Pilanesberg Safari & Monkey Sanctuary: 12-hour Game Drive

Drive through 550 square kilometers of African bush and spot the Big Five on their own terms

A 12-hour safari tour of Pilanesberg Nature Reserve near Johannesburg includes hotel pickup at 5am, a full day of game driving in a vehicle through the reserve's 550 square kilometers, lunch at Zebra Crossing Restaurant overlooking a water hole, and a visit to the Monkey Sanctuary where rescued primates live in natural habitat. An English-speaking guide leads the route. Children from age 2 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Safari and Monkey Sanctuary Visit

• Hotel pickup at 05h00
• Drive to Pilanesberg Nature Reserve
• Game drive spotting Big Five
• Lunch at Zebra Crossing Restaurant
• Continue game drive
• Visit Monkey Sanctuary

The experience

The day starts before dawn with pickup from your hotel at 5am, then a drive to Pilanesberg Nature Reserve. Once inside the 550-square-kilometer park, you spend the morning and early afternoon in an air-conditioned vehicle, moving slowly through terrain where the Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino), live and move on their own schedule. The guide navigates the reserve's roads, stopping when animals appear. Around midday, the route brings you to Zebra Crossing Restaurant in the center of the park, where you sit on a deck overlooking a water hole while eating lunch and watching wildlife approach to drink.

After about four to five hours of driving, the tour heads to the Monkey Sanctuary, a 7-hectare facility alongside the Magaliesberg Mountain Range. The sanctuary houses squirrel, spider and capuchin monkeys: animals rescued from the pet trade or private homes and given space to live in natural conditions with waterfalls, vegetation and mountain springs. The guide explains how the sanctuary operates on donations and the fees from tours like this one, funding the primates' care and reintroduction to wild behavior.

Your guide takes photographs throughout the day and uploads them to Dropbox so you have images from the drive. Bring water. Bottled water is provided. The full outing runs 12 hours from pickup to return.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup at 5am and return transport.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• an English-speaking guide.
• entry to Pilanesberg Nature Reserve and the Monkey Sanctuary.
• lunch at Zebra Crossing Restaurant with seating overlooking the water hole.
• bottled water.
• all park fees and taxes.
• digital photographs uploaded to Dropbox.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 05:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (12 to 80 years) · Youth (2 to 11 years)

GroupUp to 10 · max 7 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Wildside Tours and Safaris

Is this one for you?This is a shared tour with a fixed schedule and a professional guide, so you sit in the vehicle while the guide navigates the reserve and explains what you see. It suits travelers who want to experience the Big Five without driving themselves and who prefer a structured day with set stops and timing. The early 5am start is what allows the full day to fit four to five hours of game driving plus the Monkey Sanctuary visit and lunch before returning to the city.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (2 to 11 years).

What animals might I see on the game drive through Pilanesberg?

Pilanesberg is home to the Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino) plus many other species. The guide drives the reserve looking for wildlife, but sightings depend on where animals are on the day you visit. There is no guarantee of seeing any particular species.

How does the Monkey Sanctuary work?

The Monkey Sanctuary is a private 7-hectare facility where rescued primates (squirrel, spider and capuchin monkeys) live in natural habitat with waterfalls and vegetation. Most were previously kept as pets or bred for the pet trade. The sanctuary gives them space to behave naturally and recover. The sanctuary is funded by donations and the guiding fees from tours.

What is included in the tour price?

The tour includes hotel pickup at 5am, the full day of game driving in an air-conditioned vehicle, lunch at Zebra Crossing Restaurant, entry to the Monkey Sanctuary, bottled water, all park fees and taxes, and digital copies of photographs taken during the day.

What time does the tour end and return to my hotel?

The tour runs 12 hours total from the 5am pickup, so you return to your hotel around 5pm, depending on traffic and your hotel's location.