Pilanesberg Game Reserve, South Africa - General Information
Gate Times, Accommodation, Restaurants, Entry Fees

General Information on the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, South Africa

Pilanesberg Game Reserve	- Overnight Tours
	- Day Trips

The creation of the Pilanesberg Game Reserve is considered one of the most ambitious projects of its kind to be undertaken anywhere in the world. Thanks to Operation Genesis in 1979, which involved the fencing of the reserve and the re-introduction of many long-vanished species, the park now has in excess of 7 000 animals and includes most of the larger mammal species found in South Africa.

The Pilanesberg National Park lies in the Bojanala District of North West Province of South Africa.

The park exists in the transition zone between the dry Kalahari and wetter Lowveld vegetation, commonly referred to as "Bushveld". Unlike any other large park, unique overlaps of mammals, birds and vegetation occur because of this transition zone. Springbok, brown hyena, the red eyed bulbul, and Camel thorn trees usually found in arid areas are found cohabiting with moist-area-limited impala, black eyed bulbul and Cape chestnut trees.

The Park ranks among the largest of the parks in South Africa (it is in fact the fourth largest park) and covers an area of 55 000 hectares. An abundance of wild life proliferates in 550 km² of diverse and scenically arresting bushveld terrain. The park is home to healthy populations of lion, leopard, black and white rhino, elephant and buffalo - Africa's "Big Five". A wide variety of rare and common species exist 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 area is fringed by three concentric ridges or rings of hills - the formation rises from the surrounding plains like a bubble. The structure of the park is termed the "Pilanesberg Game Reserve Alkaline Ring Complex". Ancient, even by geological time scales, this extinct volcano is the most perfect example of an alkaline ring complex.

A large number of rare (but not necessarily economically important) minerals occur in the park. The Pilanesberg Game Reserve rates highly amongst the world's outstanding geological phenomena. Pilanesberg has survived ages of erosion and stands high above the surrounding bushveld plains. The early presence of man can be seen in the numerous Stone and Iron Age sites that are scattered throughout the park.

Accommodation:
Accommodation is available either at:

• Private luxury lodges - namely Bakubung Lodge, Kwa-Maritane Lodge, Ivory Tree Lodge and Tshukudu Game Lodge

• Golden Leopard Resorts - Manyane and Bakgatla Camps

• Sun City Resort

Pilanesberg Game Reserve Entry Fees:
R45.00 per person and R20.00 per car

Roads:
There are 3 entrance gates - the closest to Johannesburg is approx 220km from the city. There is a large network of nearly 200 kilometers of roads in the park. Speed limit - 40km/h.

The restaurant at the Manyane complex offers a much more extensive menu, as does the restaurant at Bakubung Lodge. These are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.