South Africa · SAFARI TOURS IN PILANESBERG & SUN CITY

Safari Tours in Pilanesberg & Sun City: 15 Compared on Price and Time

25 tours  ·  from $24

A South African itinerary runs out of days long before it runs out of options. Below, 15 safari tours in Pilanesberg & Sun City that hold up: the price, the traveller verdict, and the detail that decides it.

From Johannesburg: Pilanesberg Nature Reserve Game Safari - Morning safari: your best chance for active animals
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From Johannesburg: Pilanesberg Nature Reserve Game Safari

1.From Johannesburg: Pilanesberg Nature Reserve Game Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,327 reviews · 12 hours · from $186Our pick

Leave Johannesburg early for Pilanesberg Nature Reserve, about two hours away. You get 4.5 to 5 hours of open-vehicle game drives, a park lunch, and guides such as Petrus, Martin, or Desmond who explain animal behavior and help track sightings. Expect elephants, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, hippos, and perhaps lions or leopards.

“A very enjoyable day with lunch included. Our guide Doreen was very knowledgeable. We got to see a fair few animals in their natural habitat. Around five hours on the game drive, plenty of opportunities to see the big 5 if you are lucky. Unfortunately we didn’t see any of the big cats but that’s the nature of a Safari”

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Full Day Ultimate Pilanesberg National Park Safari from Johannesburg or Pretoria - The early pickup and drive to the reserve
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Full Day Ultimate Pilanesberg National Park Safari from Johannesburg or Pretoria

2.Full Day Ultimate Pilanesberg National Park Safari from Johannesburg or Pretoria

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 718 reviews · from $159

Leave Johannesburg or Pretoria early for Pilanesberg National Park, where a professional guide leads morning and afternoon open-vehicle safaris. You will have time for lunch beside a busy waterhole, with chances to see elephants, rhinos, giraffes, hippos, zebras, antelope, and perhaps lions or leopards. Hotel pickup, park fees, transport, and lunch are included.

“The ease of being picked up and driven back was wonderful. The actual safari was also great. Saw zebras, elephants and lots of impalas. It rained the day before so it wasn’t dusty at all. Try to see as much as you can with the first run because after lunch we could barely keep our eyes open!”

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Hartbeespoort: Predator Safari with a Guide - Lions, wild dogs, and cheetahs are the main event
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Hartbeespoort: Predator Safari with a Guide

3.Hartbeespoort: Predator Safari with a Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 267 reviews · 1 hour · from $31

Meet your English-speaking guide at the Lion & Safari Park departure lounge for a 1-hour safari truck ride. Look for lions, wild dogs, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, springboks, and impalas. Guides such as Noluthando, Princess, Jason, and Thoko are known for clear animal facts and good humor. Weekend and public holiday departures may include lion-feeding.

“It was definitely a great and eye opening experience.... Enjoyed every moment”

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From Sun City: Pilanesberg National Park 3-Hour Game Drive - What the three-hour drive is like
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From Sun City: Pilanesberg National Park 3-Hour Game Drive

4.Pilanesberg National Park 3-Hour Game Drive

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 216 reviews · from $49

From Sun City, join Mankwe GAMETRACKERS for a 3-hour drive through Pilanesberg National Park, an extinct volcanic crater. You ride in a 25-seater open safari vehicle with an English-speaking field guide. Guides such as Jeremy, BY, Peter, MK, and Mr Ponto have earned praise for spotting animals and explaining the bush.

“Our guide, BY was amazing. He was so knowledgeable, helpful and skilled at finding where the animals were hiding. He was fabulous and our experience was unforgettable.”

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Full Day Safari Tour of Pilanesberg National Park, Open Jeep experience - What the game drive is really like
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Full Day Safari Tour of Pilanesberg National Park, Open Jeep experience

5.Full Day Safari Tour of Pilanesberg National Park, Open Jeep experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 139 reviews · from $155Top rated

Leave Johannesburg before sunrise for Pilanesberg National Park, where an open safari jeep gives you wide views of lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, leopards, giraffes, zebras, and more. Your day includes hotel pickup, transport, park fees, lunch, and water. Guides such as Peter, Tummy, and Ambos have helped guests spot wildlife and understand animal behavior.

