Southern Africa makes one of the most diverse places to visit the savanna biome. The savanna makes up 46 percent of southern Africa and more than 33 percent of South Africa, according to the South African National Biodiversity Institute. The area receives between nine and 39 inches of rain within a few months, followed by long periods of dry weather. The terrain consists of grasses and shrubs that provide habitat to hundreds of species of animals and birds.
Kruger National Park
The vast Kruger National Park (krugerpark.co.za), at more than 7,700 square miles, presents almost endless opportunities to explore the savanna. The park, located in South Africa, includes decent roads that take you close to the park's wildlife, including 147 different mammals and more than 500 species of birds. The park provides 12 different camps, with Orpen and Crocodile Bridge offering campsites close to the park's gates. All of the camps except for the two near the park gates feature grocery stores and restaurant facilities.
Kalahari Gemsbok National Park
Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (sanparks.org) encompasses parks in South Africa and Botswana. The park features large expanses of red sand dunes and dry riverbeds that play home to large herds of desert antelope, known as gemsbok. You'll also see meerkats, cheetahs, hyenas, leopards and black-maned Kalahari lions, among other wildlife. Bird life includes weavers, which build huge communal nests, and birds of prey such as the pygmy falcon, Africa's smallest falcon. The park's roads require high clearance four-wheel drive vehicles. Three camps give you options on where to spend the night.
Hwange National Park
The largest park in Zimbabwe, Hwange National Park (zimparks.org), protects more than 100 species of animals and almost 400 bird species. The park includes one of the largest elephant populations in the world. Lodging inside the national park includes camps, lodges, cottages and chalets. Three dams provide hides from which to watch the park's wildlife come to the water to drink. The park includes wilderness trails for more closely exploring the park's plant life.
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
One of the largest, most remote game reserves in southern Africa, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (botswanatourism.co.bw), offers wildlife enthusiasts a productive spot to see animals during and after summer rains. Large herds of wildebeests, elands, giraffes, springboks and gemsbok dot the vast grassy plain as they gather to graze in the wet areas of the park. Campgrounds exist near the gates of the park, with the most popular sites on the eastern side of the reserve near the Matswere Gate.
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