The South is part of the original Sabie Game reserve that was proclaimed in 1898 by then president Paul Kruger. It is home to some of the most popular camps in the park as the wildlife is prolific. The geology is staggering with huge granite bolders strewn across a densely vegetated landscape. A hippo pool with nearby bushmen paintings is a major draw card. Granite outcrops among the seringa, marula, tamboti and wild olive trees provide scrambling platforms for klipspringers (miniature antelope), and viewing platforms for lions. White rhino, wild dog and leopard are common to this area. Acacias provide shelter and food to the larger herbivores such as giraffe and elephant, while the Crocodile River provides twilight viewing of towering elephants, gracious waterbuck, dainty impala, the occasional baboon and the elusive predator quenching their thirst at dusk. Numerous excellent rest camps surrounded by an area teeming with wildlife make this region the most popular. 

Seasons: The best time to see game is during the winter months (April - September), as water is restricted to rivers and waterholes, where the wildlife congregates. Visibility is also good as the vegetation is less dense. Summer (October to March) is lovely due to the rains - everything is lush and green, and the birding is excellent. November and December are the calving months. 

Wildife: You should see: elephant, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, warthog, lion, spotted hyaena, baboon, hippo, Impala, Kudu, Vervet monkey, waterbuck, tsessebe, wildbeest, bushbaby, bats, mongooses, duiker, steenbok, klipspringer, genet, vultures, owls, bee-eaters, rollers, eagles, bustards, hornbills, starlings, shrikes You may see: Leopard, wild dog, Roan antelope, Sable antelope, Bat-eared Fox, rhino, honey badger, porcupine, rhebok, aardvark, aardwolf, civet, caracal, serval, suni, pangolin, Rock Dassie and Scrub Hare. 

Precautions: Malaria area - minimize mosquito bites by wearing light, long sleeved clothing and using effective insect repellents (containing Diethyltoluamide DEET) on exposed skin. Sleep under treated mosquito netting or ensure that the doors and windows of your accommodation are screened against mosquitoes. Having a fan or air-conditioner on at night will further suppress mosquito activity. Currently, the three effective anti-malaria tablets are Mefloquine (Lariam or Mefliam), Doxycycline and Malarone (Malanil). It is still possible to contract malaria while on malaria prophylaxis. Note that Lariam may present serious side-effects - please test before you depart.