Pilanesberg Accommodation Options
Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa is close to Johannesburg, and Pilanesberg safari tours allow you to spend time in the park exploring with an experienced guide. Private-guided Pilanesberg safaris are also available.
This North-West based South African park, founded in 1979 within a unique environment, has been providing city dwellers and tourists to the area with the wild safari experience that previously required people to travel many kilometres into neighbouring provinces. The park not only has a lot of wildlife, but it also has a lot of geological features that can be explored on excursions.
Pilanesberg is located within the crater of a long-extinct volcano that formed 1 200 million years ago. The park contains rare minerals as well as unique landforms, structures, and rocks. Even without the exciting animal attractions, the geological formations of Pilanesberg make tours a must.
The park itself is 572 square kilometres in size. There are three main tarred roads and several secondary roads to choose from.
One of those moments that will stay with you forever and that can only be described as uniquely African is a night spent in the wilderness under nothing but the starry sky as wildlife goes about its night-time business all around you. Be sure to ask your guide about the top things to do in Pilanesberg, as well as the Pilanesberg National Park gate times.
There are many Pilanesberg accommodation options to choose from during your stay.
Types of accommodation in Pilanesberg National Park
The variety of places to stay in Pilanesberg National Area matches the diversity of the park itself. Pilanesberg provides visitors with a wide variety of alternatives for places to stay, including resorts, safari tents, bush lodges, chalets, and even self-catering options.
Self-catering accommodations, bed and breakfast inns, and chalets are just some of the different types of lodging that are available to families and budget-minded vacationers. Other possibilities include hotels.
Some of the lodges in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve may be reached in less than 10 minutes by car from the world-famous resort of Sun City, making this area of South Africa’s Pilanesberg Game Reserve an attractive destination for tourists.
Black Rhino Reserve, a private reserve that was just recently annexed to Pilanesberg National Park, is home to a number of luxurious lodges that are sure to please even the most discerning travellers. It does not matter whether you stay in a malaria-free safari tent, a self-catering getaway, or a lavish five star lodge; the plentiful wildlife of the malaria-free Pilanesberg is still the primary draw to this well-known park.
The following type of accommodations are offered by the relevant resorts:
Chalets
At Manyane Resort guests can sleep beneath the stars in a rustic safari tent and families and budget-conscious travellers can choose thatched African style chalets with private patios and braais, and studio rooms with modern amenities.
At Bakgatla Resort guests can also sleep in the comfort of a safari tent, or in budget-friendly thatched African chalets with all the modern amenities.
Self-Catering Accommodation
NkalaSafari Lodge provides the peace-and-quiet, as well as the flexibility that comes with a private-use holiday destination. Nkala Safari Lodge is fully equipped with all the comforts from home.
Thutlwa Safari Lodge offers luxurious, self-catering accommodation with fully fitted, modern kitchens and all comforts where guests can relax and unwind completely at their own leisure.
Buffalo Thorn Lodge offers a self-catering experience like few other. The lodge combines the luxury of a five-star lodge with the freedom, affordability and privacy of self-catering and is the ideal solution for groups of friends or family.
At Manyane Resort families and budget-conscious travellers can enjoy self-catering stays in safari tents as well as thatched chalets with private patios and braais, and studio rooms with all amenities.
Guests that want to sleep closer to the wild outdoors and tend for themselves, can also do so in a comfortablesafari tent or chalet at Bakgatla Resort.
Bed and Breakfast options
A variety of bed and breakfast choices await the independent and budget traveller at Manyane Resort, with added luxuries such as air conditioning.
At Bakgatla Resort guests can enjoy their safari adventure in style in either an executive safari tent or a thatched-roof chalet with kitchen, private patio and braai. Dinner and lunch may be self-catered, or guests can dine at the resort’s restaurant.
Camping
Camping remains the best choice for a traveller who is looking for an exciting experience without breaking the bank. Camping in the Pilanesberg National Park enables visitors to experience being in close proximity to nature at their own leisurely pace.
Campers have the choice of staying at either the Manyane or Bakgatla resorts, both of which are located inside the park’s boundaries and boast campgrounds with all the necessary amenities and provide access to the resorts’ other facilities, which include the following:
- Onsite Superette
- Pools
- Children’s Playgrounds
- Restaurant (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Bar
- Curio Shop
- Game Trackers office (offering, guided game drives and other bush activities)
- Walking Trails
At Bakgatla Resort guests can enjoy adventure in style in an executive safari tent. Dinner and lunch can be self-catered for, or guests may dine at the resort’s restaurant.Manyane Resort offers, apart from a variety of bed and breakfast choices, rustic and romantic safari tents for those who want to be nearer to nature.
Mid-Range Lodges
Guests can enjoy the best of both worlds at several mid-range lodges like Bakubung Bush Lodge, Kwa Maritane Lodge, Black Rhino Lodge, Shepherd’s Tree, Ivory Tree and Tambuti Game Lodge.
Bakubung Bush Lodge offers guided game drives, sophisticated dining options, flood-lit bush tennis courts and a luxury swimming pool while Kwa Maritane Lodge, located on the slopes of an ancient volcano, offers the perfect mixture of relaxation and adventure. The big 5 can be watched from the lodge’s game viewing hide and private waterhole.
Black Rhino Lodge is nestled betweenTambotiin the private Black Rhino Reserveis known for scrumptious meals by the lodge’s private chefand offers game drives into the unexplored valley.
At Shepherd’s TreeGame Lodge guests can relax and unwind within an exclusive use zone of the Black Rhino Reserve. When not game viewing or gourmet dining, they can enjoy magnificent views or pampering at an award-winning health and beauty spa.
