Looking for the nearest Big 5 Game Reserve?

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Johannesburg

Pilanesberg Game Reserve

Experience the big five while driving around the crater of an extinct valcano and a dam. Pilansberg Game Reserve is situated around 30 km
away from Sun City Resort allowing you to experience the big five as well as family activities. Both sun city and the game reserve offer luxury accommodation as well activities such as elephant back safaris, guided game drives, hiking or self drive game drives.

Costs:
Day visits cost R65 per person and R20 per vehicle
Accommodation Ranges from between R750 to R4 280

Directions from Preotria:
Use the N4 and turn right onto the R656 to Pilanesberg.

Mabula Game Reserve

This is one of the smaller game reserves spanning around 1 200 hectares. It is situated in the foothills of the Waterberg Mountain Range.
Here you will experince the likes of Hippo, African python and Nile crocodile as well as the big five. Sadly this reserve does not allow day trips
but they do offer accommodation which includes all meals and two safari activities. Activities at this reserve include horse safaris, bush walks,
hot air balloon safaris, snake demonstrations, archery and spa treatments.

Costs:
Overnights costs from R1 785 per person

Directions from Preotria:
Once on the N1, take the Pietersburg highway turn to Bela Bela.
Take the Codrington off-ramp and turn left at the yeild sign
5 km after the yeild sign, turn right at the T junction
Turn left at the garage, pass the Forever Resorts Aventura
Turn left at the traffic circle left onto the Thabazimbi/Rooiberg road
After 34 km, turn right onto Rooiberg Road and follow the signs

Port Elizabeth

Kariega Game Reserve

This is another game reserve that is not open for day tips. Kariega Game Reserve offers a rather rare game viewing experince for this
country. They have game viewing via boat or canoe along the Bushmans River. They also offer bush walks along the river and personalised
game drives.

Costs:
Rates start from R2 200 per person per nighton a full board basis.

Directions from Port Elizabeth:
Take the N2 towards Grahamstown
Turn right onto the R72 to Kenton-on-sea
Take the R343 and look out for the signs arfter around 14 km

Addo Elephant National Park

The Addo Elephant National Park is situated right next to Port Elizabeth, in the Eastern Cape in South Africa. This park is recognised as one of
the country's 19 National Parks and is now the Country's 3 largest national park. The park was founded in 1931 as a sanctuary for the 11
elephants that remained in the area at the time. The park has proven successful as it now it is home to over 450 elephants as well as a number
of other mammals including the big 5.

Costs:
Day visitors have to pay a conservation fee of around R38 (South African Residents)
Accommodation ranges srom around R175 to R 2 760 per person per night.
Visit our Addo site for more accommodation options: www.addolodges.co.za

Directions:
Take the N2 towards Grahamstown
Turn left at the signn for Motherwell an Addo Elephant National Park
Turn left at the top of the ramp and continue to follow this road untill you see the entrance on th right.

Lalibela Game Reserve

The entire wildlife population in this game reserve roams free. The whole 7 500 hectares contains no public roads, just savanna, fynbos and
woolands. This reserve offers excellent childrens programmes which allow children to explore the reserve with their own ranger and
vehicle. The reserve offers night time drives giving you the oportunities to also spot creatures such as aardvark, bat-eared fox, black-backed
jackal and aardwolf. Day trips at this reserve are not offered.

Costs:
Rates start at R2 165 per person sharing and include all meals. There are also specials offered for South African Residents only.

Dirrections:
Take the N2 towards Grahamstown
Around 13 km after crosing the Bushman's River there will be a sign for Lalibela.

Amakhala Game Reserve

This reserve is Addo Elephant National Park's neighbour and is one of the more luxurious options when it comes to viewing the big 5. The
majority of the animals have been introduced into the area sa part of the reserves effort to re-establish the flora and the fauna that used to
be found here many years ago. The reserve offers day trips up to 6 hours which can include a river cruise.

Costs:
Day visitors rates are from R 980 per person. This rate includes lunch, a river cruise and a game drive.
Accommodation rates range from R 1 750 to R 4 180. There area also specilas available at the lodges.

Directions:
Take the N2 towards Grahamstown
After around 73 km there should be signs for the reserve

Durban

Hluhluwe-Umfolozi

This is the oldest proclaimed park in Africa and it is also onw of the few state-run parks in KwaZulu Natal. The Park features black rhino as
well as the largest white rhino population in the world making it woth the drive. The park covers around 96 000 hectares of land which is rather
hilly but it still offers a variety of animals. Game viewing options include self-drive, guided game drives, guided walks and boat trips in the dam.
The park features a number of lodges that cater for a range of budgets.

