Pilanesberg National Park

About this place

A large game reserve in North West Province set inside the crater of an extinct volcano some 1.25 billion years old, where hills and valleys run in concentric rings around a central lake, giving it a landscape like no other. The reserve began in 1979 as a project to rehabilitate farmland, then thousands of animals were released in what was called Operation Genesis, and today it is home to the Big Five, lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard, along with giraffes, zebras and hippos. Its great advantage is its closeness to Johannesburg and Pretoria, making it the easiest safari in the region, doable in a day in your own car on its tarred and gravel roads, or on a guided open-vehicle game drive. Large resorts sit on its southern border. Entry is by a per-person and per-vehicle fee paid at the gate, per visitor guides. Early morning and late afternoon are best for animals, as are the dry winter months from May to September.