Ivory Tree Lodge is located in a natural amphitheatre, crisscrossed by elephant trails and boasts an award-winning Amani African spa while the intimate, luxurious Tambuti Game Lodge offers fine dining under the stars in the fire-lit boma or on the private viewing deck of your suite. Dawn and dusk safaris can be undertaken.
Luxury Accommodation
Guests can experience the unforgettable luxury of one of Africa’s most romantic game lodges at Tshukudu Bush Lodge, high within the crater of the ancient volcano. The lodge offers an intimate and romantic safari adventure.
At the contemporary-style privateLush Safari Lodgeguests get an unrivalled, luxury safari experience centred on breath-taking vistas and 5-star service while MbazoSafari Lodge offers guests a luxury African safari experience that incorporates local art, food, and people into all aspects of its hospitality.
Child Friendly Accommodation
Families with children may prefer to stay at any of a number of child friendly resorts.
Nkala Safari Lodge welcomes children of all ages to soak up the magic of a safari and Thutlwa Safari Lodge offers family-orientated, luxury accommodation in the private Black Rhino Game Reserve.
Its safari-style, thatched-chalets are equipped with highchairsand baby monitorsto cater for small babies and young children.
At Bakubung Bush Lodge children stay free when they share with adults. Bakubung has a Junior Rangers Programme and offers special Kids Game Drives as a fun and exciting introduction to nature. In between, the young travellers can keep themselves busy at a children’s playground.
The thatched family suites at Black Rhino Lodgeoffer all the space families need and the resort allows children of five years of age and under to stay free, and children between 6 and 11 years to stay at half price. A sparkling swimming pool invites lots of family fun.
At Buffalo Thorn Lodge are two family chalets that offer sleeping lofts with two single beds, ideal for children. The central swimming pool is child-safe and allows game viewing from the comfort of the water, rather than driving around.
Ivory Tree Lodge is ideal for a family safari since a kiddies’ bush bumble focuses on the little things in the bush for little ones. Children can also try archery while learning about the Bushmen.
At Kwa Maritane Lodgechildren stay free when sharing with adults and the lodge offers a Junior Rangers Programme as fun, exciting introduction to nature. There is also a playground, trampoline and putt-putt course.
The Manyaneand BakgatlaResorts offersfree stay to children 6 and under and miniature golf courses, large swimming pools and children’s playgroundsprovide enough place for family activities.
Exclusive Use Accommodation
If you want every luxury and a little more, Pilanesberg caters for you too.
At Nkala Safari Lodge guests can enjoy a contemporary space to enjoy your vacation in relaxed safari-style while the exclusive-use Thutlwa Safari Lodge offers guests the ultimate in privacy, flexibility and modern amenities.
Buffalo Thorn Lodge offers the ultimate luxury of privacy with the exclusive use of intimate, five-star amenities with privatesafari vehicle, game ranger, outdoor boma, housekeeper and fully serviced lodge, topped with a swimming pool at the edge of the bush.
Black Rhino Game Reserve
The Black Rhino Game Reserve is located on the Pilanesberg’s northwestern flank, with its own secure, private entrance on the western border, and no boundary fences – wildlife is free to roam across both areas.
As a result, you will be able to see the majority of the animals found in the Pilanesberg, including the Big 5, the endangered African wild dog, various rare antelope, and over 354 bird species during your trip.
The sweet veld vegetation of this lower-lying reserve complements the Pilanesberg’s predominantly mixed sour veld and provides excellent viewing of elephant, black and white rhino, buffalo, lion, and leopard.
The Black Rhino Game Reserve also has full traversing rights, which allow game vehicles from privately owned lodges to cross from the Black Rhino Game Reserve into the Pilanesberg National Park. This allows you to enjoy the privacy of the reserve as well as the wealth of the national park, as well as the abundance of sights and sounds of the bush.
Accommodation in the Black Rhino Game Reserve
Accommodation in this private reserve is offered in several lodges.
Black Rhino Game Lodgebetwee the Tamboti trees of the privatereserve offers 18 rooms, is child friendly, and provides game drives into the unexplored valley and end them with a flavourful meal by the lodge’s private chef. Privacy is guaranteed by luxury suites.
The intimate, luxurious Tambuti Game Lodge has only 5 rooms, and guests can dine under the stars in a fire-lit boma, or on the private viewing deck of their suite in this lodge.
Thutlwa Safari Lodge with its 4 rooms are self-catering, child friendly and available for exclusive use.
The contemporary-style Lush Private Lodge has 5 rooms that offers guests an unrivalled luxury safari experience in a breath-taking setting.
The exclusive use Buffalo Thorn Lodge is self-catering, child friendly, and combines the luxury of a five-star lodge with the freedom, affordability and privacy while Nkala Safari Lodge – also self-catering and child friendly – consistsof five free-standing, en-suite luxury suites with a maximum occupancy of 11 guests. Game drives are included in your stay.
Mbazo Safari Lodge offers guests a luxury safari experience with local art, food, and hospitality.
FAQ
Are there accommodation facilities available in the Pilanesberg National Park?
Yes, there are various accommodation facilities in the Pilanesberg National Park that range from luxurious to budget-friendly accommodation.
Can you go camping in the Pilanesberg National Park?
Yes, there are Resorts in the Park that offer camping facilities. The camp sites include an on-site Supermarket, Curio shop, Children’s playground, Restaurant, Bar, Walking trails and Swimming pools.
What types of accommodation are available in the Pilanesberg National Park?
Accommodation types include: Chalets, Lodges, Resorts and Safari tents
Are there self-catering accommodation options in the Pilanesberg National Park?
Yes, self-catering accommodation with fitted modern kitchens and all the necessary comforts you would expect in the bush are available
