Pilanesberg National Park, Game reserve in North West Province, South Africa.
Pilanesberg National Park is a game reserve covering about 550 square kilometers, set within an ancient volcanic crater. The landscape forms concentric ridges and valleys that were created when volcanic activity shaped the terrain millions of years ago.
In 1979, a major animal reintroduction project began in land that had previously been used for farming. This project transformed the area into one of the region's most wildlife-rich parks today.
The name comes from a Tswana leader whose legacy remains woven into the land. Visitors encounter this heritage through the landscape itself, shaped by generations of people who lived here.
The park offers different lodging options, from comfortable lodges to simpler camps. Visitors can drive themselves, join guided walks, or use hot air balloons to see the landscape from above.
The reserve was built on the remains of a vast volcanic ring complex, a geological formation of worldwide significance. This rare structure makes the location a place of major scientific interest.
Location: North West
Inception: 1979
Elevation above the sea: 1,140 m
Website: https://parksnorthwest.co.za/pilanesberg-national-park
GPS coordinates: -25.26110,27.10080
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:40
South Africa offers very different landscapes, from the windy Cape to the blue mountains of the Drakensberg. You can spend a morning on the Table Mountain, an evening watching whales in Hermanus, and in between, explore red trails, deep canyons, lagoons, and vineyards. The nature parks host large animals that you can see. Kruger Park opens its roads at dawn, Pilanesberg shows an ancient crater, and iSimangaliso combines reefs and wetlands in one place. Further along, the wild coast shows its tall cliffs, the Richtersveld spreads its desert of succulents, and the Valley of Desolation keeps its lava columns for a long time. As you travel across this large country, you notice how the landscape shifts at every turn. The journey here moves with the rhythm of light and horizons, step by step through a land that keeps changing.
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