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moelynphotos
US
Visited:
May 2017
Reviewed: Mar 20, 2018
Email moelynphotos | Experience level: first safari
Neeltje
NL
Visited:
February 2018
Reviewed: Feb 20, 2018
Email Neeltje | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great and condensed park to spot wildlife. The park is very well maintained. I guess for the real bush feeling you would need to go to other countries in Africa. Since the park is fenced and very nice, it did not give me the real bush vibe. But the safari itself was great and would not have wanted to miss it!
Axel Martin
A perfect stay in the bush - only a three hours drive away from Johannesburg
Unlike many other South African parks Pilanesberg is a piece of "man made" nature: It was founded in 1979 on former farmland, so more than 7000 animals from other parks like Kruger NP had to be relocated to (re-)populate the area. Since then, these animal population has been left on it's own.
The main park can be explored either by self-drive or on guided tours. In Black Rhino Private Game Reserve private cars are only allowed to access the lodges - all game drives are guided tours organized by the respective lodge. While the game drives from Black Rhino are allowed to enter the national park, no visitors "from outside"
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are allowed to enter Black Rhino.Since 2011 my spouse and I have visited Black Rhino Private Game Reserve 5 times. We stayed at two different lodges that are quite similar compared in service: Both offer good quality meals, spacious bungalows and a small pool. Two game drives per day are already included in the room price.
The game drives are done with small cars (max. 10 people per car). All 4 different guides on our meanwhile 29 game drives did an excellent job: They tried to find as many different animals as possible, with the focus not only on the "Big Five". They stayed as long near the animals as the guests wanted (very good for photography!). There was no "rush from one animal to the next" like we already experienced at some of the smaller game lodges in the Western Cape, which (in comparison to a national park) are more like small zoos where the predators live in separate fenced areas.
...o.k. if the animals don't cooperate, even the best ranger can't do anything! After all one should not forget that the animals of a national park (although they might be used to the cars) are still wild: The grazers keep in the bush to hide from their predators and the predators hide themself to better approach their prey. Large animals like elephants, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe or even white rhinos are quite easy to find in the grassy areas - but don't expect to be so lucky that you'll see a lion, a hyaena, a black rhino or even a leopard on your first visit! On most of your game drives you'll most likely see only the "usual suspects".
noel
ZA
Visited:
September 2016
Reviewed: Jan 25, 2017
Email noel | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Some unique wildlife to be seen here, including Brown Hyena.
Raffaella
IT
Visited:
August 2016
Reviewed: Nov 28, 2016
Email Raffaella | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
brunogarennealabadi
FR
Visited:
September 2006
Reviewed: Sep 18, 2016
Email brunogarennealabadi | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Slightly more than 2 hrs from joburg, it is really great , you can spend a great day, and be back in joburg at night.
The whole park can be nearly completely seen throughout one single day.
really a must.
zapiture
ZA
Visited:
July 2016
Reviewed: Aug 7, 2016
Email zapiture | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Well known for the Noah's Arch project, the wildlife in this reserve was replenished with all the wildlife that could be found in this area before it was destroyed by hunting and farming
Bert
ZA
Visited:
November 2015
Reviewed: Mar 25, 2016
Email Bert | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A Must Visit
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their itinerary. It's a thoroughbred African experience with an entrance fee through the gate of less than 5 Euros per person for the day. (Accommodation in the luxury catagories could of course be quite expensive, but you normally get good value for your money) I hope you consider making Pilanesberg part of your life experience - I'm addicted :-)
jeffa4444
GB
Visited:
March 2016
Reviewed: Mar 24, 2016
Email jeffa4444 | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Pilanesberg. A South African gem
Pilanesberg is a fantastic destination
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and easier to see the Big Five than Kruger National Park which is also a brilliant game reserve. If your thinking of going, do it you will not be disappointed.Fantastic way to see the wildlife in its natural habitat
Whilst staying in Johannesburg we decided to visit the game reserve. We wanted to see animals in their natural habitat rather than visit some of the parks around Johannesburg. Arriving at the park in the early morning we had missed the 5:30am game drive so we decided to drive our hire car around the many miles/kilometres of tracks and roads. With just a map as reference we managed to see Rhino, Giraffe, Zebra, Wild Dog, Warthogs, Impala, Springbok, Kudu, Elephant, Hippo, Leopard, Monkey and other smaller animals all the way down to the dung beetle we watched for 10 minutes trying to push its dung across the road. There is so much to see although we couldn't find any Lions, probably as they sleep during the day. We drove for 6 - 7 hours and thoroughly enjoyed the day, stopping at the various hides and places to buy food and drinks. If you are looking for a safari experience Pilanesburg Game Reserve is a great day out and much better than seeing these animals in a fake environment.