Africa : Southern Africa : South Africa : North West Province : Pilanesberg National Park

Pilanesberg National Park

Table of Contents:
Travel to Pilanesberg National Park, visa requirements By car Flights to Pilanesberg National Park, airtickets / Get around / Pilanesberg National Park attractions and sightseeing / City tours / Shopping, Pilanesberg National Park souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Pilanesberg National Park nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging / Get out

More from North West Province:
Pilanesberg National Park, Rustenburg, Sun City (South Africa)

More from South Africa:
Drakensberg, Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West Province, Western Cape

More from Southern Africa:
Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, Botswana, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe

More from Africa:
Central Africa, East Africa, North Africa, Saharan Africa, Seychelles, Southern Africa, West Africa

The Pilanesberg National Park (sometimes also called Pilanesberg Game Reserve) [1] is located just a few kilometres from Sun City in South Africa. It is known for its beautiful landscape and ideal, if you are staying near Johannesburg and do not have time to go to the Kruger National Park.

It is important to note that Pilanesberg National Park is in a malaria-free area.

Travel to Pilanesberg National Park, visa requirements

By car

Take the N4 or R24 when coming from Gauteng (Pretoria or Johannesburg). From Rustenburg take the R565 when going to Bakubung Gate or the R510 when going to Manyane Gate.

Gate opening times are as follows:

April-August - Open 6 am, close 6.30 pm
September-March - Open 5 am, close 7 pm

Entry is R15 per vehicle and an additional R20 per person.

Flights to Pilanesberg National Park, airtickets

The airport of Pilanesberg/Sun City is not far away. There are daily flights to Johannesburg with South African Airways and connections to Cape Town are planned.

Get around

There are a number of bird hides and picnic spots scattered around the park, where visitors can get out and have a relaxed lunch or just sight-see.

Pilanesberg National Park attractions and sightseeing

The park is very good for seeing many different animals, including the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffallo). There are a number of giraffes, hippopotamus, cheetahs, antelopes and countless birds. Bird watching is excellent with over 300 species recorded. Some are migrants, others permanent inhabitants; some eat carrion or live prey, others eat seeds, fruit or tiny water organisms.

There is a self-guided trail in the Walking Area at Manyane Complex in the east, which offers environmental education whilst enjoying game viewing and bird watching on foot. Also at Manyane is a walk-in aviary with over 80 species of indigenous birds.

City tours

Shopping, Pilanesberg National Park souvenirs

Good restaurants and cheap meals

Many of the resorts, including Sun City, have good restaurants.

However, nothing is better than enjoying a typical South African barbecue outside under the stars.

Pilanesberg National Park nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.

Hotels, youth hostels, lodging

Accommodation ranges from upmarket lodges to rustic self-catering, tented camps. The camps in the park are: Kwa Maritane, Tshukudu, Bakubung, Manyane Camp, Bakgatla Camp. Information on booking and reservations can be found at the Pilanesberg National Park website.