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3 Day Pilanesberg Safari

Tour Length — 3 days

Priced from pps $1010 R16415 £755 €884 A$1455 C$1437 NZ$1775 Full pricing info

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Summary of this Lodge Safari

Max. Group Size 12 Travellers
Starts & ends in Johannesburg, South Africa
Accommodation Lodge / Safari Lodge
Transport Microbus / Game Viewing Vehicle
Wildlife Big 5, Elephant, Leopards, Lions, Rhino & More
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Quick Itinerary Overview

Explore the malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park near Johannesburg on this budget-friendly Pilanesberg 3 Day Safari. The Pilanesberg family lodge safari offers an exciting Big 5 African adventure, based at the Bakubung Bush Lodge. This luxurious lodge is popular with families and provides a range of activities to keep everyone entertained, from Big 5 game drives in open-sided 4x4 safari vehicles to snake demonstrations and boma dinners.

Enjoy a safe, easy guided adventure with this affordable, all-inclusive Pilanesberg safari package, which includes round-trip transfers from Johannesburg.

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Itinerary for this Tour

Day 1: Johannesburg to Pilanesberg - South Africa

At the start of this Pilanesberg 3 Day Safari, you’re picked up early in Johannesburg and driven to Pilanesberg National Park. After exploring the Big 5 game reserve for a few hours, we arrive at Bakubung Bush Lodge at midday.

We have a light lunch and relax before it’s time to depart for a late afternoon game drive in the reserve. Game drives are conducted in a 4x4 safari vehicle with an expert ranger who takes you in search of the Big 5 of Africa (lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo, and leopard) and plenty of other animals and birds found in Pilanesberg.

After our first exhilarating game drive in Pilanesberg National Park, we return to the lodge as the sun is setting. Enjoy a lantern-lit dinner under the stars on warm evenings or in the spacious dining room.

Included Meals: Lunch & Dinner
Included Activities: Afternoon Game Drive in Pilanesberg
Accommodation: Standard or Luxury Room at Bakubung Bush Lodge

Day 2: Pilanesberg Safari - South Africa

After a coffee or tea, we set off for a 3-hour sunrise game drive in Pilanesberg. We explore the game reserve in an open safari vehicle with a professional ranger. After spotting an array of wild animals, birds, and small creatures, we head back to the lodge for a delicious breakfast spread.

You are then free to enjoy the lodge's facilities and optional activities at family-friendly Bakubung Bush Lodge. For an additional cost, you can join a guided bush walk or a game tracking activity, or visit the reserve’s wildlife center or Predator’s World. In the late afternoon, after a tasty lunch at the lodge, we embark on a 4x4 game drive. Late afternoons, like early mornings, are excellent for game viewing because many of the animals are most active at these times. After ticking more wildlife off your bucket list, we return to have dinner around the campfire in the open-air boma, on the patio, or in the restaurant.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Included Activities: Morning and Afternoon Game Drives in Pilanesberg
Accommodation: Standard or Luxury Room at Bakubung Bush Lodge

Day 3: Pilanesberg to Johannesburg - South Africa

We have an early start on day three of our Big 5 Pilanesberg Safari. Start with a refreshing tea or coffee before going on a 3-hour sunrise game drive in the Pilanesberg National Park. As you explore the bush in the lodges' 20 seater open-sided safari vehicle, your professional guide tells you more about the wildlife, plants, birds, and habitats found here.

We return to the luxurious lodge for a hearty breakfast; pack up and get ready to check out by 11:30 am and spend the rest of the morning relaxing at the lodges' fantastic facilities—lounge by the pool, book a spa treatment, or enjoy lunch (at own expense).

The standard shared shuttle transfer collects guests between 2:00 PM and 2:30 PM for the return journey to Johannesburg, with drop-off between 5:30 PM and 6:00 PM.

For added flexibility or more safari time, you may choose one of the following options at additional cost (Please see full pricing info):

Private transfer back to Johannesburg, departing at a time that suits you.
Additional 3-hour open-vehicle game drive (11:00 AM – 3:00 PM) conducted in a 10-seater open safari vehicle, with lunch included—a perfect way to extend your wildlife experience before heading home.

