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Johannesburg Safari Tours
Pilanesberg Big 5 Full Day Safari
Our flagship day safari — open game vehicle, registered field guide and a full day in the crater working for all five of the Big 5.
- Duration
- 12 hours
- Group size
- 1 – 10 guests
- Pick-up
- Johannesburg, Sandton, Pretoria or OR Tambo
- From
- R2 750 per person
Overview
About this experience
Pilanesberg sits in the crater of an extinct alkaline volcano — a bowl of grassland, thornveld and rocky outcrops that holds an unusually high density of game for its size. Lion, leopard, elephant, white and black rhino and buffalo are all resident inside a malaria-free fence.
This is the safari we recommend to travellers who want the real thing without committing to a multi-day trip: an open 4x4 game viewer, a registered field guide behind the wheel and a full day on the traverse.
Highlights
- Open 4x4 game viewer with raised, tiered seating
- Registered field guide with FGASA qualification
- All Big 5 species resident and regularly seen
- Mankwe Dam, Ratlhogo Hide and the central waterholes
- Malaria-free, no prophylactics required
Your day, hour by hour
05:00
Departure
Pick-up and the drive north-west toward the Pilanesberg crater.
07:30
First game drive
Into the reserve at first light. Predators are most active now and the guide works the road network around Mankwe Dam.
11:30
Brunch stop
A break at Pilanesberg Centre or a picnic site inside the park.
13:30
Second game drive
A different traverse for the afternoon, ending at a hide as the elephants come down to drink.
17:00
Homeward
Departure from the reserve and drop-off at your accommodation.
What’s included
- FGASA registered field guide
- Open 4x4 game viewing vehicle
- Conservation levies and park entry
- Return transfers and bottled water
- Binoculars and reference guides in the vehicle
Not included
- Meals
- Gratuities
- Travel insurance
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
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