It's time to get back to nature, back to basking in the sun and enjoying some quality time with your people. Try one of these wildlife and nature reserves in and around Johannesburg.
The ideal spontaneous weekend break means hitting the road without having to travel too far. Fortunately, making the most of South Africa’s wild and authentic beauty is easy, as Gauteng is home to and surrounded by a few renowned game and nature reserves.
From Dinokeng in Gauteng to Pilanesberg in the North West, you can enjoy the opportunity to see the Big Five in their natural habitat, along with a spectacular list of other exciting creatures. These are the places to check-off your must-see list, front and centre, without travelling more than a couple of hours.
Dinokeng Game Reserve, Gauteng
Dinokeng Game Reserve is possibly the closest authentic Big 5 game-viewing attraction to Pretoria and Johannesburg. It makes a wildlife experience super accessible, whether for the day or over a weekend.
You'll be able to self-drive the park, exploring its natural spaces with access to rest camps offering picnic and braai areas as well as ablution facilities. No pets are allowed.
Attractions and amenities:
- Self-drive safari
- Restaurants
- Accommodation including camping and self-catering stays.
- Guided game drives
- Bush walks
- Hot air ballooning
- Picnic sites
- Bird hides
Here you can spot free-roaming lion and elephant as well as white rhino, hyena, giraffe, leopard and buffalo, at your own pace. Experienced rangers are also available to book for a guided game drive or bush walk.
The reserve has well-maintained picnic areas at Bayete, Dula Nokeng, Riverside & Veldjierondom rest camps on the self-drive routes. There are at least 12 restaurants and dining options available at the various lodges in the reserve. Pre-booking is advised.
If you plan to go:
Entrance fee: Access to the reserve requires a self-drive permit, starting at R250, as well as conservation fees, all of which can be pre-booked online.
Operating times: 06h00 to 18h00
Contact: 021 711 4391 / [email protected]
The Cradle Moon Conservancy, Gauteng
Escape the bustle of the city in The Cradle Moon Conservancy in Muldersdrift. It's a convenient 25-minute drive from Lanseria International Airport and 1.5 hour drive from OR Tambo.
Yet another spectacular option that is within in easy reach, offering a host of activities to connect with nature. It is important to note, no food or drinks from outside the Conservancy is allowed. Pets are also not allowed.
Attractions and amenities
- Game Drives
- Boat Cruises
- Cycling Trails
- Running Trails
- Swimming and Water Sports
- Fly Fishing
- Restaurants and a bar
- Thatched Bungalow accommodation
This bushveld getaway on the urban edge of Johannesburg is an ongoing project aimed at introducing wildlife across 1 600 hectares of the conservancy and includes rhino, leopard, eland, zebra, duiker, springbok, brown hyena, jackal and aardwolf.
Game drives and nature walks, with expert guides, can be booked to give you the full wildlife experience. There are also 32 hectares of pristine lake, home to a family of Hippo as well as countless species of fish for the fly fisherman.
If you plan to go:
Entrance fee: R50 per person.
Operating times: 07h00 to 21h00.
Contact: Tel: 011 919 5000. Email: [email protected]
Plumari Game Reserve, Gauteng
This private reserve, located between Hartebeespoort and Magaliesberg, is a pristine malaria-free wilderness spanning some 6 200 hectares.
Just over an hour from Johannesburg or Pretoria, you'll find a unique microcosm of landscapes ranging from bushveld acacia to rocky mountains and wetlands, frequented by the Big 5 and over 20 species of other wildlife animals. The reserve is also rich in birdlife.
Attractions and amenities:
- 4x4 trails
- Game drive
- Elephant experience
- Hiking Trails
- Bird watching
- Clay-pigeon shooting
- Restaurant
- Spa
- Heritage Museum
- African lodge and Warthogs bush camp
And at Plumari it really is all about the conservation of these animals. Immerse yourself in the proud heritage of reintroduced wildlife to the area such as hippos, elephant and king buffalo, after an absence of about 100 years.
If you plan to go:
Entrance fee: No entrance fee, but the above activities have a booking fee.
Operating times: The gate is open 24hrs. Booking activities are subject to specific times. Pre-booking is advised. No access allowed on Sundays unless you have a lunch or game drive booking.
Contact: Tel: 082 416 1340 Email: [email protected]
Mabalingwe Nature Reserve, Limpopo
It couldn't be simpler to get back to nature than heading to this 12 000 hectare reserve in Bela Bela, Limpopo. Set in an easily accessible, malaria-free area just outside of Johannesburg, less than 2hrs-drive away.
Attractions and Amenities:
- Day and Night game drives
- Private picnic game drive
- Archery
- Mountain hikes and game walks
- Bird Watching
- 4x4 trail
- Restaurants, bar and coffee shop
- Farm Shop
- Tennis, squash and mini golf
- Kids play area
- Heated swimming pool
- Spa
- Self-catering chalet accommodation and a bush camp
The Mabalingwe biome provides wonderful game-viewing opportunities year-round, including giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and antelope. You can take it all in during guided nature drives, birding safaris and bush walks.
Day visitors are allowed to book for a private guided game drive through Mabalingwe as well for treatments to their spa. All other activities are only available to overnight guests.
If you plan to go:
Entrance fee: No entrance fee. But pre-booking required for activities.
Operating times: 24hr access
Contact: Tel: 014 001 7011 Email: [email protected] | [email protected] to book a game drive.
Lejwe La Metsi Private Game Reserve, Limpopo
This escape into pristine wilderness, some 2 500 hectares wide, complete with magnificent waterfalls, only 90-minutes from Johannesburg.
Lejwe La Metsi’s is a malaria-free wilderness, home to leopard, hyena, jackal, hippopotamus, giraffe and zebra. There is also the rare opportunity to spot East African buffalo, Zambezi sable, golden wildebeest and black impala.
Attractions and amenities
- Walking Safaris
- Conservation Game Drives
- Sundowners
- Stargazing
- Golf
- Spa
If you plan to go:
Entrance fee: No entrance fee.
Operating times: 06h00 to 18h00 (Guest check-ins after 18h00 can be arranged)
Contact: Tel: 072 529 7602 Email: [email protected]
It is important to note, facilities and attraction are only available to overnight guests. No alcoholic or non-beverages are allowed to be brought onto the premises unless you are staying in a self-catering villa. Nor are pets are allowed.
Pilanesberg National Park, North West
Pilanesberg covers an area of 55 000 hectares and shares a border with the ever-popular entertainment hotspot of Sun City. Just 2.5hrs drive from Johannesburg, Pretoria, and the OR Tambo International Airport.
This reserve is home to the Big Five, including black and white rhino. You could also spot the wild dog, roan, sable, hippopotamus, African wild cat, cheetah, caracal, hyena, jackal, and fox.
Attractions and Amenities:
- Self-drive game drives
- Game Drives
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Walking Safaris
- Self-catering chalets, camping, luxury lodges
Its unique, ancient geological features further set the scene as one of the largest volcanic complexes of its kind in the world, produced some 1 300 million years ago.
It is important to note the park has strict safety rules and guidelines, which self-drive day-visitors need to adhere to.
If you plan to go:
Entrance fee: From R80. Click here to see latest fees
Operating times: March and April: 6h00-18h30
May to September: 06h30-18h00
September and October: 06h00-18h30
November to February: 05h30-19h00
Contact: Tel: 014 555 1600. Email: Click here to submit an enquiry