Pilanesberg National Park

Pilanesberg occupies an alkaline ring complex - the eroded root of a volcano that erupted some 1,250 million years ago, leaving concentric rings of hills around a central basin, a structure rare enough that geologists come for it alone. The park was created in 1979 through Operation Genesis, at the time the largest game translocation ever attempted, moving some six thousand animals into what had been farmland. It now holds the big five on about 55,000 hectares, is malaria-free, and sits close enough to Johannesburg and Pretoria for a day trip, which makes it the introduction to African game viewing for a very large number of visitors. Self-drive works on the internal roads, there are hides at waterholes, and balloon flights operate. Sun City resort is immediately outside the boundary, so the surroundings are not wild.

History

People have lived here since the Middle Stone Age, and in the later Iron Age the ancestors of the Tswana and Sotho farmed cattle and worked copper and iron. Major Tswana towns grew up in the late 18th century, the hills are named after chief Pilane of the Kgafêla, and the park was set up in 1979, when Operation Genesis brought in some 6,000 animals of 22 species (Wikipedia, Pilanesberg National Park).

What you'll find

• The volcanic rings - concentric hills from an eruption some 1,250 million years ago.
• Operation Genesis - a park stocked by the biggest game translocation of its time.
• The malaria-free big five - all five species within two hours of Johannesburg.
• The waterhole hides - built viewing points where game comes to drink.

When to go

May to September for dry-season viewing. Two days. Weekends and holidays are busy.

Things to know

It is close to cities and feels it - traffic at sightings, and Sun City's towers visible from parts of the park. Roads are mixed tar and gravel with potholes. Summer brings thick bush and poorer viewing. Some sections get crowded with tour vehicles.

Nearby

Sun City is at the boundary; Rustenburg and the Magaliesberg are south.

Key facts