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LIFESTYLE NEWS - Africa is home to numerous national parks in different parts of the continent. There are over 50 national parks in Africa. These parks are endowed with diverse animal and bird species which attract people from all walks of life.
Among the most extraordinary of them are the following:
Kruger National Park
Paul Kruger, the then-President of the Transvaal Republic, established the park as the Sabie Game Reserve in 1898. The National Parks Act merged the Sabie and Shingwedzi Game Reserves into the Kruger National Park in 1926. In 1927, the first automobiles entered the park and the first warden was James Stevenson-Hamilton.
The Kruger National Park contains nearly 254 known cultural heritage sites, including nearly 130 recorded rock art sites and more than 300 Stone Age man archaeological sites.
SANParks can be found in a wide range of the country's regional habitats and topographic biomes, with Kruger National Park featuring a mix of savannah, thornveld, and woodland eco-zones. There are large African mammals present, 12 main rest camps, 5 bushveld camps, 2 bush lodges, and 4 satellite camps in Kruger National Park.
View: Best Kruger National Park Tours
Hluhluwe-Umfolozi
The Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve is Africa's oldest proclaimed reserve. It is filled with rolling hills, pans, hides, loop roads, and rivers, with a total area of 96 000 hectares that allows wildlife to roam freely from the northern to the southern reaches of the lower Umfolozi.
Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve not only has the Big 5, but also cheetah, wild dogs, and much more.
The two main accommodation centres are Hilltop Camp and Mpila Camp, which both offer self-catering and catered accommodation.
You might also be interested in: Kruger National Park Safaris
Maasai Mara
Maasai Mara National Reserve is a savannah wilderness reserve in southwestern Kenya, near the Tanzanian border and covers 1,510 square kilometres. Lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras, and hippos are among its inhabitants. The Mara and Talek rivers cut through the grassy plains and rolling hills of the landscape.
The reserve has an excellent year-round concentration of game, including the famous Great Migration of over two million wildebeest, zebras, and other antelopes.
The reserve is a photographer's and naturalist's dream, with elephants, buffalos, giraffes, lions, and cheetahs roaming freely alongside migratory wildebeest and zebra. Leopards are frequently seen, endangered black rhinos hide in dense thickets, and large rafts of hippo and massive crocodiles can be found in the Mara River. Over 450 bird species can also be found in the park.
Book now! Luxury Kruger Park Safaris
Serengeti
The Serengeti National Park is a World Heritage Site teeming with wildlife, with over 2 million ungulates, 4000 lions, 1000 leopards, 550 cheetahs, and 500 bird species inhabiting an area of nearly 15,000 square kilometres.
The Serengeti plains are dotted with trees and kopjes from which majestic lions rule their kingdom.
Visitors can marvel at the Great Migration, track down an elusive leopard in a riverine forest, or take a hot air balloon safari and soar over the plains at sunrise. Accommodation options are available at all price levels.
Pilanesberg
Pilanesberg National Park promises thrilling big game viewing in a malaria-free environment because it is located in the ecologically rich transition zone between the Kalahari and the Lowveld. There is a wide range of accommodations available.
Pilanesberg National Park, is South Africa's fourth largest park, covering an area of 550km2. The park is located in a volcano crater that erupted 1300 million years ago.
The Mankwe Dam region contains some of the most beautiful scenery in the park. The dam is ideal for spotting a wide range of animals. There is a bird hide near the water's edge. All of these locations offer numerous opportunities to photograph the abundant fauna and flora.
Watch: Hyenas go up against wild dogs in Kruger video
Africa has abundant wildlife and the national parks are the safe space for animals and birds. You need to plan a trip to experience these national parks.
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