Duration(in days): 6
From: Johannesburg
To: Johannesburg
See more ideas for: South Africa
Combine both city and safari on this 5-night Pilanesberg safari from Johannesburg. Contrast your stay in the city with a trip out into the wide open plains where elephants, lions and leopards can be spotted in their natural habitat of the savannah. With 2 nights spent in Johannesburg either side of your wildlife adventure, you’ll get a compact experience of South Africa’s culture and history alongside your ‘Big 5’ game experience - a snapshot of South Africa in only 5 days.
Arriving in Johannesburg you’ll drive into the city to start exploring. Choose to visit the township of Soweto or the city’s lush botanical gardens – there are many opportunities to enjoy this multicultural melting pot.
Driving north to the National Park, you’ll spend the rest of your time seeking out wildlife, whether you’re in a jeep or on foot. Keep an eye out for buffalo as they graze on the veldt and elephants as they bathe in the river while leopards snooze in the trees. After 3 nights you’ll head back to the city for one last look around, maybe even enjoying views from The Carlton Centre, the tallest building in Africa.
This itinerary can be tailored to suit your requirements please contact one of our consultants to start planning your dream trip.
On arrival in Johannesburg, collect your hire car and drive into the city where you can spend the day exploring. Why not visit the township of Soweto, made famous for being the home of Nelson Mandela and a consequence of the apartheid government? Here you can visit the Apartheid Museum where you can gain learn about the frightening regime as well as visiting Mandela’s home and the Hector Pieterson Memorial.
This morning you’ll drive 2.5 hours to the Shepherd’s Tree Game Lodge where you will stay for 3 nights. During your stay you can enjoy lots of different activities in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Game drives through the reserve will be a highlight where you can look out for the “Big 5” – elephants bathing in the river, lions lazing on sunny rocks, climbing leopards amongst the trees, buffalo munching on the savannah and rhino wandering amongst the wild pear trees.
You can also enjoy a bush walk, getting up close to some of the wildlife – an amazingly intimate experience as you walk through the animals’ territory hearing every branch break and every bird squawk, looking out for elephants and lions relaxing in the bush. Back at the Lodge, enjoy a relaxing spa treatment and delicious cuisine on the restaurant’s balcony overlooking the veldt.
After one last look for wildlife, you’ll drive back to Johannesburg for one final night in the city. Why not visit the “Top of Africa” at the Carlton Centre where you can get a panoramic view of the city from the top of Africa’s tallest building. You could also stroll through the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens before having dinner in centre of the city, where exclusive restaurants and inviting pavement cafes sit alongside each other.
Today you’ll drive back to the airport in Johannesburg and drop off your car.
This itinerary is purely a suggestion, and can be tailor-made to your requirements, so please contact us with your dates and requests and we’ll put together a bespoke quotation for you