The fact that many game reserves where you can view the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino) are located in malaria-free areas is one of the main benefits of visiting South Africa as opposed to other African safari locations. If you wish to avoid taking antimalarial medication or are traveling with little children, this is great.

Pilanesberg Game Reserve (only a few hours’ drive from Johannesburg), Madikwe Game Reserve (four to five hours’ drive or one hour’s flight from Johannesburg), and the Eastern Cape (practical if you want to combine a safari with the Garden Route) are important places to consider. Tswalu Kalahari Private Game Reserve in the far northwest is another option to think about if you have the funds. Our picks for South Africa’s top game reserves free of malaria are listed below.

1. Game Reserve in Madikwe

One of South Africa’s greatest parks free of malaria is Madikwe Game Reserve. In addition to providing a traditional Big Five safari experience, it is well known for seeing cheetahs and wild dogs. Note that compared to the Greater Kruger areas, leopards are harder to spot here. Despite being state-owned, Madikwe is privately operated, so you must stay at one of its all-inclusive lodges and are not permitted to drive yourself. Walking safaris and night drives are available in addition to the standard game drives.

The safari vehicles’ ability to drive off-road within the reserve significantly improves the caliber of sightings. Of the malaria-free reserves, Madikwe provides the most reliable animal viewing, and its traditional bushveld landscape makes you feel as though you’re on safari. There are several upscale resorts to pick from, some of which focus on serving families. The travel from Johannesburg to Madikwe takes four to five hours. Another option is to fly in, though this can be costly, particularly for a family.

2. The Game Reserve at Pilanesberg

One of South Africa’s most stunning malaria-free safari parks is Pilanesberg Game Reserve, which is situated in an old volcanic crater. It is a fantastic addition to other locations because it is less than three hours’ drive from Johannesburg. There are all five of the Big Five, and you should see lots of white rhinos and elephants. While seeing large cats will need some luck, nighttime excursions may provide brown hyenas.

With over 300 species on its list, Pilanesberg is also a fantastic place to go bird watching. You can get out of your automobile at several hides, which offer excellent chances for wildlife and bird photography.

Although it can get crowded with day visitors from the nearby Sun City resort complex, Pilanesberg does not feel as untamed as some of South Africa’s larger reserves. Still, it’s a fantastic short excursion from Johannesburg. You can self-drive or join scheduled game drives, and there are a number of lodges and self-catering choices.

3. The Private Game Reserve of Shamwari

One of the most visited reserves in the Eastern Cape is Shamwari Private Game Reserve. This family-run property offers guests the chance to enjoy both opulent lodging and the safari experience. The Big Five can be seen in Shamwari, which also provides great wildlife viewing with experienced guides. Two of its six opulent lodges are especially designed with families in mind. Easily incorporated into a Garden Route trip, this malaria-free reserve is located 100km/62mi from Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth).

Visitors can visit Shamwari’s Born Free Big Cat Rescue and Rehabilitation Center and Rhino Education Center to discover more about the organization’s conservation initiatives. Numerous intriguing volunteer initiatives are also available.

4. The Private Game Reserve of Kwandwe

One of South Africa’s newest private safari parks free of malaria is Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. It is located in the Eastern Cape and is home to the Big Five, just like Shamwari. Kwandwe is made up of 220 km² (85 mi²) of beautiful valleys and hills that run beside the Great Fish River. It was once farmland but has now been repopulated with wildlife. However, because it isn’t as accustomed to human presence as it is in some other private reserves, the animals can be wary. The chance to witness black rhinos and, with luck, cheetahs is one of Kwandwe’s most famous attractions.

Kwandwe boasts four opulent lodges, two of which cater to couples and two of which are family-friendly. Since it’s only a two-hour journey from Gqeberha, it’s easy to combine it with a Garden Route vacation.

5. National Park Marakele

Located northwest of Johannesburg in the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, Marakele National Park is a picturesque park free of malaria. In addition to Marakele, the Waterberg is home to other upscale private game reserves and safari hotels. You can self-drive, camp, or stay in self-catering accommodations at Marakele, a relatively new national park. Tlopi Tented Camp, which has a view of a dam where elephants bathe, is one of our favorite locations to stay.

Grassy valleys and red cliffs make up the breathtaking landscape of Marakele, which is located in the center of the Waterberg Mountains. There are two portions to the park. White rhinos may be spotted along the first section’s easy-to-drive dirt roads. The second area has a wilder vibe, and a gate controls access. The journey to the mountaintop viewpoint, where visitors can witness endangered Cape vultures soaring on the thermals, is a must-do. Both black and white rhinos can be seen at Marakele with relative ease, but don’t expect to see any predators.

6. Private Game Reserve Mount Camdeboo

Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve is located outside the town of Graaff-Reinet at the base of the Sneeuberg mountain range in the malaria-free Karoo. White rhinos, buffalo, cheetahs, and the endangered mountain zebra can all be found in the reserve. Lions and elephants are scheduled to be introduced soon. Accommodations include two opulent safari tents and three wonderfully renovated gabled manor buildings.

The reserve provides cheetah tracking, spectacular helicopter flights, and stargazing in addition to wildlife drives and bush walks. Historical Boer War locations on the property host educational seminars. Mount Camdeboo can be reached by plane at Graaff-Reinet or by car three hours inland from Gqeberha.

7. Private Game Reserve at Tswalu Kalahari

If money permits, go to Tswalu Kalahari Private Game Reserve for a completely different experience of a malaria-free game reserve in South Africa. Tswalu, the nation’s largest private game reserve, is located in the southern Kalahari’s expansive, unspoiled wilderness. It is well-known for its exceptional and uncommon wildlife. The spectacular African wild dogs and black-maned lions can be seen here, together with habituated meerkats and, in the winter, pangolins and aardvarks.

You are given your own game-drive vehicle, guide, and tracker when you go on a five-star safari at Tswalu. Tswalu provides horseback riding and strolling safaris in addition to game drives. Wine tastings, champagne breakfasts, dune picnics, and opulent spa treatments are also available.

8. Private Game Reserve Samara

Located near Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape, Samara Private Game Reserve is a luxurious safari park free of malaria. Surrounded by breathtaking nature, the Manor House, the main lodge, is a stunning ancient Karoo farmhouse. Samara was among the first parks to use foot tracking for cheetahs. It’s exciting to go out with your guide, trace the cheetahs on foot, and use the radio aerial to pinpoint their approximate location.

Despite being accustomed to people, cheetahs are untamed and willfully disregard you. It’s incredible how near you can approach them without upsetting them. This creates an amazing backdrop for photos against the breathtaking Karoo landscape. One of the most elusive and peculiar of all the African mammals, the aardvark, is also known to be sighted in Samara during the winter months.