Costs:
Day visitors have the choice of a 3 hour game drive for R200 or a 7 hour game drive for R500 per person. There are also daily conservation fees
of R110 per adult and R55 for children.
Accommodation rates start from R480 per unit per night.

Directions from Durban:
Take the N2 north bound for 220 km
Turn left on to the R618 west bound

Phinda Private Game Reserve

Seven distinct habitats shelter an abundance of wildlife including Africa’s Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, black and white rhino, buffalo) and over 380 bird species, while the marine diversity off the nearby coast of Sodwana is said to rival the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Guests can look forward to exciting game-drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles led by experienced rangers and Zulu trackers, as well as thrilling optional activities on the water, in the air and on the beach.

Costs:
Accommodation rates start from R 3 995 per person per night. Rates are usually fully inclusive at this reserve.
For more accommodation options visit our Phinda website: www.skukuza.co.za

Directions from Durban:
Take the N2 and then take the Phinda off-ramp
Turn right into a bridge after taking the off ramp then at the T junction turn left onto a gravel road
Cross the railway line and immediatley turn right,

Mkuze Private Game Reserve

The Mkuze Private Game Reserve is located in Northern Zululand and spans around 40 000 hectare. The Reserve was declared a protected area on the 15 Febuary 1912. The Reserve is known for the diversity of habitats including savannah, woodlands, sand forests, riverine forest, pans, grasslands, cliffs and rocky ridges. The reserve makes up the north western spur of the st lucia wetland park, which was declared a world heritage site in 1999.

Costs:
Day visitors are charged R35 per adult and R15 per child. There is also a vehicle charge of R35 per vehicle.
Mkuze features accommodation ranging from 3 star to 5 stars.
For more about accommodation and rates take a look at our Mkuze website: www.mkuze.org

Cape Town

Aquila Private Game Reserve

This game reserve made headlines in 2011 as 7 of their rhinos were killed by poachers. Security has since been improved upon and the remaining rhinos are constantly monitored. Aquila is a family friendly reserve offering activities such as quad biking, horse riding safaris which is ideal for day visitors. The reserve is free-roaming although sometimes methods like hearding the buffalo and seperating the lions are eployed. This also means that if you are short of time, you might want to choose this option as the chances are you will see the big 5 in a shorter amount of time.

Costs:
Day trips are R1 300 per person. This rate includes drinks, game drives and lunch.
Accommodation ranges from R 2 095 per person per night and upwards. These rates include two game drives and lunch.

Directions:
Travel 130 km from capetown along the N1 to Touws River
Turn left onto the R46 to Ceres
Look for Aquila on your left

Inverdoorn Game Reserve and Safari Lodge

This reserve is around 10 000 hectares and contains more than 1 200 animals and offers a very reasonabley priced day trip. This is another reserve that is ideal if you have a limited amount of time to view the game. Predators are kept in separate enclosures which also increases the chance of you seeing all five in one go. The reserve also has a cheetah rehabilitiation programme which allows you to get up close to the animals.

Costs:
Game drive rates are R780 per person. These rates include drinks on arrival
Accommodation rates are R1 520 per person sharing per night. These rates include dinner, bed and breakfast

Directions:
Take the N1 to Worcestor
Turn left onto the R43 then Right onto the R46
Continue till you see a sign for R355 and turn onto this dirt road
Drive 6km then turn right onto the R356
Drive for a further 7.4km until you reach a fork in the road
Take the left split and continue till until you see Inverdoorn on your left

Fairy Glen

For those who don't like to travel too far, this is the best option for big five viewing in Capetown. It is located at the foot of the Brandwacht Mountains and it is Capetown's only free roaming big 5 pruvate game reserve. As it is so close to Capetown their day trips are very popular. For visitors that do not wish to be inside a vehicle, they also offer guided horseback safaris.

Costs:
Day trips cost R 1 225 per person and include Breakfast and lunch.
Accommodation rates from R 1 850 per person per night. Rates include dinner, bed and breakfast as well as a game drive.

Directions:
Take the N1 to Worcester. Once there, turn left onto Brandwacht Road follwing the signs to Fairy Glen
GO past the shell ultra city on your left and take the next off-ramp on the left
You will pass through two circles and get to a stop street
Turn right and follow the signs to Fairy Glen