Only a stone’s throw from the famous Sun City resort & a 2-hour drive from Johannesburg, the easily accessible Pilanesberg National Park offers its guests an abundance of wildlife & a wide selection of activities for the whole family.
Experience
Located in a malaria-free region, Pilanesberg National Park is the top choice for families, particularly knowing that the adventure-packed Sun City is right next door! Honeymooners are catered for too & can enjoy romantic extras such as spa treatments or alfresco dinners.
Home to the famous Big 5 – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo & rhino – the 55,000-hectare Pilanesberg never fails to impress when it comes to wildlife viewing. Great sightings of cheetah, brown hyena & a colourful collection of birds can also be seen here.
The park is set within the slopes of an extinct volcanic crater & centred around a teeming lake, so visitors can enjoy spectacular views over striking landscapes as well as amazing photographic opportunities in one of South Africa’s most breathtaking reserves.
Activities
Visitors get the opportunity to observe Africa’s magnificent creatures in the wild with twice-daily open 4x4 game drives & nature walks with expert-led guides.
Game drives take place twice daily - once in the morning & once in the afternoon & evening so that guests have an opportunity to search for nocturnal animals with a spotlight.
You can’t visit Pilanesberg without taking a scenic hot air balloon flight over the reserve! This is - most definitely - one for the bucket list.
Family-friendly lodges have a host of fun-filled activities for the little ones, including children’s meals & babysitting services.
When to travel
The best time to visit the Pilanesberg is from July to October (during late winter, spring or early summer). The reason for this is that animals take time to feed longer in the winter months, as there is less nutrition.
The mating season which occurs from late February onwards is something worth seeing, as well. Rainfall is most common in the warm, summer months, between October & March.
