5 National Park Trips in Johannesburg to Build a South African Day Around

1.Pilanesberg Nature Reserve Game Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,327 reviews · 12 hours · from $186Our pick

Review of the Pilanesberg day safari from Johannesburg, with Big Five sightings, open-vehicle drives, lunch, costs, and practical tips.

“From Johannesburg it’s a really long journey there and back. But I felt it was worth every minute and every penny. The day in the park was brilliant and we saw three of the top five. We saw lots of other animals which certainly made up for it, we only comment is that at the back of the Jeep It is very windy and sometimes quite cold. I bought a souvenir hat at the first stop and was okay after that. If you get the chance, do go on this day trip. Worth every penny.”

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2.Full Day Ultimate Pilanesberg National Park Safari from Johannesburg or Pretoria

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 718 reviews · from $159

Review of MoAfrika’s full-day Pilanesberg safari from Johannesburg, with two game drives, lunch at a waterhole, transport, value, and practical tips.

“My very first Safari experience. The initial drive takes a while but once at the Safari it’s a magical place. Would 100 percent recommend this tour.”

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3.Full Day Safari Tour of Pilanesberg National Park, Open Jeep experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 139 reviews · from $155Best value

Review of a full-day open-jeep safari from Johannesburg to Pilanesberg, with Big Five sightings, lunch, hotel pickup, and practical planning tips.

“We have finally been able to see these beings generally visible only in documentaries at home. We were dazzled!”

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4.3-Day Kruger National Park Open Vehicle Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 61 reviews · from $770

Review of a 3-day Kruger safari from Johannesburg, with small groups, open vehicles, park lodging, game drives, costs, and practical tips.

“We went in May 2024 and it was an absolutely amazing experience. We saw all big 5 animals. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and helpful in ensuring we maximized our time.”

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5.3 Day Kruger National Park Safari & Panorama Route

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews · from $1,008

Three days from Johannesburg to Kruger with sunset and full-day safaris, Panorama Route views, private transfers, and practical value advice.

“This was a life-long dream of ours, to visit Kruger. We enjoyed spending time with our guide, Norman, who picked us up at our hotel, and arranged every detail of our stay and game drives. The hotel he arranged was excellent, the food was grRead more”

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