Pilanesberg Safari Tours: 2 Days with Big 5 & Lodge

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Duration2d

GroupUp to 9

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Two days of game drives without the week-long commitment

You get picked up from your Johannesburg hotel, driven to the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, and spend two days on four game drives with a professional ranger — two at sunrise and sunset, two during the day. Meals, lodge accommodation, and all park entry are included. You're back in the city by evening on day two.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival and afternoon safari drive

Pick up early in Johannesburg
Drive to Greater Pilanesberg Nature Reserve
Arrive at 4-star lodge mid-day
Enjoy afternoon tea and snacks
Relax before late-afternoon game drive
Depart for late-afternoon game drive
Return to lodge at sunset
Enjoy starlit dinner around firepit

Day 2 — Morning and afternoon safari drives

Wake up early for hot beverages
Depart for 3-hour sunrise game drive
Return for hearty breakfast
Pack up and prepare for collection
Open 4x4 vehicle game drive in reserve
Depart mid-afternoon for return to Johannesburg

The Experience

So you've got maybe forty-eight hours and you're tired of the city noise — that's exactly what this is built for. The pickup happens early from your Johannesburg hotel, and then it's a straight shot to the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, which sits about two and a half hours north in a malaria-free zone. By mid-day you're at the 4-star lodge, tucked into a private reserve that's part of the larger Pilanesberg, and the first thing you do is settle in with afternoon tea before heading back out for a sunset game drive in an open vehicle with a ranger who actually knows where the animals are.

The game drives are the whole point, and they don't mess around with the timing. You're out at dawn on day two for a three-hour sunrise drive — that's when the Big 5 are moving, when the light is soft and the air is cool — and then back for a proper breakfast before a mid-morning drive in a closed minivan if the heat gets too much. The lodge handles the meals, the transport between Johannesburg and the reserve, and the entry fees, so you're not arranging anything once you're there. It's the kind of two days where you actually disconnect, not the kind where you're checking your phone between stops.

The return drive leaves mid-afternoon, which means you're back in Johannesburg by early evening. It's not a long safari — it's a reset, and it works because the lodge is close enough that you're not spending half the time in a vehicle. The open safari vehicles let you see and photograph properly, and the ranger commentary is the kind of thing that sticks with you after you leave.

What’s included

Your two days include hotel pickup and drop-off anywhere in Johannesburg, all entrance fees to the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, four game drives (two in open vehicles at sunrise and sunset, two in closed minivans during the day), one night at a 4-star lodge in a private reserve, breakfast, dinner, afternoon tea and snacks, and air-conditioned transport between the city and the reserve.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by MoAfrika Tours

Is this one for you?Right for travelers with a tight schedule or couples wanting a quick escape from Johannesburg without the hassle of arranging transport, park entry, or meals. Expect to be out early on both days — the sunrise drives are what make the Big 5 sightings possible.