Pilanesberg Safari Big Five Game Drive from Pretoria

A 6-hour game drive puts you in open vehicle range of animals that set the rules.

A full-day safari tour from Pretoria to Pilanesberg Nature Reserve, a 550-square-kilometer reserve home to the Big Five, with hotel pickup, a qualified English-speaking guide, and a 6-hour game drive in an open vehicle. Lunch is served at a waterhole restaurant inside the reserve, and the day includes transport back to your hotel plus photos taken during the drive. Minimum group size is two people. Children from age 6 are welcome.

The experience

Pickup starts at 6am from your hotel, and the drive to Pilanesberg takes you into a reserve where elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino roam across 550 square kilometers. You travel in an open game viewer, not a closed bus, which means sightlines in every direction and the unfiltered experience of the African bush. The guide is qualified to read animal behavior and knows where to position the vehicle for sightings without disturbing the animals or breaking reserve rules.

The game drive itself runs for 6 hours, broken by a stop at Zebra Crossing Restaurant, a deck overlooking a waterhole where lunch is served. This is not a quick meal: you eat surrounded by the reserve itself, and animals often approach the water while you're there. Bottled water is provided throughout the day. After the drive ends, the route includes a stop at Chameleon African Curio market on the way back to your hotel: 186 stalls selling local crafts and gifts, though purchases are your choice.

The full day runs around 12 hours door-to-door. Photos taken during the drive are transferred to your mobile device, so you leave with images from the sightings. A vegetarian lunch option is available if you request it at booking.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return transport.
• Pilanesberg National Park entry fees.
• 6-hour game drive in an open vehicle with a qualified English-speaking guide.
• lunch at Zebra Crossing Restaurant overlooking the waterhole.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• photos from the drive sent to your mobile device.
• a stop at Chameleon African Curio market on the return journey.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 05:00 and 06:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (13 to 80 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 13

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 19 pickup points.

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

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Wildside Tours and Safaris

Is this one for you?Groups stay between 2 and 13 people, so you travel with a small enough group that the guide can adjust the route to animal sightings and stop when something worth watching appears, but large enough that the cost per person stays reasonable for a full day in the reserve.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years). Under 6: they can't be included in the booking.

What animals am I likely to see on the Pilanesberg game drive?

The reserve is home to the Big Five: elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino. Sightings depend on animal movement and the season, but the 6-hour drive and open vehicle setup maximize your chances of spotting them across the 550-square-kilometer area.

Is the game drive in an open vehicle or a closed bus?

You travel in an open game viewer, which gives you unobstructed views in all directions and a direct connection to the landscape and sounds of the bush.

Where and when do I eat during the tour?

Lunch is served at Zebra Crossing Restaurant, a deck inside the reserve overlooking a waterhole. This is roughly midway through the 6-hour game drive, and animals often come to drink while you eat.

What time does the tour start and finish?

Hotel pickup is at 6am. The full day runs around 12 hours, so you return to your hotel in the early evening. The 6-hour game drive itself is the core of the experience, with travel time and the market stop added before and after.

What is included in the price?

Hotel pickup and return transport, park entry fees, the 6-hour game drive with a qualified guide, lunch at the waterhole restaurant, bottled water, and photos taken during the drive transferred to your phone are all included.