Pilanesberg Day Trips

3.9/5 – 107 Pilanesberg Reviews

Pilanesberg Game Reserve is one of South Africa’s most popular safari destinations. And justifiably so. It may be smaller and less famous than Kruger National Park, but this 572km²/221mi² park supports all the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino), along with a host of other safari favorites. Scenically, it’s very attractive, studded with the craggy remnants of an ancient volcanic crater and centered on a beautiful lake teeming with hippos and birds. Logistically, important considerations for families and business travelers are that Pilanesberg is malaria-free and makes a feasible option for a day trip from Johannesburg. In short, if you have limited time in South Africa and want a quick taste of the African bush, a 1-day Pilanesberg safari fits the bill perfectly.

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5 Questions About Pilanesberg Day Trips

Expert

Answered by

Philip Briggs

Philip Briggs is an Africa-specialized travel writer who grew up and lives in South Africa. He first visited Pilanesberg in the late 1980s, and has since returned there on numerous occasions. He is the author of ‘The Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa’.
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How can I find a reliable tour operator for a 1-day Pilanesberg safari?

“Pilanesberg is a popular tour destination out of Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, so plenty of different operators can arrange safaris there. We think the best place to start looking is the specialist Pilanesberg operator listings on SafariBookings.com. You will find profiles of dozens of operators that offer customized Pilanesberg trips, along with customer ratings and reviews to help you make an evaluation. There is also a button you can click to request a quote on each operator’s page. Alternatively, you could just search our tours pages for existing Pilanesberg trips, using the variables on the left to narrow down your budget and time frame. If you are already in Johannesburg, or elsewhere in Gauteng Province, ask your hotel to recommend an operator they work with on a regular basis.”

What can I expect from a day trip to the reserve?

“One thing that’s certain is you’re going to have a great experience on a day trip in Pilanesberg. Simply being out in the African bush is thrilling in itself. Factor in the unpredictability of not knowing what animal might lie around the next corner, and you’re in for an exciting and memorable day. Logistically most 1-day Pilanesberg safaris follow a similar itinerary. Almost all trips drive to the park from Gauteng, a densely populated province that incorporates the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria, as well as O.R. Tambo International Airport, the busiest air hub in southern Africa. You’ll want to get the earliest possible start, because it’s a two- to three-hour drive to Pilanesberg, depending on where exactly in Gauteng you start. Once you arrive at Pilanesberg, you’ll most likely transfer to an open Land Cruiser, Land Rover or similarly rugged 4x4 vehicle for a guided game drive. With luck, wildlife viewing will start almost as soon as you enter the park gate, and continue through to midday, when you’ll stop for lunch in the park or at a hotel outside it. After lunch you will go on an afternoon game drive and hopefully add to your wildlife tally with some species you missed out on in the morning. After that, you’ll transfer back to the car you came in, and drive back to Gauteng to arrive in the evening and reflect on everything you’ve seen in your action-packed day.”

Is a day trip to Pilanesberg worth it?

“Absolutely. A well-organized day trip to Pilanesberg should include two full game drives, which allows you plenty of time to get a feel for the park and see a reasonable selection of its wildlife. Coming from Johannesburg or elsewhere in Gauteng, a day safari to Pilanesberg will be a bit of a rushed affair, as the drive there and back will take up to three hours in either direction. But we are confident that when you’re finished, you’ll agree it was worth it, just to spend those magical few hours in the African bush. Having said that, while a day trip to Pilanesberg is better than not going at all, it’s worth considering a longer safari if possible. This will allow you to spend at least 1 night in the bush, which is a unique and thrilling experience in itself. An overnight stay will also greatly improve your odds of seeing a greater variety of wildlife, particularly lions, leopards and other carnivores. This is because carnivores are most active from dusk to dawn, so you’re far more likely to see them on a night drive or in the early morning than you will if arriving midmorning from Gauteng.”

Which animals can I expect to see on a 1-day Pilanesberg safari?

