Mane attractions that make South Africa roar

From big game to cool caves, Karin Wright provides a guide to the country’s state-run parks

WHEN IT comes to wildlife reserves in South Africa, the awesome Kruger National Park dominates proceedings.There are also numerous private game farms charging big bucks... but there are dozens of other smaller state-run parks across the country that are perfect for self-drivers and self-caterers.

This park is in the eastern

Free State province, on the northern border of landlocked Lesotho and in the foothills of the mighty Maluti mountain range, which forms part of the 600-mile long Drakensberg escarpment.

There are several species of antelope and many smaller beasties, but you’re not here for the wildlife, you’re here for the dramatic golden sandstone formations which hide caves filled with San rock art and dinosaur fossils.

Stay at the Golden Gate Hotel for full-service luxury, or self-cater at the Basotho Cultural Village Rest Camp, built in the style of an 18th-century Basotho village.You can even go on a herbal walk with a traditional village healer.

Nearby activities include golf, white water rafting, quad biking, ziplining, fly fishing – and in winter you can even go skiing! The nearby town of Clarens is very pretty and arty.

This remote park is in the pointy bit between neighbouring Namibia and Botswana – in fact two-thirds of this 15,000 square mile desert reserve is in Botswana. Just one glimpse of the golden sand dunes and dry, red, scrubby landscape will tell you why the park’s name translates as “place of thirst”in the local Tswana language. This is home to the fabled black-maned lion and the iconic desert oryx – known as gemsbok. There are also cheetah, leopard, hyena, wild dogs, giraffe and antelope that survive in these arid conditions. There are three main rest camps and several wilderness camps – 4x4 vehicles are recommended for self-drivers, and you can join the 185-mile four-day Nossob eco-trail.This is a place of extremes – summer temperatures can reach 45°C and in winter it can hit -10C.

The stars of this park are the stars.With very little light pollution you can see the MilkyWay like you’ve never seen it before.

This 300-square mile wilderness is in the middle of the vast Karoo semi-desert,

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