South Africa is blessed with a diverse landscape that offers unforgettable experiences. From protected game reserves that offer sanctuary to various fauna and flora species to pristine beaches and magnificent mountain ranges that stretch for miles. There are several destinations that can be visited all year round but most locals favor travel over Christmas and long summer school holidays . The demand for accommodation and flights is much higher in comparison to other periods of the year and so here are five destinations that can be reached by car and generally offer affordable self-catering accommodation options. Here are the top destinations in South Africa for a budget christmas getaway: Kruger National Park Kruger National Park is a safari destination loved by travelers around the world. Spanning across two million hectares, Kruger National Park offers incredible encounters with some of the rarest wildlife species, including the famous Big 5. There are a total of 21 rest camps scattered around the Kruger, offering a range of accommodation options – huts, safari tents, campsites, bungalows, cottages and guest houses. The main Kruger camps boast a restaurant, picnic site, swimming pool, grocery store, curio shop and a petrol station. Each of the camps are positioned in prime game viewing areas and offer a selection of guided activities for those travelers who don’t want to self drive around the park. These activities include game drives, night drives, bush walks and bird watching. Cape Vidal Cape Vidal nestles in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, just 30 kilometers north of St Lucia. Cape Vidal is an incredible destination because it offers a beach and bush experience. Visitors to Cape Vidal have direct access to the Eastern Shores Nature Reserve which is known for its populations of elephant, rhino, buffalo, crocodile, hippo and reedbuck. The St Lucia Marine Reserve is visited seasonally by humpback whales during their migrations, as well as loggerhead and leatherback sea-turtles that come to the beaches north of Cape Vidal from November to February to nest. The Cape Vidal Resort offers 4 and 6 bed log cabins that feature two or three bedrooms, a bathroom with shower, a fully-equipped kitchenette and a dinette/lounge area. There are also 45 campsites in the dune forest near the beach. Ablution facilities with hot and cold water are available and all campsites have electric plug points. Activities offered at Cape Vidal include ski-boat fishing, surf fishing, six loop roads off the main St Lucia to Cape Vidal road that provide excellent game viewing and bird watching, private turtle tours from November to January and crocodile feeding shows. St Lucia also offers a range of activities including a cruise on the St Lucia Estuary which is home to a huge population of hippos and crocodiles. Golden Gate Highlands National Park Golden Gate Highlands National Parklies in the Maluti Foothills of the Free State Province and stretches across 34 000 hectares of pristine wilderness. Golden Gate is currently the only national grassland park and combined with woodlands, it is favorable to animals such as wildebeest, blesbok, eland, duiker, mountain reedbuck, red hartebeest and springbok. The accommodation at Golden Gate Highlands National Park includes a hotel, rest camp and mountain retreat. The Glen Reenen Rest Camp offers rondavels, longdavels and guest cottages; whilst Highlands Mountain Retreat offers eight wooden cabins, tucked into the mountainside. The Golden Gate Hotel boasts 54 luxurious rooms and 34 adjacent self-catering chalets. The hotel is also equipped with luxury state of the art facilities. Activities offered in the park include abseiling, canoeing, game drives, cultural village tour, hiking, nature walks, horse riding and swimming. Mokala National Park The Mokala National Park spans across 19 611 hectares and is inhabited by several wildlife species, including rhino, buffalo, tsessebe, roan antelope, mountain reedbuck, giraffe, gemsbok, eland, zebra, red hartebeest, wildebeest, kudu, ostrich, steenbok, duiker and springbok. There are three great lodges to choose from when visiting Mokala. Mosu Lodge has 15 air conditioned and fully equipped self-catering units. All units feature comfortable double or single beds, en-suite bathrooms and outside braai facilities. The luxury bungalows and family bungalows also have satellite television. The facilities at Mosu Lodge include a swimming pool, restaurant, bar, outside lapa, lounge, fully equipped conference venue and entertainment area with built in fireplace. Lilydale Rest Camp offers 12 self-catering, air conditioned en-suite units overlooking the Riet River. Guests to the lodge can look forward to breathtaking sunsets and clear night skies. Motswedi offers shaded camping sites with their own ablution and cooking facilities. All campsites have braai facilities and are positioned in a semi-circle around a nearby waterhole. The camp has an electrified fence, making it a good option for families. A number of activities are offered at Mosu Lodge; including guided morning, day, sunset and night drives, bush breakfasts, bush braais and guided visits to rock art sites. There are various picnic areas to enjoy, along with catch-and-release fly fishing excursions at Lilydale Rest Camp. Bird lovers should visit the Stofdam bird hide which is inhabited by several bird species, particularly the crimson breasted shrike and kingfishers.
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