“Pilanesberg is home to a great variety of wildlife, and while you can’t realistically expect to see everything on a 1-day safari, you can be confident of seeing the more conspicuous creatures. Animals that you are almost certain to see include elephant, white rhino, hippo, zebra, giraffe, warthog, impala, greater kudu, tsessebe, wildebeest and crocodile. You might also encounter lions on a 1-day Pilanesberg safari, but because you will miss out on early morning and night drives, you’re unlikely to spot nocturnal hunters such as leopard and brown hyena. Other wildlife you might see includes cheetah, black rhino and buffalo, but these are less likely on a 1-day safari. A notable feature of Pilanesberg is the varied birdlife, which includes charismatic species such as African fish eagle, crested barbet and crimson-breasted shrike.”

Is a day trip to Pilanesberg safe?

“Pilanesberg is widely regarded to be a safe safari destination. Statistically the most dangerous part of a Pilanesberg safari is probably the drive there and back from Gauteng! Within the park, one potential danger are elephants, which are generally very relaxed around cars, but can occasionally be temperamental. On a guided safari, your guide will have plenty of experience dealing with elephants and knows to treat them with respect and let them have the right of way. You don’t need to worry about malaria, as Pilanesberg is in a malaria-free part of the country. And crime is not normally a concern within the park. However, we urge you to heed the rule that forbids visitors from disembarking from the car, except at picnic sites, lookout points and rest camps.”

Pilanesberg Reviews

3.9/5 107 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 Within Easy Reach of Johannesburg

4/5

The main reason you would visit Pilanesberg is for its proximity to Johannesburg – it’s an easy three-hour drive. Those with more time might be better off heading to Kruger or Kgalagadi for a wilder safari experience, but that’s not...

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Laurent –

Reviewed: Jul 3, 2025

Paradise, just a few hours from Joburg

5/5

Amazing day in paradise. You spend your whole day in a Caldera with more than 10,000 animals, elephants herds, hippos, lions, tons of rhinos, giraffes… all in the wild. You get such a freedom feeling being able to roam around with a...

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Morgane –

Reviewed: May 25, 2025

Nice day in Pilanesberg park

4/5

One-day safari. In the freezing cold morning, we had trouble finding the animals, but the afternoon was fruitful, with elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and zebras just a few meters away! All this in a warm atmosphere thanks to our great guide,...

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Colleen Williamson –

Reviewed: May 11, 2025

5/5

I have been to this Game Reserve many times on trips to SA and this was my partners first trip to a Game Park where wildlife is in its natural habitat. It is so scenic and a very pretty park to visit.

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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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Pilanesberg Day Trips

½-Day Exclusive Pilanesberg Bakubung Safari Transfer

1-Day Best Full-Day Big Five Safari from Johannesburg

1-Day (4 + Persons) Pilanesberg 6 Hour Sunrise Safari

1-Day Pilanesberg National Park Tour and Safari

1-Day Ultimate Pilanesberg Full Day Safari

1-Day Pilanesberg Safari Full Day

1-Day Pilanesberg Safari near Johannesburg

½-Day Johannesburg to Sun City Transfer and Game Drive

1-Day Full Day Safari in Pilanesberg National Park

½-Day Exclusive Pilanesberg Ivory Tree Safari Transfer

1-Day (1 to 3 Guests) Pilanesberg Private Sunrise Safari

½-Day Ultimate Pilanesberg Tour

1-Day Pilanesberg Hot Air Balloon Safari

1-Day Pilanesberg Full Day Open Safari with Lunch

½-Day Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge Transfer and Game Drive

½-Day Exclusive Pilanesberg Kwa Maritane Safari Transfer

½-Day Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge Private Transfer

½-Day Exclusive Pilanesberg Black Rhino Safari Transfer

½-Day Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge Private Return Transfers

½-Day Exclusive Pilanesberg Shared Transfer & Safari

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5 Questions About Pilanesberg Day Trips

Answered by

Philip Briggs

5 Questions About Pilanesberg Day Trips

How can I find a reliable tour operator for a 1-day Pilanesberg safari?

What can I expect from a day trip to the reserve?

Is a day trip to Pilanesberg worth it?

Which animals can I expect to see on a 1-day Pilanesberg safari?

Is a day trip to Pilanesberg safe?

Pilanesberg Reviews

Family Friendly Wildlife Viewing Within Easy Reach of Johannesburg

Paradise, just a few hours from Joburg

Nice day in Pilanesberg park

Amazing Days and Nights