Best Game Reserves for a Short Big 5 Safari near Johannesburg, Gauteng

Most safaris to South Africa land in the capital city, Johannesburg. Johannesburg is the start and end point of both southern African safari tours as well as longer overland safaris that visit East Africa. The Kruger National Park is southern Africa's premier Big 5 safari destination, and for good reason too! The Kruger National Park offers unparalleled safari experiences, and nothing in the vicinity comes close to rivalling its vastness and diversity of plant and animal life. However, South Africa is a big country and visitors often have time or budget constraints, so the 5-hour drive to the Kruger is just not possible, but that doesn’t mean that they need to miss out on an incredible safari experience. Located around Johannesburg are some smaller, but rewarding Big 5 safari destinations for those looking to get a taste of Africa, here is our list of the best game reserves for Johannesburg safaris.

Best Big 5 Game Reserves for a Johannesburg Safari

Here we’ve listed our five favorite Big 5 game reserves near Johannesburg. These Big 5 safari parks are close enough to make day trips possible. We do recommend trying to stay at least one night, though, to experience the African bush at night and in the early morning.

1. Pilanesberg National Park
2. ​Dinokeng Game Reserve
3. Welgevonden Game Reserve
4. Mabula Private Game Reserve
5. Nambiti Private Game Reserve

Pilanesberg National Park

The Pilanesburg Game Reserve is a short 2 to 3-hour drive from Johannesburg, and at 55 km² it is the largest Big 5 safari park within easy driving distance of the city. The Pilanesberg National Park sits in an ecological transition zone, between the dry Kalahari region and the wet Lowveld region, giving it diverse habitats and, therefore, wildlife. At the Mankwe Dam, you can sit for hours watching as the animals – giraffes, a variety of buck, wildebeest, zebras, and more – come down to drink, and visitors are often treated to sightings of lions, and if you are very lucky leopards too. There is also a bird hide, for bird lovers, from where you can watch some of the 360 bird species that live here.

What Pilanesberg National Park offers

• Big 5 safaris: Game drives at sunrise or sunset (when most animals are active, before/after the heat of the day) to spot an abundance of game – if you’re lucky, all of the Big 5 African animals. Trained rangers take you on these trips and you’ll be amazed at their skill in finding camouflaged wildlife.
• Alternatively, the road network in Pilanesburg is excellent and many guests choose to do self-drive safaris.
• Night drives: Many animals are nocturnal, so night drives are an incredible experience: driving through the bush under the vast star-spattered African sky, listening to night sounds, and looking for eyes reflecting in the spotlights.
• Walking safaris: Experience the bush first hand – smell the dust, see the animal tracks and scat, and listen to the birds chirping and the insects singing.
• Hot air ballooning: Want to do it with a birds-eye view? Take a gentle float above it all at dawn, followed by a full breakfast on landing – being a bird is hungry work!

Accommodation at Pilanesberg National Park

Accommodation at Pilanesberg can be on the pricey side, with many luxury lodges within the reserve. There are also budget options, including tented camps like Manyane Resort, as well as basic camping run by the parks board. One way to take the stress out of a safari is to let African Budget Safaris do the planning. In addition to our Pilanesburg Safaris, our experienced African travel experts are here to answer any of your Pilanesberg safari questions, making planning both easy and cost-effective. Contact us and talk to a friendly safari expert.

Sun City South Africa

It would be remiss of us not to mention South Africa's Sun City when talking about Pilanesberg. Situated on the reserve’s border, this monument to glitz and glamour includes the architectural wonder of ‘The Palace of the Lost City’. With four hotels, a golf course, casinos, theatres, beautifully manicured gardens, and a ‘beach’, with waves and a plethora of activities, it’s quite something to behold.

Dinokeng Game Reserve

Just half an hour north of Pretoria (about an hour from Johannesburg), Dinokeng Game Reserve is the closest game reserve to Johannesburg which is home to the Big 5 African animals, so it's the perfect safari park if your time is very limited. In the early 2000s, the Gauteng Government and 170 landowners in the area developed plans to turn the 200 square kilometre area into a game reserve. In 2008, construction of the perimeter fence began, then the landowners' fences came down, and wild animals were introduced. In September 2011, the reserve was officially opened, and, with the introduction of a herd of black rhinos in 2018, it earned itself the accolade of a Big Five reserve.

What Dinokeng offers

• Guided Big 5 game drives: Open safari vehicles with knowledgeable guides are the best way to see any reserve. The guides know how and where to look for the Big 5 animals and ensure you see as much wildlife as possible.
• Bush walks: Want to get up close and personal with the African bush? Bush walks are done in small groups with two trained guides and you get to see the small things, like tiny dung beetles doing what they do best; details you'll miss on a drive.
• Hot air ballooning: You can’t get much more romantic than a hot air balloon trip as dawn breaks over the bush.
• Self-drive safaris (suitable for sedan vehicles): Dinokeng is close enough for a day trip and has 140 km of driveable track through the beautiful bush. But we recommend you stay at least one night, to experience the fabulousness of the African bush at night.
• Picnic sites: These are not fenced, which means you get a true bush encounter while you enjoy your meal. 
• Bird hide: Located next to a wetland, the MarSu Lombert Bird Hide is a twitcher’s paradise.

