Pilanesberg Game Reserve also known as Pilanesberg National Park is one of the largest reserves in South Africa, besides many other wildlife species, the Big 5 can also be found in the park. A wide variety of rare and common species exist with endemic species like the nocturnal brown hyena, the fleet-footed cheetah, the majestic sable, as well as giraffe, zebra, hippo and crocodile, to mention but a few.
The North West Province of South Africa is bounded on the north by Botswana, on the south by the provinces of Free State and the Northern Cape, and on the northeast and east by the Limpopo Province and Gauteng. Covering 118,797 sq km (45,869 sq miles), the North West Province was created in 1994 by the merger of Bophuthatswana, one of the former bantustans (or black homelands), and the western part of Transvaal, one of the four former South African provinces.
Much of the province consists of flat areas of scattered trees and grassland. The Magaliesberg mountain range in the northeast extends about 130 km (about 80 miles) from Pretoria to Rustenburg. The Vaal River flows along the southern border of the province. Temperatures range from 17° to 31° C (62° to 88° F) in the summer and from 3° to 21° C (37° to 70° F) in the winter. Annual rainfall totals about 360 mm (about 14 in), with almost all of it falling during the summer months, between October and April.
In 1994 the population of the North West Province was estimated to be 3 669 349 (out of a total of an estimated 44 819 778 people living in South Africa); 65% of the people in the North West Provice live in the rural areas. The majority of the province's residents are the Tswana people who speak Setswana. Smaller groups include Afrikaans, Sotho, and Xhosa speaking people. English is spoken primarily as a second language. Most of the population belong to Christian denominations. (Figures according to Census 2001 released in July 2003).
The province has the lowest number of people aged 20 years and older (5,9%) who have received higher education. The literacy rate is in the region of 57%. As part of the Department of Education’s proposed plans for higher education, the existing four higher learning institutions will be merged to form two.
During 2003, as part of the Year of Further Education and Training project, three mega institutions, Taletso, ORBIT and Vuselela, were established to provide technical and vocational training to the youth. These institutions have been incorporated into many of the former education and technical colleges and manpower centres.
Mafikeng, formerly Mafeking, serves as the provincial capital. Other significant towns include Brits, Klerksdorp, Lichtenburg, Potchefstroom, Rustenburg and Sun City. The province has two universities: the University of North West, which was formerly called the University of Bophuthatswana (founded in 1979), in Mmabatho; and Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (founded in 1869; became a constituent college of the University of South Africa in 1921 and an independent university in 1951).
Important historical sites in the province include Mafikeng, the traditional capital of the Barolong people, where a British garrison was placed under siege by Afrikaners during the Boer War (1899-1902); Lotlamoreng Cultural Village near Mafikeng, which re-creates a traditional African village; and Boekenhoutfontein, the farm of Paul Kruger, who was the last president of the South African Republic (a state created by Afrikaners in what is now north-eastern South Africa), from 1883 to 1902. The province has several national parks. The largest, Pilanesberg Game Reserve, is located in the crater of an extinct volcano.
The mainstay of the economy of North West Province is mining, which generates more than half of the province's gross domestic product and provides jobs for a quarter of its workforce. The chief minerals are gold, mined at Orkney and Klerksdorp; uranium, mined at Klerksdorp; platinum, mined at Rustenburg and Brits; and diamonds, mined at Lichtenburg, Christiana, and Bloemhof. The northern and western parts of the province have many sheep farms and cattle and game ranches. The eastern and southern parts are crop-growing regions that produce maize (corn), sunflowers, tobacco, cotton, and citrus fruits. The entertainment and casino complex at Sun City and Lost City also contributes to the provincial economy.
The provincial government consists of a premier, an executive council of ten ministers, and a legislature. The provincial assembly and premier are elected for five-year terms, or until the next national election. Political parties are awarded seats based on the percentage of votes each party receives in the province during the national elections. The assembly elects a premier, who then appoints the members of the executive council.
