Pilanesberg National Park
The park lies in the transition zone between the Kalahari and the Lowveld, which allows an unusually broad range of wildlife with more than 50 large mammal species and 15 antelope species. The volcano's concentric rings of hills, 300 to 600 metres above the plain, give the park a landscape that differs clearly from the flat savannas of the Kruger. Around 200 kilometres of roads, the main routes tarred, open up the park; Mankwe Dam in the centre is the largest body of water and a good spot for hippos and water birds.
Honestly: Pilanesberg is fenced and, at 550 square kilometres, considerably smaller than the Kruger; the animals were introduced from 1979 in “Operation Genesis”. At weekends, on public holidays and in the South African school holidays the tarred roads are busy, and clusters of vehicles form at lion sightings. Leopard, cheetah, black rhino and brown hyena are only seen with luck on a day visit. Since 1 December 2025 foreign visitors pay 748 ZAR per day, more than in the Kruger National Park.
- Big Five
- yes
- Malaria
- free
- Wildlife
- Lion, Leopard (rarely seen), Elephant, White rhino, Black rhino (rare), Buffalo, Cheetah (rare), Brown hyena (nocturnal), Giraffe, Zebra, Hippo, Blue wildebeest, Kudu, Sable antelope, Oryx, Impala, Springbok, over 300 bird species
- Entry adults, foreign visitors, per day (incl. 10 % community levy)
- 748 ZAR (2025-12-01)
