Ithala Game Reserve
Wildlife & Animals
South Africa Parks
Philip lives in South Africa and has authored many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.
Ithala offers reasonable wildlife viewing in a splendid setting. It isn't a place to see a lot of predator action or to check off the Big Five, but several unusual antelope species can be seen. Both black and white rhino are present, and white rhino sightings are common, even on walking safaris.
Wildlife Highlights
There are lots of giraffe in the park, and they can be spotted from far along the mountain slopes. Some of the rarer wildlife species associated with the grassland habitat are the tsessebe (the fastest running antelope) and the dainty oribi, usually seen in pairs. Mountain reedbuck, as well as common reedbuck, are present as well. Early morning or late afternoon, you might see a serval hunting for small rodents.
Best Time for Wildlife Viewing
The best time for wildlife viewing in Ithala is in the dry months from June to September, when animals congregate at water sources and the grass is shorter. The scenery, however, is gorgeous in the wet summer months from October to April.
