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1-Day Pilanesberg Safari Tour

Tour Length — 1 days

Priced from pps $184 R2995 £138 €161 A$266 C$262 NZ$324 Full pricing info

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Summary of this Lodge Safari

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

Experience the thrill of a Big 5 game viewing on this affordable Pilanesberg Day Safari Tour, starting and ending in Johannesburg or Pretoria. Highlights of this full-day Pilanesberg National Park Safari include:

Two 4x4 game drives in an open-sided safari vehicle with an experienced and knowledgeable guide
Excellent sightings of elephants, rhinos, buffalo, and lions, as well as other wildlife
Lunch in the heart of Pilanesberg National Park
Air-conditioned transfers from Johannesburg and Pretoria to Pilanesberg (return)

An affordable safari day tour in one of South Africa's most popular Big 5 game reserves near Johannesburg.

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Itinerary for this Tour

Pilanesberg Day Safari Overview

This Pilanesberg Day Safari starts in Johannesburg or central Pretoria when our driver collects you from your accommodation in the morning (between 05h30 and 07h00).

The drive from Johannesburg (or Pretoria) to Pilanesberg takes 2-3 hours, depending on your pickup location and traffic conditions. Along the scenic drive to the North West Province of South Africa, we stop for refreshments and a quick breakfast (at your own cost).

The Big 5 game-viewing adventure kicks off as soon as we arrive at Pilanesberg National Park. Entering the game reserve, we set off on a 2 to 3-hour morning game drive in an open-sided 4x4 safari vehicle. Our knowledgeable guide takes us in search of the Big 5 of Africa (lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo, and leopard) and the array of other animals and birds found in Pilanesberg. As we explore, our guide shares in-depth information about the wildlife we encounter and is happy to answer questions.

During the heat of the day, we pause for a lunch break at the Pilanesberg Centre near Mankwe Dam. Enjoy a hearty lunch at the restaurant and soak up the beautiful views of the open plains and hills. Wildebeest, zebra, and other animals are often seen grazing right next to the expansive game viewing deck, so keep an eye out. After lunch and a chance to stretch our legs, we head back into the bush in our open-sided 4x4 vehicle. We spend about 2.5 more hours exploring this Big 5 game reserve on an exhilarating afternoon game drive. At about 16h00, we return to the park gate and board our air-conditioned transfer vehicle for the journey back to the city.

From Pilanesberg, the driver will return you to your accommodation in Johannesburg or central Pretoria, with arrival estimated between 18h00 and 18h30. This concludes our Pilanesberg Day Safari Tour.

About Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa

At about 55,000 hectares (135908 acres), Pilanesberg is the fourth-largest game park in South Africa. It is one of the best Big 5 game reserves near Johannesburg and one of the most easily accessible safari parks in the country.

Pilanesberg National Park is located in the transitional vegetation zone of the Bojanala Region in the North West Province. This is where the arid Kalahari Desert and the wetter Lowveld biomes meet. As a result, this locale supports a wide diversity of animal, plant, and bird species, many of which are seldom found together. Almost all of Southern Africa's wildlife species are represented in Pilanesberg, including endangered and rare species such as African wild dogs, and roan, sable, and tsessebe antelopes, amongst others. Pilanesberg hosts all five Big 5 animals (elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo, and leopard). The game reserve is also home to cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles, jackals, wild cats, and a variety of antelope. Over 360 bird species have been recorded in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.

The Pilanesberg National Park is not one of South Africa's national parks (SANParks), but a provincial park managed by the North West Parks Board. The game reserve lies in a crater formed by a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. The extinct volcano is an interesting geological site with beautiful landscapes.

Pilanesberg Day Trip Transport

On this day safari, your game drives in Pilanesberg Game Reserve are conducted in open-sided 4x4 safari vehicles.

Transfers on this day safari are conducted in an air-conditioned minibus (Quantum). This means you are collected and dropped off at your accommodation in these enclosed tour vehicles at the start and end of the day tour.

Collection from your accommodation in Johannesburg or central Pretoria between 05h30 and 07h00.
Drop off at your accommodation in Johannesburg or central Pretoria between 18h00 and 18h30.

Pilanesberg Day Tour Note

For travelers with onward flights departing on the evening of this Pilanesberg Day Safari, please book flights that allow extra time for delays. We recommend booking domestic flights out of OR Tambo International Airport that depart no earlier than 19h30 and international flights departing no earlier than 21h00.

Pre and Post Safari Lodge Option

Please note that we offer convenient pre- and post-tour lodge accommodation (for before and after) this Pilanesberg 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. Visit tour pricing for information on rates.