2-Day Pilanesberg Safari Tours

3.9/5 – 103 Pilanesberg Reviews

Pilanesberg Game Reserve is a fantastic safari destination, and 2 days is a good amount of time for a visit. The park is easy to get to, the wildlife here is incredible, and there is a good mix of surfaced roads and quieter dirt tracks where you won’t see many other vehicles. Pilanesberg is a great place to see the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino), and the accommodations here are first-rate. The scenery is also a highlight, and the birding is excellent with more than 300 species recorded. It’s an especially good wildlife destination if this is your first safari, although there’s much to tempt experienced safari travelers as well.

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5 Questions About 2-Day Pilanesberg Safaris

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Answered by

Anthony Ham

Anthony has been traveling to, and writing about, safaris in southern Africa for more than a decade. He has cowritten Lonely Planet’s ‘South Africa’ and ‘Southern Africa’ guidebooks, and he is the author of ‘The Last Lions of Africa’.
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Is 2 days too short to visit Pilanesberg Game Reserve?

“Spending 2 days in Pilanesberg is close to the ideal time for visiting the reserve. On the first day you could get to know the main roads through the park. It’s a good chance to get your bearings and tick off many of the animals (such as white rhino and elephant, which are plentiful) that make the park famous. Then, on the second day, you could explore a little deeper, leaving the crowds behind to follow some of the park’s more remote dirt roads. Having a couple of days also allows you to experience the varied scenery that this surprisingly large park protects. This includes the bird hides and lookouts in the lightly trafficked western areas of the park, as well as the dams, lookouts and low volcanic mountains scattered across the reserve.”

How do I get to Pilanesberg?

“It’s an easy road trip to Pilanesberg from Gauteng (a province that includes Johannesburg, which is just a 200km/124mi drive away) or the northern Limpopo region. If you do arrive by road, you’ll most likely travel in a 4WD vehicle or a minibus, depending on the size of your traveling party. The main roads to get here are generally very good. It might also be possible to fly into one of the airstrips in the area on a charter flight, although this can be expensive. Many travelers combine a visit to Pilanesberg with a trip to Sun City, a resort and entertainment complex. Most people visit the reserve on a combined tour of both, and this is really something you should do. If for no other reason than that it’s hard to imagine two such different neighbors: one a monument to human excess, the other a wildlife park with extraordinary wild animals.”

What kind of accommodations are available in Pilanesberg?

“Apart from a couple of exclusive lodges within Pilanesberg’s park boundaries, most of the reserve’s accommodations are just outside the park, especially near Manyane or Bakubung Gates. Most of these lodges have elegant, spacious rooms, as well as public facilities, such as a swimming pool, bar, restaurant and activity-booking center. All can organize game drives, although they can get pretty crowded. You will hopefully have your game drives organized separately through your tour operator. Another option is to stay within the vast Sun City complex, which has some good accommodations, as well as easy access to lots of eating and entertainment options. The problem with staying at Sun City is that you have to pass through its access gates and then the same for the reserve. This can eat into the valuable time that you could be spending looking for animals each morning.”

Which animals am I likely to see in Pilanesberg?

“Pilanesberg Game Reserve is home to the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo). Of these, elephant and white rhino are easy to see. Buffalo, black rhino, lion and leopard are more occasional, as are cheetah. Other animals you will probably see during your 2 days here include giraffe, hippo, zebra, wildebeest, impala, springbok and the localized tsessebe antelope. Carnivores such as lion, leopard, brown hyena, genet and serval are largely nocturnal and generally quite difficult to see in Pilanesberg. Because self-driving after dark is forbidden, your best chance of spotting these creatures is to book onto a guided night drive. Although even then you’ll need a bit of luck on your side. The birding in Pilanesberg is also a real treat. It’s not unusual for dedicated birders to see nearly 100 of the park’s 300 different bird species in a single day. If birding is a big part of why you’re here, be sure to start early and inform your tour operator and guide, because the best habitat for birds is not always the same as for mammals.”

How much does a 2-day Pilanesberg safari cost?

“There are lots of variables that will affect the cost of your 2-day Pilanesberg safari, but most safaris start at around US$200 to US$300 per person per day. Prices for a more luxurious experience can cost double or triple that figure. When calculating how much you can expect to pay for your safari, you also need to consider the time of year when you travel. Prices are more expensive during the high season, from October to April. However, the low season (from May to September, which is actually the best time to visit) is not always dramatically cheaper. Other variables include the number of people in your group (a small-group tour usually costs more) and the type of safari you choose. A private safari costs more than a group safari, sometimes significantly so. Remember also that on a 2-day safari, your per-day cost will likely be higher than it would be for a longer safari because transfers on both days will need to be factored in.”

Pilanesberg Reviews

3.9/5 103 Reviews

Expert

Lucy Corne –

Lucy is travel writer for a range of publications, including Lonely Planet's guides to Africa, Southern Africa and South Africa.

Family Friendly Wildlife Viewing in Easy Reach of Johannesburg

4/5

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...

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Expert

Philip Briggs –

Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.

The closest Big Five destination to Johannesburg

4/5

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...

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Nittaya –

Reviewed: May 17, 2024

4/5

From the game, we found many animals, but for big 5 we found only 3 (Leopard, Elephant, Rhino). However, our driver, Lethabo, he is an experienced driver with lot of knowledge. He tried very hard to find the places where we might see Lion...

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Francine –

Reviewed: Feb 8, 2024

Amazing Days and Nights

5/5

Since we were staying in and flying out of Johannesburg, we chose the closer Pilanesberg over Kruger NP so we would have more time viewing animals and less time driving in the two days we had for the safari. It did not disappoint us at all....

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Aurelia kelly –

Reviewed: Nov 2, 2023

Breathtaking, absolutely love it there, it's so peaceful and calm, so much to see.

5/5

I absolutely loved this place, great get away with my family, amazing wildlife, I'm not a early morning person but getting up for the the game drives was worth it........ we had the best time!!! Would def do it again

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Tracey Skagias –

Reviewed: Jun 8, 2023

4/5

I have been around many game parks in my life - I was born and raised in Kenya. I know you have to be lucky to see certain animals. I did find the tarmac road through the park rather unusual, and although I understand the why, I found...

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5 Questions About 2-Day Pilanesberg Safaris

Answered by

Anthony Ham

5 Questions About 2-Day Pilanesberg Safaris

Is 2 days too short to visit Pilanesberg Game Reserve?

How do I get to Pilanesberg?

What kind of accommodations are available in Pilanesberg?

Which animals am I likely to see in Pilanesberg?

How much does a 2-day Pilanesberg safari cost?

Pilanesberg Reviews

Family Friendly Wildlife Viewing in Easy Reach of Johannesburg

The closest Big Five destination to Johannesburg

Amazing Days and Nights

Breathtaking, absolutely love it there, it's so peaceful and calm, so much to see.