Pilanesberg Game Reserve 2

Activities at Pilanesberg include Game drives by day and by night, hot air ballooning, and swimming at the lodges. As the park continues to be successful more activities are added. Golf and other facilities are available at resorts in the immediate area. We think you need a week to get the maximum benefit from your stay there and advise the use of a "hire car" to get around the park in your own time.

The crater of a long extinct volcano is the setting of Pilanesberg National Park - a fascinating alkaline complex produced by volcanic action some 1 300 million years ago. Pilanesberg 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. Pilanesberg has survived ages of erosion and stands high above the surrounding bushveld plains. The early presence of man can be seen in the numerous Stone and Iron Age sites that are scattered throughout the park.

Off the centre of the Park is Thabayadiotso, "the Proud Mountain". The Park ranks among the largest of the national parks in South Africa - it is the fourth largest park - and covers an area of 55 000 hectare. The beauty of Pilanesberg is reflected in a large central lake, the Mankwe Dam. Over time, wind and water have carved a spectacular landscape with rocky outcrops, open grasslands, wooded valleys and thickets.