Pilanesberg Game Reserve
Expert Reviews (11)
South Africa Parks
Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.
30 people found this review helpful.
The closest Big Five destination to Johannesburg
The main selling point of this malaria-free reserve, set within a collapsed volcanic crater 2-3 hours’ drive northwest of Johannesburg, is its proximity to South Africa’s largest city and most important international transport hub. I have never found Pilanesberg quite so compelling as Kruger National Park, simply because it is a lot smaller and more contained, but the combination of hilly green scenery, plentiful birdlife and the possibility of seeing all the Big Five makes it a very rewarding destination in its own right.
Many years back, when I lived and worked in Johannesburg, I would regularly visit Pilanesberg on a weekend break, usually camping and always self-driving. Back then the park was relatively understocked in terms of Big Five wildlife, and my main interest was birding, which was invariably excellent (and still is today). The park checklist includes around 350 species, and it was always good for raptors and waterbirds, as well as localised gems such as crimson-breasted shrike, violet-eared waxbill, shaft-tailed whydah and southern pied babbler. Indeed, I’ve often ticked 100-plus species over a two-day stay.
Although I still tend to think of Pilanesberg as a self-drive destination, it now incorporates several excellent upmarket lodges that offer all-inclusive packages with meals and guided game drives. On my most recent visit (2024) I stayed at Shepherd’s Tree and Ivory Tree Game Lodges, and the all-inclusive experience gave me a very different perspective on the reserve. Overall the game viewing was superb, and it is definitely one of the best places in South Africa for close-up encounters with white rhino and elephant.
Guided night drives undertaken with the lodges in open 4x4s were a real highlight, and offer a good chance of encountering nocturnal specials such as brown hyena, aardwolf, genet and leopard. On one such drive, we were lucky enough to follow a pride of five lions as it walked nonchalantly along the private road to Shepherd’s Tree. I also really enjoyed the network of photographic hides, which gave us some of our best sightings on our most recent trip: we saw plenty of elephants drinking, but were also lucky enough to see white rhino, black rhino and lions at various waterholes.
Kim is a travel writer who authored and updated over 15 guidebooks, including Lonely Planet's South Africa and Bradt's Tanzania guides.
21 people found this review helpful.
Glitz, glamour and the Big Five
Close to Sun City, Pilanesberg National Park is often unkindly regarded as the “poor-man’s Kruger”. While it is certainly smaller – and hence prone to traffic jams – the park does host just about every mammal of southern Africa, including the Big Five. Also unlike Kruger, it is free from malaria. Containig four rings of volcanic hills and located within a transition zone between the dry Kalahari and wetter bushveld, the 57,200-hectare park offers a combination of habitats from open grassland and hilly slopes to wooded gorges and rocky outcrops. On my last trip we saw several elephants, along with two white rhino mothers and their young, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, waterbuck, springbok and numerous other smaller species of mammals. Though, sadly the lions eluded us. The park’s relative proximity to Sun City and Johannesburg means it is popular with day-trippers – there’s no avoiding that. Personally I’ve found that it’s best to plan your game viewing early in the morning as once you get through the gate the bottleneck does dissipate more quickly and by late afternoon the park is jam-packed.
Lizzie is a reputed guidebook writer and author of the Footprint guides to South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
16 people found this review helpful.
A Big Five destination just a few hours’ drive from Johannesburg
Pilanesberg is instantly likeable, and with its savannah grasslands surrounded by an attractive ring of hills broken by wooded valleys, it’s hard to imagine that it started life as manmade reserve (it opened in the 1970s as an accompaniment to neighbouring Sun City). While I think it lacks any kind of wild atmosphere – the rangers know where most of the animals are located at any given time, ‘extras’ include game checklists given out at the gates, and the lodges are unashamedly touristy, facilities are very good and game-viewing is easy if you’re short of time. I saw the Big Five here in just a two-day visit, and even on a short two-hour safari from Sun City, the chances of seeing some of the larger mammals is excellent.
James is a travel writer and author of many Lonely Planet guides, including senior author of the guide to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.
7 people found this review helpful.
Extinct Volcano Crater with good roads and the Big Five
Bordering the Sun City casino complex, Pilanesberg is not exactly an untamed wilderness where only lions dare tread. No, this 572-sq-km reserve, with its good network of tarred and gravel roads, was designed to offer a manageable slice of African bush to local city folk.