Included Meals: Breakfast
Included Activities: Morning Game Drive in Pilanesberg

About Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa

Pilanesberg is South Africa's fourth-largest game park, covering approximately 55,000 hectares (135,908 acres). It is one of the best Big 5 game reserves near Johannesburg and one of the country's most easily accessible safari parks.

Pilanesberg National Park is located in the Bojanala Region of the North West Province, in a transitional vegetation zone. It is also where the arid Kalahari Desert and the wetter Lowveld biomes meet. As a result, this location is home to a diverse range of animal, plant, and bird species. Pilanesberg is home to nearly all of Southern Africa's wildlife, including endangered and rare species such as African wild dogs and roan, sable, and tsessebe antelope. Pilanesberg is home to all five Big 5 animals (elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo, and elusive leopard). Cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles, jackals, wild cats, and various antelopes also roam the national park. In addition, Pilanesberg National Park has more than 360 bird species recorded.

The Pilanesberg National Park is a provincial park managed by the North West Parks Board. An interesting fact about the national park is that it was formed in a crater millions of years ago by a volcano eruption. The extinct volcano is a fascinating geological site with stunning scenery.

Bakubung Bush Lodge in Pilanesberg

On this Pilanesberg 3 Day Safari, we stay at Bakubung Bush Lodge, a family-friendly safari destination located in the southeast corner of the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, and a short 15-minute drive from Sun City Resort. The lodge overlooks a sweeping lawn that leads down to a large waterhole, which usually has a resident pod of hippos.

There’s so much to do at Bakubung Bush Lodge between the early morning and afternoon game drives to keep the whole family busy. Lodge facilities include a large swimming pool, floodlit tennis courts, children's playground, volleyball courts, internet lounge, gym and spa center, large restaurant, and poolside bar. A highlight is the African-themed spit braais (barbeques) and bush braais that happen on certain nights of the week at the outdoor boma.

Accommodation ranges from Standard to Luxury Rooms. Each ensuite luxury room is elegantly decorated and fully equipped for comfort and convenience. The spacious rooms open up onto a private balcony with a panoramic view of the reserve. This safari includes accommodation in standard rooms at Bakubung Bush Lodge.

Pilanesberg National Park Safari Meals

All meals on this Pilanesberg Safari at Bakubung Bush Lodge are carefully selected and prepared. This Pilanesberg Safari includes hearty meals at Bakubung Lodge's restaurant, overlooking a hippo hide.

Pilanesberg 3 Day Safari Transport

Transfers on this Pilanesberg 3 Day Safari are conducted in an air-conditioned minibus (Quantum). Transfers to and from the lodge are in a shared vehicle with 2 to 12 people. You will be collected and dropped off at your accommodation in these enclosed tour vehicles at the start and end of your safari.

Collection from your accommodation in Johannesburg or central Pretoria between 05h30 and 07h00.
Drop off at your accommodation in Johannesburg or central Pretoria from 17h30

During your stay at the Bakubung Bush Lodge in Pilanesberg National Park, your game drives are conducted in either an open-sided 4x4 safari vehicle or an open 20-seater safari vehicle.

Pilanesberg Family Lodge Safari Options

Bakubung Bush Lodge offers several optional activities (at an additional cost), including guided bush walks, wildlife tracking, visits to the Pilanesberg Wildlife Centre or Predator World, archery, quad biking, spa treatments, and more. If you would like to enjoy these optional activities, we recommend adding an extra night or two to this safari program to allow enough time. A minimum booking of two people is required for these optional activities. Optional activities often replace the game drives listed in the program due to time constraints.

This Pilanesberg family lodge safari can be customized upon request. Contact us to have one of our friendly travel experts tailor-make this Pilanesberg Safari for you.

Onward Travel Note

For travelers with onward flights departing on the evening of the final day of this Pilanesberg 3 Day Safari, please book flights that allow extra time for delays. We recommend booking domestic flights out of OR Tambo International Airport that depart from 19h30 onwards and international flights departing after 21h00.

Pre and Post Safari Lodge Option:

Please note that we offer convenient pre- and post-tour lodge accommodation for before and after this budget-friendly Pilanesberg Family Safari, which can be added to your tour booking upon request. The 4-star lodge is 10-15 minutes from Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport. Follow the safari price link for information on rates.