Pilanesberg Safari: 3-Hour Open Vehicle Game Drive

The exact length of your drive depends on what you find. A pride of lions holds you longer than an empty grassland.

A 2.5 to 3-hour guided safari tour in Pilanesberg National Park, North West South Africa, in an open vehicle with an English-speaking ranger who takes you to animal viewing points and bird hides across the reserve. Hotel pickup is included. The tour returns you to your starting point. Conservation fees are payable separately at pickup or the park entrance.

Step-by-step itinerary

3-hour safari game drive

• Climb aboard open safari vehicle
• Drive to animal viewing points
• Visit bird hides around reserve
• Observe Africa's Big Five wildlife
• Return to pick-up location
• Pick up your car

The experience

You climb into an open safari vehicle and spend the next few hours traversing the park's grasslands, woodlands and waterholes with a guide who knows where to look. The route follows popular viewing points and bird hides scattered across the reserve, but the actual path depends on animal activity. If a sighting holds your attention, the guide stays put. Pilanesberg holds all five of Africa's Big Five: lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards and rhinos, though no single drive guarantees them all.

The vehicle itself is the point. Open sides mean unobstructed sight lines and the ability to turn and scan without the frame of a window. Your guide navigates the rugged terrain and reads the landscape for movement, tracks and bird calls that signal where animals are feeding or resting. The timing is genuine. A 2.5 to 3-hour window means the drive stretches or contracts based on what appears, not on a fixed schedule.

Pickup from your hotel is included. The guide returns you to the same spot when the drive ends. Conservation fees are separate and payable at pickup or at the park entrance gate.

What’s included

• A 2.5 to 3-hour guided game drive in an open safari vehicle with an English-speaking ranger.
• pickup and drop-off at your hotel.
• access to animal viewing points and bird hides throughout the reserve.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 05:30 and 09:00

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (4 and older) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 31

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by MoAfrika Tours

Is this one for you?The open vehicle and the guide's pace mean you're scanning the landscape constantly rather than sitting still. Bring binoculars and a camera, and plan to spend the full window alert and watching, since the drive's length depends on what you find.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What animals am I likely to see on the Pilanesberg safari?

Pilanesberg is home to all five of Africa's Big Five (lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards and rhinos) along with a wide range of other wildlife. Sightings depend on the season, time of day and where animals are feeding or resting on the day of your tour. Your guide reads the landscape to find them, but no single drive guarantees every species.

How does the open vehicle work for viewing and photography?

The open sides give you an unobstructed 360-degree view and the ability to photograph without glass reflection or window frames in the way. You can turn and scan the landscape as the vehicle moves, and the guide can stop to let you focus on an animal or a bird without the constraint of a closed cabin.

What happens if the drive runs short or long?

The tour is scheduled for 2.5 to 3 hours, but the exact length depends on animal activity and sightings. If the guide spots something worth watching, the drive may run longer. If animals are scarce, it may finish sooner. The guide decides based on what's happening in the reserve that day.

Is hotel pickup included, and where does the tour start?

Hotel pickup is included in the tour price. The guide collects you from your accommodation and returns you to the same location when the drive ends, so you don't need to arrange separate transport to the reserve.