One is only permitted entry into a private reserve if they are staying at a luxury lodge in Kruger National Park. Moreover, off-road game viewing is not permitted in national parks which may limit access to great wildlife viewing. National parks have a greater influx of vehicles and visitors, which can hinder wildlife viewing. Off-road driving is not possible in the national park In a private reserve or concession, you won’t need to compete with other vehicles for a prime wildlife sighting. The reason for this is twofold to preserve the integrity of the ecosystem by reducing human traffic and to ensure a less crowded, more authentic safari experience. Private game reserves have strict limitations on the amount of tourists allowed into the reserve. While the geography, flora and fauna species are the same in any particular region, the following experiences differ greatly between concessions and national parks: Crowd control National parks and private concessions or reserves differ in many regards. So what does that mean for my safari experience? While some concessions are fenced off from the rest of the national park, some have no borders or boundaries to allow animals freedom of movement through the area which allows for genetic diversity of the species. These concessions are made up of various privately-owned game reserves and land ‘loaned’ from the government for private use. The Kruger National Park is the largest national park in South Africa and includes concessions both adjacent to or within the Kruger National Park itself.

Tintswalo Safari Lodge in the private Manyeleti Private ReserveĪ concession is a designated private area either within a national park or just outside it.

Both national and private reserves still adhere to the same principles, rules and regulations of conservation and wildlife protection. A national park is government-owned and managed and a private game reserve is just that, privately owned and managed. The difference between these is quite straightforward. We’re here to offer some clarity on how these designated areas differ, and what this means for your Kruger National Park experience. Like many first time safari-goers, you might have some questions about what the difference is between game reserves, national parks and concessions.

Dozer park concession area