Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre tour: Breeding programmes

Watch cheetahs and wild dogs fed in their enclosures, then drive through the reserve where antelope and other animals roam.

A guided tour of the Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre near Pretoria, departing from Johannesburg with hotel pickup included. You'll attend an introductory lecture, watch keepers feed cheetahs and African wild dogs in the larger enclosures, then drive through a smaller reserve to see antelope, meerkats, caracals and other animals the centre breeds. On Sunday and Wednesday mornings, the tour adds a live cheetah run to the itinerary.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre

• Private pick up in Johannesburg area
• Pass by Pretoria capital city
• Drive through Magaliesberg and Hartebeespoort region
• Cross Hartebeespoort Dam wall
• Attend introductory lecture at Cheetah Centre
• Drive through large enclosures feeding cheetahs and wild dogs
• Drive through small reserve with antelope and other animals
• Return drop off in Johannesburg area

The experience

The Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre sits in the Magaliesburg region, where the mountains rank among the oldest visible mountain ranges on earth at 3 billion years old. Depending on your guide's route, you may cross the Hartebeespoort Dam wall built in the Crocodile River Gorge, with water spouting from the spillway and views down into the gorge below. The centre itself was founded in 1971 around a cheetah breeding programme, but it now runs breeding and rewilding projects for brown hyenas, caracals, servals, African wild cats, vultures and many antelope species, along with meerkats, ostriches and wildebeest added over time.

The tour starts with an introductory lecture, then moves into a drive-through of the larger enclosures where you'll watch staff feed groups of cheetahs and African wild dogs. After that comes a drive through the small reserve to see the other animals the centre maintains. On Sunday and Wednesday mornings, a cheetah run is added to the programme. The animals are released to run at speed, which is how the centre assesses their fitness and readiness for potential release into the wild. Standard departures run at 9am most days, 8am on Sunday and Wednesday (when the run happens), and 2pm daily. A fully qualified English-speaking guide conducts all tours in an approved vehicle. Other languages are available on request.

Hotel or port pickup and drop-off anywhere in the Johannesburg, Pretoria or OR Tambo area is included in the price. Bottled water is provided throughout the tour, and the centre is wheelchair accessible. The tour runs six to seven hours and operates every day, including weekends and public holidays.

What’s included

• Bottled water.
• all activities and entrance fees.
• hotel or airport pickup and drop-off anywhere in the Johannesburg, Pretoria or OR Tambo area.
• fully qualified English-speaking guide in an approved vehicle with tourism permits.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guided TourUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English · 07:30 and 12:00Daily guided tours include a drive through our Cheetah and Wild Dog areas and a Walking Tour to other animals. Open Safari Vehicle: the vehicle takes you through the Wild Dog and Cheetah areas and then the reserve with wildebeest, zebra, and other grazers. Pickup is included.

Guided Tour with Cheetah RunUp to 8 per booking · Guide in English · 06:00Pickup is included on the Sunday morning Guided Tour with The Cheetah Run

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:00, 07:30 and 12:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (17 to 65 years) · Senior (66 and older) · Youth (13 to 16 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendly

Operated by Mmilo Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the Sunday or Wednesday 8am departure if you want to see the cheetah run: the live demonstration that shows how the centre assesses the animals' fitness for potential release into the wild. The standard 9am or 2pm tours on other days skip the run but include everything else: the lecture, the feeding of cheetahs and wild dogs, and the drive through the small reserve.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 16 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3).

What animals will I see at the Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Centre?

The centre breeds and houses cheetahs, African wild dogs, brown hyenas, caracals, servals, African wild cats, various vultures and large bird species, multiple antelope types, wildebeest, meerkats and ostriches. The larger enclosures hold the cheetahs and wild dogs you'll watch being fed. The smaller reserve holds the antelope and other animals.

What is the cheetah run and when does it happen?

The cheetah run is a live demonstration where cheetahs are released to run at speed. It's added to the tour on Sunday and Wednesday mornings at 8am, allowing the centre to assess the animals' fitness and readiness for potential release into the wild. It's not part of the standard weekday tours at 9am or the afternoon tour at 2pm.

Is the Magaliesburg mountain range really that old?

The Magaliesburg is the second most ancient visible mountain range in the world, at 3 billion years old. The centre is situated in this scenic region, and depending on the route your guide takes, you may cross the Hartebeespoort Dam wall built in the Crocodile River Gorge, with views down into the gorge.

Does the tour price include pickup from my hotel?

Yes, private pickup and drop-off anywhere in the Johannesburg, Pretoria or OR Tambo area is included in the price. Bottled water is also provided throughout the tour.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs six to seven hours from pickup to drop-off. Standard departures are at 9am Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 8am on Sunday and Wednesday (when the cheetah run is included); and 2pm every day.