“Such an amazing day being out of the city and with such a wide variety of animals! The driver (Tshepo) from the hotel to the park was so friendly and helpful in learning about South Africa. The guide (Ambos) was very fun and incredible in his knowledge of all the animals. Highly recommend this excursion!”

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Full Day Pilanesberg Safari Adventure - A light lunch inside the reserve
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Full Day Pilanesberg Safari Adventure

6.Full Day Pilanesberg Safari Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 109 reviews · from $121

Spend six hours in Pilanesberg National Park on two open-vehicle drives, with a light lunch and soda included. Meet your guide at Bakubung Gate or Sun City Resort, then look for elephants, lions, rhinos, buffalo, cheetahs, hippos, zebras, and more. Guides such as Tumi and Elvis share wildlife tips and radio sightings across vehicles.

“A brilliant day. Tumi was a fantastic guide and very knowledgeable about every animal, bird, tree and plant which made the day special. We saw a lot of wonderful animals and the venue is spectacular. All the staff were friendly. Can’t wait to return”

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Hartbeespoort: Lion and Safari Park Tour - Predator Country: Lions, Wild Dogs, and Cheetahs
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Hartbeespoort: Lion and Safari Park Tour

7.Hartbeespoort: Lion and Safari Park Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 103 reviews · 3 hours · from $70

Take a 3-hour guided safari-truck drive through Lion and Safari Park’s 600-hectare wildlife area near Hartbeespoort. You’ll look for lions, wild dogs, cheetahs, hyenas, leopards, and free-roaming antelopes, then relax beside the Crocodile River. Guides such as Dina, Dusty, George, and Princess are known for lively animal commentary.

“We did the guided tour. We were traveling in a caged truck. Felt extremely safe. Had the opportunity to feed the giraffe ( i chickened out) but my partner fed it and got a nice video of that. The tour guide was very knowledgeable”

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Hartbeespoort: Lion and Safari Park Guided Tour - Antelopes offer a calmer change of pace
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Hartbeespoort: Lion and Safari Park Guided Tour

8.Hartbeespoort: Lion and Safari Park Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 99 reviews · 2 hours · from $38

Join a two-hour English-language safari truck ride at Lion and Safari Park in Hartbeespoort. Your guide takes you past grazing antelopes and into the lion, cheetah, hyena, leopard, and wild dog areas while sharing animal facts and jokes. Guides such as Thoko, Jabulani, and Mzi have made this a lively outing, with time afterward for lunch, drinks, and souvenirs.

“My guide was Dusty, she was well informed about the park and the animals and answered all questions The park itself was decent. Small but cute. We saw a few lions, one giraffe, hyenas, not really a huge park, I would say more like a small zoo. But it was great. Not far from town and I enjoyed the adventure… Bottom line. It’s worth the trip it is a beautiful experience”

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Full Day Exquisite Pilanesberg Safari from Johannesburg - Hartbeespoort Dam and the Magaliesberg route
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Full Day Exquisite Pilanesberg Safari from Johannesburg

9.Full Day Exquisite Pilanesberg Safari from Johannesburg

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 89 reviews · from $204

Leave Johannesburg at 5:30 am for Pilanesberg National Park, with door-to-door transport, a scenic Hartbeespoort Dam drive, and about five hours of game viewing. You may ride with guides such as Jason, Bernard, Lizzie, or SiSi, depending on the day. Choose an open or closed safari vehicle and stop for lunch near a water hole.

“Seeing the many different animals, such as elephants, cheetahs, hippos, baboons and many others in their element. Amazed at how our driver, Elvis, was able to immediately identify the animals at a glance, even though they were so far away and usually only a silhouette. The scenery, driver and guide were amazing and deserve 5 stars. We are giving 4 stars as the lunch was terrible.”

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3-Hour Private Game Drive of Pilanesberg National Park - Three hours inside Pilanesberg National Park
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3-Hour Private Game Drive of Pilanesberg National Park

10.3-Hour Private Game Drive of Pilanesberg National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 67 reviews

Spend three hours in Pilanesberg National Park with only your group and a dedicated field guide. Travel in a 10-seater open safari vehicle, watch for lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, hippos, and more, and learn about animal behavior and conservation. Hotel pickup is available from Sun City Resort.

