Pilanesberg game drive

They have an office at the OR Tambo airport and several in the centre of Johannesburg. The service from Avis is excellent and the vehicles are always of a high standard. If you prefer to compare prices of hire cars, airport rentals is a fantastic site.

A great way of combing car hire and accommodation is to rent a fully equipped vehicle or motorhome. These come with tents that extend from the roof and have all the equipment you need for a fantastic Pilanesberg National Park camping experience.

Pilanesberg is in the North West province in the region on Bojanala. Its the fourth largest park in South Africa. You can fly to Pilanesberg airport from Cape Town or Johannesburg. From Cape Town, flights depart on Mondays and Fridays.

From Johannesburg to Pilanesberg by car, it takes approximately two and a half hours to get to the gates near Sun City. Exit the motorway onto the R and head north towards Sun City Pilanesberg. Another reason for watching the speedometer along the R is that its a hotspot for speed cameras. There are four public entrance gates into the park, and any of them are suitable to begin your Pilanesberg Safari.

The Babukung Gate is the main entrance into the park and its to the west of Sun City. The gate is on the southeast side of the reserve which only has gravel roads. From the entrance, it will take you the best part of an hour to reach the Pilanesberg visitors centre. The Manyane Pilanesberg gate is to the east of the park. Further around the park to the northeast is the Bakgatla gate which is the closest entrance to Saulspoort.

To get there from Sun City, take the R towards Mogwase. Keep going past the Manyane Game Lodge entrance until you reach a T-junction.

Turn left to get to the Bakgatla gate. The Pilanesberg entrance fee is considerably cheaper than the ones for Kruger, although you can only pay the entry fee at one of the gates.

If you are hoping to get into the park early, its best to arrive at the gate 30 minutes before the Pilanesberg opening times mentioned below. There is often a queue to pay the Pilanesberg entry fee at opening times, so make sure you are at the front of the line by getting there early.

You can purchase a Pilanesberg self drive booklet at the entrance gates for 40 ZAR. On the centre page, there is Pilanesberg Game Reserve map. Its also a great place to meet people and ask around for the latest Pilanesberg sightings.

The other roads around the park vary between gravel and sand. Conditions are reasonably good, but you will need to take your time if you are planning to hire a 2wd car and incorporate these routes into your self-drive safari. As with any game reserve in Africa every Pilanesberg day visit will be completely different after all, this is a nature park and not a zoo.

The animals are free to roam around the square kilometres, that said there are certain places where Pilanesberg sightings are more common. You may also see some of the larger mammals such as Zebra, elephants and giraffe coming to drink from the dam. Tiou Drive on the west side of the park has plenty of open grasslands where you can spot zebras and elephants resting from the heat of the sun under the trees. Pilanesberg has several photographic hides which are fabulous places to sit and let the wildlife come to you.

All of them have car parks which are great places to ask other self-drivers about the latest sightings Pilanesberg has provided. The hides are well built and have wooden seating which looks out over the various waterholes.

The watering holes are great places to spot wildlife as of course; all animals need water to survive. This, of course, means that at some point during the day, they will visit a dam to take water and in the case of elephants a bath. One of the best places to sit, watch and of course capture those unforgettable moments is the hide at the Mankwe Dam. Very few people have the patience to sit and wait but trust me, good things come to those who do, and your patience will be rewarded.

The Mankwe dam hide is an excellent spot whatever time of day you visit, but if you want to capture silhouettes and the suns reflection stop by in the morning. Look out for the kingfishers, in particular, the elusive malachite which you can often spot around the Mankwe Dam. Please note that if you are visiting in , the hide is currently under restoration and is closed.

Makorwane is not far from Mankwe and its an excellent spot for photographs on a cloudy day. The best time to visit the Ruighoek and Batlhako hide is in the afternoon. The hide is east facing so the light is much better for photographs later in the day. With few people, this quieter section of Pilanesberg is fantastic for bird watching.

Just past the Batlhako hide is a viewpoint that has stunning vistas and its another great area to spot wildlife on your Pilanesberg day safari. Ratlhogo is on the Northside of the park towards the Bakgatla gate. All game parks in South Africa have rules and regulations that visitors must abide by when visiting the reserves. You are only permitted to get out of your vehicle at the hides, picnic spots, and viewing sites the rest of the time you must stay in your car. The maximum speed limit is 40 kilometres per hour but to spot game and avoid damaging your car on the gravel roads its best to drive at a much slower speed.

You are not allowed to drive through animal faeces as small creatures such as dung beetles live inside. Dung beetles use these piles as playgrounds for their young. You may also see them rolling balls of sand on the road, which is a magnificent sight.

Other small animals to look out for are tortoises, chameleons, and snakes. It is against the rules to remove any plant or animal from the park. If you have any cause for concerns, report to the gate staff at the end of your Pilanesberg national park game drive.

Feeding and touching any animal in the park is against the rules, so remember to admire from a distance. You are visiting their space, so respect the landscape and of course the animals that live within it. Keeping the park clean is the responsibility of all Pilanesberg National Park day visitors.

Do your bit, by taking your litter home if the bins are full. A bush fire would have devastating effects on the landscape, animals and eco-system within the park. Pilanesberg game reserve has plenty of elephants, and you would have to extremely unlucky not to spot any on your Pilanesberg safari tour. They can weigh unto seven tons and can inflict severe damage to your vehicle. Where can you have lunch?

Pilanesberg National has five public gates with an additional gate for the private Black Rhino Reserve. Here are our top-ten things to do when visiting the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.

The big-five African Guided Safari is the most popular. Outdoor Adventure Try your hand at the ancient sport of Archery and master this skill with a unique bow Experience the ancient art of archery with the help of modern-day equipment.

Transfers to Pilanesberg Safari getaway of a lifetime. It has never been so affordable and easy with our Johannesburg to Pilanesberg Transfers. Pilanesberg National Park. The park borders with the entertainment complex Sun City. Pilanesberg Game Reserve is home to the Big 5 and offers a variety of affordable accommodation, from self-catering to luxury 5 Star Lodges.

Pilanesberg Bush Lodges. Accommodation ranges from upmarket lodges to rustic self-catering, tented camps. Resorts in Pilanesberg. Sun City Hotels. Pilanesberg Walking Safaris. Set out on one of the most unique and exciting journeys of your …. Pilanesberg Game Drives. If you've never been on expedition before, the Pilanesberg Game Reserve is the …. Our bush walk experience focuses on locating and observing the inhabitants of the Pilanesberg National Park from a different angle — on foot.

Excursions depart daily in the early morning. Rates include a 4 hour game drive in an open land vehicle with a qualified ranger; When: Early morning, seven days a week, all year round. Cancellation only by Gametrackers Management. Exclusions: Minimum 4 people required for the activity to be conducted. Notes Age restrictions applicable. No persons under 16 years or No persons 75 years and older. Group game drives are available daily in our 25 seater open game drive vehicles to explore the Pilanesberg National Park.

The group can decide on the departure time to suit their needs. Weather: No weather restrictions. Activity will always go out even if it rains. Should we not receive any amendments in writing; the total confirmed pax will be charged. In the event of a management cancellation a full refund will be given on the amounts paid.