5 Of The Best Locations In South Africa For Animal And Bird Lovers

The game reserves and national parks of South Africa are renowned for their endless and fascinating wildlife. However, for those in a hurry to see animals up-close-and-personal, the country has other wonderful options. Here we list 5 of the best experiences in South Africa for animal and bird lovers.

1. Lion & Safari Park, Gauteng

The Lion & Safari Park is not just about lions! The park is home to a large selection of indigenous African species. Here visitors will see brown and white lion, cheetah, hyena, leopard, sable antelope, kudu and wild dogs.

The park offers a range of guided tours, led by trained guides, including the Lion & Wild Dog Tour, Night Tours (with predators feeding), Mini Safari and a 3-hour Safari. The Alex Tour includes drinks and snacks on the banks of the Crocodile River, while animal trainer Alex Larenty interacts with fully grown lions.

Guests also have the option of self-drive tours through the lion, wild dog and hyena enclosures, where many species can be found, including giraffe, gemsbok, kudu, sable, nyala, warthog and more.

2. Hermanus and the Southern Right Whales

Hermanus in set in the heart of the Cape Whale Route and was originally a small fishing village. However, these days the town is a world-famous tourist destination. The best time to visit is between June and November each year as the magnificent Southern Right whales visit and breed here. In fact, Hermanus is one of the 12 Best Whale-Watching Destinations in the World, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Despite its fame, the village has retained its rustic charm and beauty and also offers many other enjoyable activities. These include its gorgeous beaches, wine-tasting, museums, art galleries and restaurants.

3. Umgeni River Bird Park, Durban North

The Umgeni River Bird Park is located a short distance from the beaches of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. The park is home to more than 800 birds from 200 species, living in lush, tropical landscaping.

Among the species are the fascinating King Vulture, Blue Crane, Lesser Palm Cockatoo, Eastern Black-Capped Lory and Blue and Yellow Macau (pictured above). A variety of stork and crane species also live in the park, along with common peafowl.

Visitors can enjoy a relaxing drink and snack during their visit and will often find a friendly and colourful Macau will join them, hoping for a treat.

4. Gansbaai and Great White Sharks

The small town of Gansbaai on the Cape Whale Coast of South Africa has many attractions. However, it is world-renowned as the best shark cage diving destination in the world. This is due to the rich sea life in the area, along with the colonies of Cape Fur Seals that live in “Shark Alley” between Dyer Island and Geyser Rock off the coast of Gansbaai.

Daring folk can meet the famous Great White Sharks face-to-face and at arm’s length from behind the relative safely of the steel bars of a cage. Dyer Island is also famous as a bird sanctuary, where rare species, such as the African Penguin, African Black Oystercatcher, Hartlaub’s Gull and Cape Cormorant can be seen.

4. Oudtshoorn and the Ostriches

5. Oudtshoorn and the Ostriches

Located in the Klein Karoo of the Western Cape, Oudtshoorn is a small town, famous for its ostrich farms. Visitors can try their hand at riding one of the large birds and buy ostrich products and ostrich eggs at the Cango Wildlife Ranch.

The town is nestled on the Route 62 wine route and features the C.P. Nel Museum, which features artifacts from the ostrich-feather boom era. To the north of the town, the 20-million-year-old Cango Caves are a fascinating visit with their network of limestone chambers.

Enjoy animal and bird spotting on your next visit to South Africa!