“Words wouldn’t describe the beauty of the scenery nor the depth of knowledge of our guide. She was extremely patient when it came to not only seeing the animals but often positioning for an upcoming better view.”

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Hartbeespoort: Self-Drive Lion and Safari Park Tour - Reaching the park from Johannesburg and Lanseria
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Hartbeespoort: Self-Drive Lion and Safari Park Tour

11.Hartbeespoort: Self-Drive Lion and Safari Park Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 64 reviews · 8h 30m · from $24Best value

Drive your own vehicle through Lion & Safari Park near Hartbeespoort, with access to lion, wild dog, cheetah and antelope areas. No guide is provided, so you set the pace and can spend up to 510 minutes exploring. The park is 13km from Lanseria Airport and about 40 minutes from Johannesburg. A restaurant and weekend lion feedings add useful extras.

“The restaurant and the vast amount of animals got to see all the animals”

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Pilanesberg National Park/Sun City Hot Air Balloon Safari - Preparing for takeoff in the central park
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Pilanesberg National Park/Sun City Hot Air Balloon Safari

12.Pilanesberg National Park/Sun City Hot Air Balloon Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 63 reviews · 4 hours · from $421

Start before sunrise with a hotel pickup and an open safari drive through Pilanesberg National Park to the launch site. After a 45-minute to one-hour balloon flight, celebrate with sparkling wine, then enjoy a full English breakfast at a private lodge. English-speaking pilots and guides lead this shared experience.

“Absolutely amazing balloon ride over the park. Beautiful scenery and many game sightings. We saw giraffes, rhinos, zebras, different antelopes and many more. Really expensive but it is an experience that will stay with you for many many years. We were 3 families, 10 people aged 12-61, and everybody enjoyed it.”

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Johannesburg: 2-Day 4-Star Pilanesberg Safari - Day one: Johannesburg to the first game drive
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Johannesburg: 2-Day 4-Star Pilanesberg Safari

13.Johannesburg: 2-Day 4-Star Pilanesberg Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 61 reviews · 2 days · from $609

Travel from Johannesburg to Pilanesberg for four game drives across a 55,000-hectare reserve. You’ll ride in open safari vehicles and a minivan, stay at a 4-star lodge, and enjoy dinner, breakfast, and a sunrise drive. Guide Moloko has led some departures, though the guide and lodge depend on availability.

“Mye for pengene! Nydelig sted og veldig god mat!”

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3-Hour Shared Game Drive in Pilanesberg National Park - From Sun City hotels to Manyane Gate
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3-Hour Shared Game Drive in Pilanesberg National Park

14.3-Hour Shared Game Drive in Pilanesberg National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 38 reviews · 3 hours · from $56

Set out from Sun City in a shared open safari vehicle for three hours in Pilanesberg National Park. An English-speaking certified wildlife guide helps you search for lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, leopards, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, and birds. The group is limited to 10 people, and bottled water is included.

“Excellent guide, very knowledgeable and good communication. Efficient transfer to and from hotel. Love the smaller group size. Highly recommend”

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From Johannesburg: Pilanesberg Wildlife Safari - Choosing an open jeep or closed minibus
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From Johannesburg: Pilanesberg Wildlife Safari

15.From Johannesburg: Pilanesberg Wildlife Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 36 reviews · 12 hours · from $263

Travel from Johannesburg or Pretoria to Pilanesberg with a small group of up to 13 people. Jason handles the road transfer, while guides such as James or Peter lead the game drives. Choose an open safari vehicle for the best views, or a closed minibus for extra shelter. Lunch, water, park fees, and hotel pickup are included.

“Nosso transporte feito pelo sr. Jason foi tranquilo e pontual, ida e vinda. Muito atencioso e solícito. Nosso tour pelo parque foi muito legal, não vimos os Big Five, apenas w deles, mas vimos muitos outros animais. E o mais divertido foi a briga de girafas e os elefantes invadindo a rua, passando ao lado do carro e até indo atrás. O motorista Peter foi muito bem nas explicações.”

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