Pilanesberg National Park 2018
First published in 2018
Pilanesberg National Park is most probably the easiest to reach National Park in South Africa. Most international flights are arriving in Johannesburg and the National Park is only a 1,5-hour drive away.
I was here one and a half years ago and got the chance to revisit it last November. This time I stayed at the Kwa Maritane Lodge at the southern border of the National Park.
Staying at one of the lodges and going on a game drive with them gives you extended access to the park, as the other cars have to leave before sunset and can enter only after dawn.
Kwa Maritane is quite a big lodge and so they use trucks to drive you around. But as you must not leave the roads in the park, this is not negative - they can go to all places any other car can. It turned out to be even beneficial as you sit a little bit higher than in a jeep and the bushes are not blocking your view.
But what makes the lodge special is the opportunity to view animals directly at the lodge. When we arrived around noon, we were greeted by a group of elephants drinking at a watering hole directly in front of the restaurant.
On top, they have built a hide at another watering hole. You can reach it via a tunnel and it's completely underground. The opening to watch the animals is just two or three hands full high.
As the animals are more undisturbed here, you might have the chance to see shier animals.
I'm not sure if they come as frequently at other times of the year, but at least in November, this was the place to be.
P.S.: Even this article might sound like a paid advertisement, it is not.
