Overview:
Bakubung Bush Lodge, an optimal location for an exhilarating African safari, is situated at the entrance of the malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park, near Johannesburg.
This opulent resort is favored by families and provides a variety of engaging activities, including Big 5 game drives in open-sided 4×4 safari vehicles, as well as sought-after snake demonstrations and boma feasts.
This South African safari excursion to Bakubung Bush Lodge encompasses transfers to and from Johannesburg. Reserve your accommodation regardless of whether your travel is for work or leisure.
Detailed Itinerary:
Day 1: Johannesburg to Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa
At the commencement of this 3-Day Pilanesberg Safari, you will be collected early in Johannesburg and transported to Pilanesberg National Park. After several hours of exploration in the Big 5 game reserve, we reach Bakubung Bush Lodge about noon.
We partake in a light lunch and unwind before to our departure for a late afternoon game drive in the reserve. Game drives are undertaken in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a knowledgeable ranger who guides you in pursuit of Africa’s Big Five (lion, rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo, and leopard), as well as several other wildlife and avian species present in Pilanesberg.
Following our initial spectacular game drive in Pilanesberg National Park, we return to the lodge around sunset. Dine by lantern light beneath the stars on balmy evenings or in the expansive dining area.
Meals Provided: Lunch and Dinner
Activities Included: Good afternoon Game Drive in Pilanesberg National Park
Accommodation: Standard Room at Bakubung Bush Lodge
Day 2: Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa
Following our coffee or tea, we embarked on a three-hour sunrise game drive in Pilanesberg National Park. We traverse the game reserve in an open safari vehicle accompanied by a professional ranger. Upon observing a variety of wild animals, birds, and small critters, we return to the lodge for a sumptuous breakfast spread.
You are then at liberty to utilize the lodge amenities and partake in extra activities at Bakubung Bush Lodge. For an extra fee, you may participate in a guided bush walk, engage in a game tracking activity, or visit the reserve’s wildlife center or Predator’s World. In the late afternoon, following a delectable meal at the lodge, we commence a 4×4 game drive. Late afternoons, akin to early mornings, are optimal for seeing wildlife, as numerous species exhibit heightened activity throughout these periods. Upon completing your animal observations, we reconvene for dinner by the campfire, in the open-air boma, on the terrace, or in the restaurant.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Activities Included: Morning and Afternoon Safari Excursions in Pilanesberg
Accommodation: Standard Room at Bakubung Bush Lodge
Day 3: Pilanesberg National Park to Johannesburg, South Africa
We commence early on the third day of our Big 5 Pilanesberg Safari. Commence with a revitalizing tea or coffee prior to embarking on a three-hour sunrise game drive in Pilanesberg National Park. While traversing the jungle in the safari vehicle, your expert guide provides insights into the wildlife, flora, avifauna, and ecosystems present in the area.
We return to the opulent lodge for a substantial meal; prepare and get ready to leave. At approximately 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM, our driver will retrieve you in an air-conditioned minivan and transport you for a concluding game drive in the reserve. We thereafter return to Johannesburg, arriving in the late afternoon, where you will be dropped off at your post-safari lodging.
Meals Provided: Breakfast
Scheduled Activities: Morning Game Drive in Pilanesberg
Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa
Pilanesberg is the fourth-largest game reserve in South Africa, including over 55,000 hectares (135,908 acres). It is among the premier Big 5 game reserves in proximity to Johannesburg and one of the nation’s most readily accessible safari parks.
Pilanesberg National Park is situated in the Bojanala Region of the North West Province, within a transitional vegetation zone. This is the juncture where the arid Kalahari Desert converges with the more humid Lowveld biomes. This place hosts a vast array of animal, plant, and avian species. Pilanesberg has practically all wildlife species in Southern Africa, including endangered and rare species such as African wild dogs, roan antelopes, sable antelopes, and tsessebe antelopes. Pilanesberg hosts all five of the Big Five animals: elephant, rhinoceros, lion, buffalo, and the elusive leopard. The national park is inhabited by cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles, jackals, wild cats, and other antelope species. Pilanesberg National Park has documented approximately 360 bird species.
Pilanesberg National Park is a provincial park administered by the North West Parks Board. An intriguing aspect about the national park is that it was created in a crater millions of years ago due to a volcanic explosion. The extinct volcano is an intriguing geological location featuring breathtaking landscapes.
Bakubung Bush Lodge located in Pilanesberg
During this safari, we will reside at Bakubung Bush Lodge, a family-oriented safari locale situated in the southeastern quadrant of the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, merely a 15-minute drive from Sun City Resort. The lodge commands a panoramic view of an expansive lawn that descends to a sizable waterhole, typically inhabited by a resident pod of hippos.
Bakubung Bush Lodge offers a plethora of activities for the entire family, ranging from early morning to afternoon game drives. The lodge offers extensive amenities, including a spacious swimming pool, illuminated tennis courts, a children’s playground, volleyball courts, an internet lounge, a gym and spa center, a sizable restaurant, and a poolside bar. A notable feature is the African-themed spit braais and bush braais that occur on select evenings at the outside boma.
Accommodation options include regular and deluxe rooms, family rooms, and special private suites. Each luxurious ensuite room is tastefully adorned and comprehensively outfitted for comfort and convenience. The expansive rooms lead to a private balcony with a magnificent vista of the reserve. This safari comprises lodging in basic rooms at Bakubung Bush Lodge.
Safari Meals at Pilanesberg National Park
All meals provided during this Pilanesberg Safari at Bakubung Bush Lodge have been meticulously curated and prepared. This Pilanesberg Safari has substantial meals at the Bakubung Lodge’s restaurant, which overlooks a hippo hide.
Pilanesberg Safari Transportation Transfers during this 3-Day Pilanesberg Safari are executed in an air-conditioned minibus (Quantum). The transportation to and from the lodge occur in a shared vehicle accommodating 2 to 12 individuals. You will be transported to and from your accommodation in these enclosed tour vehicles at the commencement and conclusion of your safari.
Pickup from your lodging in Johannesburg or central Pretoria between 05:30 and 07:00.
Drop-off at your lodging in Johannesburg or central Pretoria starting at 17:30.
While at the Bakubung Bush Lodge in Pilanesberg National Park, your game drives are carried out in either an open-sided 4×4 safari vehicle or an open 20-seater safari vehicle.
Pilanesberg Safari Alternatives
Bakubung Bush Lodge has many optional activities (for an additional fee) including guided bush walks, wildlife tracking, excursions to the Pilanesberg Wildlife Center or Predator World, archery, quad biking, spa treatments, and further offerings. To fully partake in these optional activities, we suggest extending this safari tour by an additional night or two to ensure adequate time. A minimum reservation of two individuals is necessary for these optional activities. Optional activities frequently substitute for scheduled game drives because to time constraints.
This Pilanesberg Safari is customizable upon request. Reach out to us to have one of our amiable travel specialists customize this Pilanesberg Safari for you.