Sun City & Pilansberg Tours, South Africa

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• Departs from: All hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, private homes, offices, ORT Airport
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Itinerary

Tour Prices

(private, individual tours, tailored to your requirements.)

Sun City

Sun International’s flagship resort is as popular today as it was when it was first built in 1979. Whether it’s a romantic stay with your partner, a wild weekend with friends, or a holiday with the whole family, Sun City Resort has it all. Located on the border of the Pilanesberg National Game Park and just a 2-hour drive from Johannesburg or a short 40-minute flight, Sun City is the perfect getaway destination.

The creation of the Pilanesberg National Park is considered one of the most ambitious programs of its kind to be undertaken anywhere in the world. Thanks to Operation Genesis in 1979, which involved the game-fencing of the park and the reintroduction of many long-vanished species, Pilanesberg now has in excess of 7,000 animals, including 24 of the larger species.

Pilanesberg is situated in the Bojanala Region of the North West Province, adjacent to Sun City—just 2 hours away from Johannesburg or Pretoria. An abundance of wildlife proliferates in some 580 km² of diverse and interesting bushveld terrain. Pilanesberg accommodates virtually every mammal of southern Africa and is also 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 here, like the nocturnal brown hyena, the fleet-footed cheetah, and the majestic sable, as well as giraffes, zebras, hippos, and crocodiles, to mention but a few. Springbok, brown hyena, the red-eyed bulbul, and camel thorn trees usually found in arid areas are found in cohabitation with moist-area-limited impala, black-eyed bulbul, and Cape chestnut trees. Birdwatching is excellent, with over 350 species recorded. Some are migrants, others permanent inhabitants; some eat carrion or live prey, others eat seeds, fruit, or tiny water organisms.

Visitors are offered many opportunities to experience the wonders of Pilanesberg. There are nearly 200 kilometers of roads for either self-drives or guided drives, and professional guides who operate within the park. Numerous hides and scenic picnic sites enable the tourist to experience “out-of-car” experiences as well. A self-guided trail in the walking area at the Manyane Complex offers environmental education while enjoying game viewing and bird watching on foot. Also at Manyane is a walk-in aviary with over 80 species of indigenous birds. The crater of a long-extinct volcano is the setting of Pilanesberg, a fascinating alkaline complex produced by volcanic eruptions some 1300 million years ago. It is one of the largest volcanic complexes of its kind in the world. Its rare rock types and structure make it a unique geological feature. 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 Alkaline Ring Complex.”

Ancient, even by geological time scales, this extinct volcano is the most perfect example of an alkaline ring complex. A number of rare (but not necessarily economically important) minerals occur in the park. Pilanesberg rates high amongst the world’s outstanding geological phenomena. The colorful hues, varied habitats, and panoramas will delight photographers and visitors. The very topography makes the area a feast for the eye—the syenite koppies, thickly forested ravines, typical bushveld, rolling grasslands, and lightly wooded areas.

Off the center of the park is Thabayadiotso, “the Proud Mountain.” The park covers an area of 55,000 hectares and ranks among the larger of the parks in South Africa. The beauty of Pilanesberg is reflected in a large central lake, the Mankwe Dam.

Beyond Pilanesberg, heading north, is another pristine conservation area—Madikwe Game Reserve, which offers a full safari experience in one of the more remote wilderness areas of South Africa.

NB All prices exclude entrance fees & lunch

Tour Excludes:

• Refreshments
• Lunch
• Optional tips / gratuities for driver

*Passengers travel subject to our Standard Conditions of Carriage.