However, I enjoyed touring this extinct volcano crater in the Pilanesberg Mountains; it was possible to lose the other cars and get closer to nature, I found, by hitting the gravel roads. The reserve hosts all the Big Five and I had many animal encounters and sightings. Sitting in one of the many hides, watching rhinos and lions battle for supremacy of a waterhole, was particularly memorable. The crowd of excited Jo'burgers added some incidental comedy.
If you have a few days available, Kruger National Park or nearby Madikwe Game Reserve is a better option than Pilanesberg. For families or people with little time, however, Pilanesberg is worth considering, offering accommodation in both exclusive and family-friendly lodges.
Mike is an award-winning wildlife writer, former editor of Travel Zambia magazine and author of the Bradt Guide to Southern African Wildlife.
7 people found this review helpful.
Crater creation
You will certainly see plenty game at Pilanesberg. I saw four of the Big Five on my first afternoon drive, and later that evening notched my fifth – a leopard – from the floodlit waterhole at Kwa Maritane resort. Indeed, virtually every southern Africa large mammal species occur here. This is largely the result of Operation Genesis, one of Africa’s most ambitious conservation projects, in which game of all kinds was translocated to this 57,200ha reserve, created on rehabilitated ranchland within the crater walls of an immense extinct volcano. The rich variety of birds – more than 300 species – reflects the meeting of two biomes: the western Kalahari and the eastern lowveld. Some may feel that the slightly contrived history of this park, plus its proximity to the brash Sun City and other resorts, somewhat undermines the sense of genuine wild Africa. Nonetheless it offers an excellent wildlife experience in an undeniably spectacular setting and, being less than three hours’ drive from Johannesburg, is extremely convenient for the safari-goer who can’t reach the Kruger.
Gemma authored several Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guides to Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
7 people found this review helpful.
Not just a theme park
Don’t be fooled by Pilanesberg’s proximity to the famously tacky mega-casino at Sun City – this park is actually extensive, scenic and biologically diverse, and well worth it as an add-on to the wave pool or gaming tables. I love the park’s towering volcanic outcrops, which give photos a great scenic backdrop. You’ll need at least a full day to do justice to the variety of landscapes here, and it’s easy to self-drive on the well-maintained network of roads.
The park was stocked with translocated game in the 1970s and has a good variety of species including both white and black rhinos. If you’d like to stay the night (I recommend you do, to take advantage of the early mornings for game drives) there are a few good-value lodges to choose from.
Ariadne is a renowned African wildlife photographer whose work is featured in many well-known guidebooks and magazines.
7 people found this review helpful.
Sit back in a hide and let the wildlife come to you
What struck me most on my last visit to Pilanesberg Game Reserve was how lush and scenic it is. Set in an extinct volcanic crater, hills rise up from the grassy plains in every direction. There is a fair amount of wildlife around and you’ll have a reasonable chance of seeing all of the Big Five in a few days. Elephants are common and the white rhino population is thriving. As always, early mornings proved to be best for finding lions on the move before they flop down in the shade of a bush. The photographic hides, however, are very rewarding throughout the day. While they can a bit crowded with visitors early morning and late afternoon, they were usually empty in the middle of the day when a constant stream of thirsty animals offered great photographic opportunities. Leopards have become quite habituated in Pilanesberg with regular sightings reported. I didn’t see one of these magnificent cats on my last visit, but I counted myself very lucky to spot brown hyena and serval instead. Another highlight was a mother and calf black rhino drinking meters from me at a waterhole. As soon as they quenched their thirst, they ran back to the thickets…I had to check my photos to make sure this special encounter really happened.
Christopher is a British travel writer and has contributed to various Fodor's guidebooks and a range of travel magazines.
6 people found this review helpful.
Big 5 on a plate, close to Johannesburg
Pilanesberg National Park was my first safari destination in South Africa and it certainly delivered the goods in terms of wildlife. We saw all of the Big 5 over the course of three days in the rainy season (when the high grass and denser vegetation makes game harder to spot).
