Transfrontier parks are also known as peace or super parks and are an international conservation effort to ensure that ecosystems can cross over one or more international borders.
In South Africa, we have herds of elephants that migrate between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The transfrontier parks allow them to do so without the fear of fencing or poaching. Here in southern Africa, there are several and the concept tends to work better in some places than others.
In 2002 the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park was founded and the process of dropping the fence between the Mozambique and South African sides of the park started, allowing entry into Mozambique via the Kruger National Park.
Visit the Gonarezhou National Park, which is on the Zimbabwe side of the park…
The animals are scarce on the Mozambican side and it is less developed than SA, but it’s definitely worth the adventure, especially when you cross the Shingwedzi and Limpopo rivers. One can also use the transfrontier route to get to the Mozambique coast, as this is a more adventurous and rural drive.
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is another success story. The Botswana side of this park hardly has any facilities, but you get to camp in the wild without fences – just your vehicle and tent lies between you and the wildlife. There is also a 4×4 trail between the Nossob, one of the main South African camps, and the Mabuasehube area on the Botswana side. This trail can be done via the southern or northern track – make sure you spend a night or two at either the Matopi or Mosimane camps as these are the most remote parts of the park.
The Ai-Ais/ Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is another must! You can take your vehicle across on the ferry at Sendelingsdrif and you can also use the ferry to cross the Orange River from southern Namibia into South Africa or vice versa. Gone are the days of having to backtrack to a border post in order to enter Namibia.
The park authorities in Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal have established the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Project. The project aims to ensure the sustainability and protection of the beautiful culture and natural heritage in this area. These efforts have also been extended to other parts of southern Africa, such as Mana Pools in Zimbabwe and the Lower Zambezi in Zambia.
Southern Africa is changing, but if this is done to protect the natural resources and wildlife, it can only be a positive step forward. Visiting these parks is the best way to get a comprehensive overview of the ecosystems at play.
SANParks Transfrontier Conservation Email
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