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The information below gives you a rough idea when and where you should be looking for some of the species during March, April and May. The map indicate the wildlife sightings on 23 August 2016. I would like to express my thanks to Park Control, Pilanesberg National Park & Wildlife Trust, Copenhagen Zoo and all others that have been involved, for their support in these projects. |
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| SPECIES |
MORNING(AM) COMPARED TO AFTERNOON(PM) SIGHTINGS
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MOST SIGHTINGS | FREQUENCY | |
| LION | AM 53% / PM 47% | Most places near water. Resting up in the shade during the day. (See map below) | Common | |
| LEOPARD | AM 44% / PM 56% | In rocky areas and near water. (See map below) | Rare | |
| CHEETAH | AM 56% / PM 44% | Most of the open areas of the park, but avoiding the lions (See map below) | Rare | |
| BUFFALO | AM 51% / PM 49% | On Tlou drive between Ntswe and Moloto, on Tshukudu e Ntsho at Tlou dams, on Ntswe between Kukama and Tlou drive, on Sefara opposite the Lenong access road. Lone bulls occasionally seen on Kubu near the mine. (See map below) | Extremely rare | |
| ELEPHANT | AM 43% / PM 57% | Throughout the park. | Very Common | |
| WILD DOG | AM 53% / PM 47% | Near water and near the gates early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Resting up on high ground during the day. | Extremely rare | |
| RHINO | AM 43% / PM 57% | Throughout the park | Very Common | |
Map from ParkControl© - parkcontrol.co.za - Copyright© Pilanesberg National Park & Wildlife Trust
If you've never been on expedition before, the Pilanesberg Game Reserve is the perfect place to experience your first luxury South Africa expedition holiday. Situated in the North West Province of South Africa, it can easily be added onto the end of a holiday in Sun City. Or you could even add it onto a beach holiday in Cape Town, as a short flight and transfer will have you on the reserve in no time.
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The Pilanesberg Game Reserve is extremely beautiful, with rolling hills and even an extinct volcano making up the reserve. Thick vegetation contrasts sparse brown grassy fields, where herds of zebra and various species of antelope can be seen in their numbers, and tall giraffes stalk along the horizon, a picturesque setting for South Africa expedition holidays. The abundance of game on the reserve is the result of Africa?s biggest game relocation project which was conducted in the 1970s, known as ?Operation Genesis.? Critics use this to argue that the game park lacks in authenticity. However, the more compelling arguments is that the project simply enabled an area of land with enormous potential to preserve and house a large number of game and wildlife. Without this operation, the fantastic South Africa expedition opportunity the Pilanesberg affords would not be possible.
Rhino, leopard, lion, buffalo and elephant make up Africa?s Big Five. And the Pilanesberg Game Reserve is home to all of them. While on your luxury South Africa expedition holiday in the Pilanesberg, you will be in a prime location for viewing lions. These stately creatures can often be spotted padding along the reserve?s roads. They like sticking to the roads for 3 reasons. Firstly, the sun heats up the tar and makes the roads nice and warm for travel along. Secondly, the roads are free of shrubs and bushes, making for cushy and convenient paths. And thirdly, the roads tend to lead to waterholes, so they are the very routes the lions would naturally take. Many visitors to the park spot whole prides of lions on every single game drive, as these magnificent beasts patrol their kingdom. The elephant population is large too, and lucky spectators will enjoy viewing these enormous creatures as they go about their regular lives whilst you are on your luxury South Africa expedition holiday.
Game viewing in the park begins at the crack of dawn, and rangers typically call guests at around 5am to wake up for their 5:30am game drives. The drives are conducted in open air land rovers, and it?s very pleasant to sit wrapped up in a blanket as the sun rises over the hills, and the animals start making their way to waterholes. The rangers usually stop off half way through the game drive for coffee and rusks (chunky, traditional South African biscuits), where you can continue to enjoy the sunrise from a particularly pretty spot whilst on expedition in South Africa.
Another way to experience the African sunrise and view the game is on a balloon safari. Soaring high above the ground, you can view the game from the sky, and on touch down, you can enjoy a champagne breakfast out in the wilderness. If you can handle heights, this is definitely a great game viewing option for your luxury South Africa expedition holiday.
+27 14 004 0056 / 014 004 0056 
From Johannesburg take the N1 towards Polokwane. Take the N4 Rustenburg split. Signage indicating Pilanesberg left on route 91.
Activities include game drives, either self-driven or guided and game walks. Pilanesberg also operates balloon and elephant back safari's.
