Conservation - South Africa's wildlife and conservation areas can be classified into two main categories: national or provincial game and nature reserves, and private game reserves.  The larger national or provincial reserves have enclosed rest-camps, comprising thatched rondavels, bungalows or chalets.  Numbers are limited to protect the environment, and reservations should be made well in advance.  All camps close at sunset.  Wilderness walking trails offer a more intimate bush experience.  The private game reserves, open to guests only, offer luxurious accommodation in lodges or tents, with five-star service and cuisine.  Experienced rangers and trackers in open-topped vehicles conduct morning and evening game-drives, allowing guests the opportunity to view the Big Five and other wildlife.

Game Viewing - Game-viewing is enjoyable throughout the year; however, the ideal time is from April to September when the bush is sparse.  Visitors have an excellent chance of seeing the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo – as well as cheetah, giraffe, hippopotamus, many types of antelope, and a wealth of bird-life.  South Africa's flora is impressive.  The high concentration of endemic species puts South Africa on a par with the tropical rainforests, such as those of the Amazon Basin, in terms of international significance for conservation.  The flora of the Western Cape, “fynbos”, is one of the six floral kingdoms of the world.

Wildlife - One of South Africa's major attractions is its wildlife.  Great efforts have been made to conserve this national heritage while at the same time providing the facilities and opportunity to view game in their natural habitat.

South African National Parks (SANParks) manages a system of parks, which represents the indigenous fauna, flora, landscapes and associated cultural heritage of the country.  Of the 20 national parks, 14 have overnight tourist facilities, offering an unrivalled variety of accommodation in arid, coastal, mountain and bushveld habitats.  SANParks offers visitors an unparalleled diversity of adventure tourism opportunities including game-viewing, bush walks, canoeing and exposure to cultural and historical experiences.  In addition to the Kruger National Park, national parks have been established throughout the country.  Table Mountain National Park on the Cape Peninsula is representative of the Cape Floral Kingdom, one of only six floral kingdoms in the world.

The West Coast National Park is home to thousands of migratory birds and wild flowers during spring.  Agulhas National Park, at the southern-most tip of Africa, has over 2 000 indigenous plant species.  Bontebok National Park is a sanctuary for the bontebok and many other antelope species.

The Karoo National Park has a rich diversity and contains many fossils of ancient life forms.  Tankwa Karoo National Park is a birder's paradise.  Wilderness comprises lush forests, mountains, rivers and fertile wetlands, while Knysna National Lakes  Area is home to the endangered Knysna seahorse and a large diversity of marine life.  Tsitsikamma National Park, a place of ancient rivers, forests, deep ravines and reefs teeming with colour and surprises, was the first marine national park in Africa.  Mountain Zebra National Park provides a perfect setting for the Cape mountain zebra, one of the world's rarest large mammals.  Addo Elephant National Park was proclaimed in 1931 when the number of elephants had dwindled to only eleven.  The park now provides sanctuary to over 350 elephants as well as buffalo, black rhino and several species of antelope.  The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a result of a vision shared by South Africa and Botswana.  The undulating red dunes, clear blue skies and rich wildlife diversity are a photographer's dream. 

Augrabies Falls National Park contains the 60-metre Augrabies Waterfall.  This powerful flow of water is unleashed from rocky surroundings in the Orange River gorge.  The |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, a desolate and forbidding landscape, is home to the world's richest desert flora, including the human-like ‘Halfmens' plant.  Every August and September, the Namaqua National Park is transformed into a colourful wonderland, carpeted with wild flowers.  Golden Gate National Park is a highland habitat, providing a perfect home to oribi, black wildebeest, Burchell's zebra, eland and other antelope.  Marakele National Park, in the heart of the Waterberg mountains, is home to several big game species and the world's largest colony of Cape vultures.  The KwaZulu-Natal conservation body, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, operates the Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Park and the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, a World Heritage Site.

Independent, privately owned game lodges cater for an exclusive number of guests and offer very personalised attention.  Game, including the Big Five, can be viewed at close range from open Land-Rovers, or on walking trails in the bushveld.  Accommodation, facilities and service levels are of an extremely high standard.  The Sabi Sand Game Reserve, a 65 000 hectare wildlife sanctuary, is made up of an association of freehold landowners.  The land is unfenced between the landowners, and the animals are free to roam unhindered through the conservancy.  The reserve shares a 50km unfenced boundary with the Kruger National Park in the east.  Two perennial rivers, the Sand and the Sabie, provide the reserve with a valuable water supply, ensuring that the area enjoys one of the most bio-diverse wildlife populations in Africa.  The  Sabi Sand Game Reserve contains numerous private, luxury lodges, often still owned by descendants of the original pioneers of the association.  Further north, the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is situated against the western boundary of the Kruger National Park.  The fences have been removed to create a more natural, open ecosystem.  In other regions of South Africa, the Waterberg area and Welgevonden Private Game Reserve in the Limpopo province, the Madikwe Game Reserve in the North-West province, and Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape are all malaria-free Big Five reserves.  KwaZulu-Natal is also home to numerous private game reserves, as the Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Game Reserve and Mkhuze Game Reserve.