you are really lucky maybe even the tiny rare Black-footed Cat or a Hedgehog.
The birding is equally as special: Blue Crane, Ludwig’s Bustard, Blue Korhaan, Karoo Korhaan, Verreaux’s Eagle, Namaqua Warbler, Rufous-eared Warbler, Large-billed Lark, Grey-backed Sparrowlark, African Rock Pipit, Fairy Flycatcher, Sickle-winged Chat, Greater Kestrel, Double-banded Courser, Pink-billed Lark, Black-headed Canary, White-throated Canary, Cape Penduline Tit.
The Karoo National Park, founded in 1979, is a ‘Big 5’ wildlife reserve in the Great Karoo area of the Western Cape, South Africa near Beaufort West. This semi-desert area covers a dramatic landscape of 75,000 hectares.
The Nuweveld portion of the Great Escarpment runs through the Park, and it therefore straddles part of the Lower Karoo, at about 850m above sea level, and part of the Upper Karoo at over 1,300m altitude.
One of the great bonuses of the park are its ‘Big 5’ mammals and other wildlife, which provides the exciting prospect of viewing soecies such as: Black Rhinoceros, Lion, Brown Hyena, Leopard, Cape Mountain Zebra, Black-footed Cat, Bat-eared Fox, Leopard, Cheetah, Honey Badger, Aardvark, Cape Buffalo, Black Wildebeest, Burchell’s Zebra, Giraffe, African Wild Cat, Black-backed Jackal, Eland, Red Hartebeest, Cape Porcupine, Klipspringer, Suricate (Meerkat), Springbok, Smith’s Red Rock Rabbit and others.
The park is rich with a multitude of Karoo endemic and near-endemic birds, and species include: Verreaux’s Eagle, Booted Eagle, Martial Eagle, Black Harrier, Secretarybird, Lanner Falcon, Kori Bustard, Ludwig’s Bustard, Karoo Korhaan, African Rock Pipit, Pale-winged Starling, Ground Woodpecker, Sickle-winged Chat, Karoo Long-billed Lark, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Pririt Batis, Fairy Flycatcher, Cape Penduline Tit, Dusky Sunbird, Black-headed Canary, White-throated Canary, Grey Tit, Tractrac Chat, Karoo Chat, Karoo Eremomela, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler Rufous-eared Warbler, Namaqua Warbler, Lark-like Bunting, Sclater’s Lark, Black-eared Sparrowlark, Grey-backed Sparrowlark, Karoo Lark, Karoo Long-billed Lark, Layard’s Warbler.
Marrick is a private game reserve covering 3,000 hectares of savannah thornveld west of Kimberley in the heart of the Northern Cape, South Africa.
Nestled in a pristine natural haven, they offer unforgettable wildlife adventures. The reserve focusses on conservation, nurturing rare antelopes like Roan and Sable, while uplifting local communities.
Explore beyond game drives with guided walks, birdwatching, and night drives.
on the western outskirts of Kimberley. The reserve and stocked with plains game, the scenic property offers some wonderful birding and mammal viewing.
Few places produce sunsets as beautiful as Marrick, but only once the sun has set, does the real fun begin, as the nocturnal wildlife viewing offering is very special.
Possible sightings include: Aardvark, Aardwolf, Cape Fox, Bat-eared Fox, African Wild Cat, Caracal, Cape Porcupine, Smith’s Red Rock Hare, Eastern Rock Sengi, and Springhare to name a few species, and if you are really lucky maybe even the tiny rare Black-footed Cat or a Hedgehog.
Nearby, we visit the newer Mokala National Park, where additional species include: Red Hartebeest, Tsessebe, Eland, Cape Buffalo, and White Rhino.
Birding specials in the area include: Blue Crane, Ludwig’s Bustard, Secretarybird, Pygmy Falcon, Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, Grey-backed Sparrowlark, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Fawn-coloured Lark, Stark’s Lark, Ashy Tit, Bradfield’s Swift, Violet-eared Waxbill, Black-faced Waxbill, Double-banded Courser, and Burchell’s Sandgrouse.