Pilanesberg’s density of game is certainly its biggest selling-point. But it’s also a very accessible park. It’s relatively small, you can self-drive, and most of it can be accessed without a 4x4 over the course of a single day if you’re in a hurry. It’s also less than three hours’ drive from Johannesburg and even closer to Pretoria. And it’s malaria-free. Combine all of the above with a handful of very affordable (if a little tacky) accommodation options and it’s not hard to see why Pilanesberg is a local favourite, particularly with families getting out of the city for a weekend or over the school holidays.
During these peak periods, the park can get exceptionally busy and begin to feel a little like a big zoo, but come during the week out of season and you’ll still get some semblance of “real” African bush.
Anthony is a photographer and writer for travel magazines and Lonely Planet, including the guides to Kenya and Botswana & Namibia.
4 people found this review helpful.
Pilanesberg: Busy & Beautiful
Pilanesberg is so easily reached that my first experience of the park was the antithesis of everything I love about the African wild – paved roads, traffic jams, and tour guides with loud microphones. The fact that there were rhinos, both black and white, in numbers, lions, elephants, and rumours of leopards and buffaloes seemed, at the time, incidental. But then I took my own vehicle, left the main roads behind and there I found a different park of beautiful rolling hills, pretty waterholes and wildlife undisturbed by the clamour two valleys away. A brown hyena, companionable rhinos, great birding and a wilderness experience that couldn’t have been more different than the busyness of the previous afternoon – these were Pilanesberg’s true gifts. If you’ve never been on safari before, Pilanesberg is a good way to check off some species. But if you get away, on your own, you’ll understand better what a safari ought to truly be about.
Lucy is travel writer for a range of publications, including Lonely Planet's guides to Africa, Southern Africa and South Africa.
4 people found this review helpful.
Family Friendly Wildlife Viewing in Easy Reach of Johannesburg
The main reason you would visit the Pilanesberg is for its proximity to Johannesburg – it’s an easy three-hour drive. Those with more time might be better heading to the Kruger or the Kgalagadi for a wilder safari experience, but that’s not to say that the Pilanesberg doesn’t offer rewarding wildlife viewing. The park’s 572km2/221mi2 is home to all of the Big Five, plus giraffe, zebra, brown hyena and the whole gamut of antelope including some rarer species – and the viewing is great. Elephant sightings are extremely common and I’ve had some of my best white rhino encounters in the Pilanesberg. It’s also a great park to visit with kids thanks to the high concentration of animals – meaning no long drives where you see nothing at all for a couple of hours, inciting the cries of “I’m boooooored”. What the park lacks is a true wilderness feel, thanks to its proximity to small towns and the massive Sun City hotel and casino complex, which adjoins the park. Still, the rugged, undulating landscape and network of dirt roads quickly help you forget that you’re within spitting distance of South Africa’s answer to Vegas (which is, of course, plenty of fun in its own right).
Stephen is a travel writer and avid conservationist whose work appears in prestigious magazines such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa.
2 people found this review helpful.
Gambling and Game-viewing
The Pilanesberg is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea … After-all late night carousing seldom goes hand-in-hand with early morning game drives, but there are some who love it. Obviously, visitors have the choice of skipping Sun City’s casinos all together to rather concentrate on the wildlife that resides within the rings of hills that naturally contain this small park. I must be honest and say that this place is not my favourite park in South Africa by a long shot, but I still have enjoyed many good sighting here. From elephants and rhinos to lions and even a leopard killing a young kudu at the resort waterhole! The Pilanesberg is a small man-made reserve that has been extensively restocked, so while it lacks the wilderness vibe, it usually delivers quite consistent and decent wildlife sighting. If you like the sound of a bright lights and big city atmosphere combined with lots of animals and a late night game of black jack, then this park was made for you!
Safari Tours to Pilanesberg GR
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4-Day Black Rhino Game Lodge Safari Package
$958 to $1,053 pp (USD)
South Africa: Self-driveLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
MoAfrika Tours
4.9/5 – 1,766 Reviews
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3-Day Bakubung Lodge Safari from Cape Town
$970 to $1,067 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg Airport (End)
MoAfrika Tours
4.9/5 – 1,766 Reviews
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3-Day Luxury Pilanesburg Tshukudu Lodge Safari
$982 to $1,080 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
MoAfrika Tours
4.9/5 – 1,766 Reviews
