From Pretoria we drove about 2 hours northwest to Pilanesberg National Park and Game Reserve. Many visitors to South Africa visit Kruger National Park but, in my opinion, the smaller game parks are better for first time visitors. My brother had been to Kruger previously and said with Pilanesberg being less crowded we got better views of the animals.
Pilanesberg National Park
We stayed in the park at Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge. This was the most expensive accommodation we had on the trip but well worth it. Three guided game drives came as part of our stay (one drive per day) and because we rented a car, we were able to drive ourselves around the reserve several times at our own pace.
Kwa Maritane
2016 Price: Single room – R11,655 (approx. $830) and standard room – R16,380 (approx. $1,170) for a three-night stay
If you are going on a safari, I recommend bringing a camera outside of your phone. These are typically once-in-a-lifetime experiences, so you’ll want to capture the memories as clearly as possible. On my first safari, I brought a point-and-shoot camera so I took some good photos, but I wish I had a higher quality camera like the one I currently use.
Cuisine
The lodge offered a lot of different food choices, from South African favorites to international flavors. I made sure to try some new things – like pap with tomato gravy – but as anyone with a weak stomach will tell you, it’s always nice to have the basics to choose from if need be.
One night at dinner I saw a server go by with a neon green soft drink and I had to try it. It was Spar-letta Cream Soda and, while I love sugary drinks, it was too much even for me. Loved the look of the can though! The restaurant has a deck with tables that look out on the reserve. We often saw zebra and giraffe roaming at the waterhole nearby.
For internet junkies like me, it’s important to note that we did have free internet but only up to a certain amount of data and after that we paid for more.
Safari Game Drives
The safaris were by far my fondest memory of the trip. We were able to see 4 of the “Big 5” – lion, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. The only one we missed was a leopard. The guide said we were lucky to see the buffalo as they are not spotted as often as the others.
It is almost indescribable to explain the wonder I felt seeing these animals roaming free, in their natural habitat, and sometimes so close you could almost touch them. Any time someone asks about the trip, I describe the moment my brother photographed me with a herd of elephants lazily moving around our vehicle.
Other animals we saw on our multiple drives include hippos, zebras, giraffes, hyenas, jackals, crocodiles, warthogs, helmeted guineafowl, blue wildebeests, springboks, impalas, kudus, hartebeests, and baboons.
I preferred to sit in the back of the vehicle. If you want to hear the guide and ask questions, you should sit near the front. I was more interested in seeing the scenery and taking photos. The back seats provide a couple extra moments as you drive away to watch and capture more shots.
Wow! Seeing all those animals so close must have been thrilling and terrifying all at the same time.