Accommodation at Dinokeng

Dinokeng offers accommodation to suit every budget and taste: from camp and caravan sites to tented camps, self-catering chalets, and up to luxury lodges. We think the Adama Artistic Chalets and Teepees are fun but take a look and see what suits you best.

Welgevonden Game Reserve

Two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Johannesburg, Welgevonden Game Reserve is located in the beautiful Waterberg in the Limpopo province. It’s 370 km2 of pristine wilderness and is home not only to the Big 5 of Africa but many other African animals including buck, cheetah, zebra, giraffe, and hyena. This game reserve is exclusive, with restricted numbers of people allowed in the reserve and accommodated at the luxury lodges within it (most have a maximum capacity of ten), meaning that it’s not overcrowded. It does reflect in the pricing, but it’s totally worth it!

What Welgevonden offers

• Big 5 safaris: Game drives with qualified guides who are skilled trackers in the morning, at sunset, and at night. Most accommodations include these game drives in the price.
• Walking safaris: Bush walks with trained guides are offered to experience the bush first-hand.
• Stargazing: The African night sky is an absolute treat. At Welgevonden, two of the staff are qualified 'Sky Rangers’ and, with the aid of a telescope, you can marvel at and learn all about all things celestial.
• San paintings: The area was inhabited by the San people about 2,000 years ago and there are two well-preserved rock paintings in Welgevonden. Book a guided tour and learn about the culture of the ancient San people.
• Horseback trails: Explore the Big 5 safari area on horseback with a guide.

Accommodation at Welgevonden Game Reserve

As mentioned above, Welgevonden is an exclusive Big 5 game reserve, and its accommodation and prices reflect that. Accommodation ranges from self-catering to fully catered, in small, high-end, luxurious lodges. It’s expensive, but if you can possibly squeeze it into your safari budget, it’s an absolute treat!

Mabula Private Game Reserve

Mabula Private Game Reserve, just a two-and-a-half hours drive from Johannesburg, is also in Limpopo province; its 120 km2 of beautiful bush is filled with a wide array of animals. The reserve boasts 60 mammals, (including the Big 5 animals), 300 bird species, and loads of insects and reptiles, due to its varied habitat and fauna.

What Mabula offers

• Big 5 safari: Twice daily game drives with knowledgeable guides to spot the creatures during their active time at dusk and daybreak.
• Quad bike safaris: These are guided, but you do get to drive your own quad bike through the bush while game viewing. 
• Horseback safaris: Want the quieter, more natural version? Mabula offers guided horse rides. 
• Hot air ballooning: Even quieter, and from above. The only noise you’ll hear while floating gently above Mabula at daybreak is the whoosh of the flame now and then to keep you up. 

Accommodation at Mabula

Accommodation at Mabula is in lodge rooms – airy and light thatched suites with huge windows and luxurious furnishings – or the exclusive villa, which accommodates ten people. The villa is ideal for small groups wanting an exclusive Big 5 safari experience: your host will meet with you to design the perfect daily schedule and the in-house butler, chef, and housekeeper will ensure that your safari experience is top-notch.

Nambiti Private Game Reserve

Nambiti Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal has the Big 5 African animals and is just 3.5 hours from Johannesburg. It's full of streams and waterfalls and its 23,000 acres are in a malaria-free area, making it a good choice for families with young children. It is also close to the renowned KwaZulu-Natal battlefields of Rorke’s Drift, Isandlwana, Elandslaagte, and Ladysmith. This Big 5 game reserve is a birder's paradise and has four types of biomes – grasslands, riverine bush, savannah, and thornveld – and an immense diversity of game. Besides the Big 5 African animals, there are 40 other wildlife species, including cheetah, giraffe, hippo, hyena, impala, eland, and zebra.

What Nambiti Private Game Reserve offers

• The Drakensberg Mountain Range: This World Heritage Site full of extraordinary beauty, is just an hour away, with hiking and numerous other activities.
• Big 5 safaris: The reserve offers daily guided game drives led by experienced guides and fabulous opportunities to capture wildlife images.
• Night drives: These offer a chance to photograph nocturnal animals, such as leopards and hyenas, in their natural habitat.
• Birdwatching: With around 300 bird species, Nambiti is a haven for birdwatchers and photographers.

Accommodation at Mandiki

Mandiki has a selection of superb lodges, including luxury lodges, chalets, and tented lodges, with a variety of different experiences including fine cuisine, breathtaking landscapes, skilled and personable guides, and a rich diversity of wildlife and flora. New to the reserve is The Homestead, an ultra-luxury eco-lodge steeped in history and bristling with technology. It is hewn from local ironstone and the roof is planted with indigenous grasses to embed it within the natural environment. 

Need to find a safari starting in Johannesburg? 

If you're in Johannesburg or headed that way, check out our list of upcoming safari departures from Joburg here, or you can browse our full list of tours starting or ending in Joburg here.

The best budget sleeps in Johannesburg

See our post on budget accommodation in Johannesburg, which will give you some excellent up-to-date options if you need to spend a night or two in the bustling ‘City of Gold’. One thing we’re absolutely sure of is that nothing beats a Big 5 safari in South Africa so get hold of our knowledgeable travel consultants and book your dream safari now!