2-Day 4-Star Pilanesberg Safari

We had an amazing time on the 2 Day 4 Star Pilanesberg Safari. Pickup from our Johannesburg hotel was easy, and our driver, Sibu, made the journey fun. He stopped for a bathroom and snack break along the way, and we all sang together in the vehicle! When we arrived for our first game drive, Martin greeted us and did not disappoint. We saw so many animals that morning, and he shared so much knowledge about them. One unforgettable moment was when an elephant came right up to the front of our safari vehicle to scratch his face! Martin also guided our evening drive, where we saw even more animals. Midway through, we stopped for snacks and a choice of beer, water, or soda. For our return to Johannesburg, we asked to be dropped off at the airport. MoAfrica Tours was very accommodating, and a special shout-out to Sibu for getting us there in time for our flight home. I highly recommend this safari. If you can, ask for Sibu and Martin!

We had an amazing time for my 30th birthday at this safari experience. The process was fairly smooth to get around, and the room given at the lodge was satisfactory. The food included was also very nice and good portions, and it was easy to make additional purchases (eg alcoholic drinks, lunch on the second day). Staff were very sweet and also helpful. They also made my birthday special by leaving a letter, a balloon and box of chocolates. We enjoyed the pool and the spa too! In terms of pick up, it was handy this came from and to our hotel. The drivers were very friendly and pointed out spots on the journey to look at. The WiFi was a nice extra although not the best in terms of signal. There were also charging ports on both journeys although it was a little frustrating they were non-usb on the way there but not the way back - lucky I had a portable charger with me! It also took us a while to get back which seemed to be attributed to a mix of the driver picking us up super early, the other people joining the bus slightly late and then rush hour traffic. Sometimes this isn’t avoidable but there wasn’t much in terms of communication and a lot of waiting around. In terms of the drive - our first drive was around midday and was with a MoAfrika guide, Petrus. Petrus was a delight and we had so much fun on this drive. It was a small car and group so it meant we all got a good view of animals. We saw the most animals on this drive and Petrus made an effort to drive to spots where the more rare animals (eg lions) had been spotted The second drive was again with MoAfrika. I believe our guides name was Megan and she was also very pleasant and informative. Again this was a smaller truck although it had a few more people in it than our first trip. We were still all able to get a good view of all the animals and we saw a few rare ones up close (a hyena and a leopard)! It was also a nice touch to have a beer at sundown in the enclosed space in the park. The third drive was also really good and we were able to see lions again much closer than before as well as a better view of the hippos. This was unfortunately a bigger truck with a lot more people and one directly put on by the lodge. The downside of this was it meant at times it was difficult to see the animals when sat at the back as the driver parked up for the view at the front. It was also quite hard to notify the driver of when we’d spotted something to stop as we were quite far back. However it was still a great journey and the driver was friendly. Overall an amazing experience, real value for money (considering the prices of other trips we saw) and we’d recommend it to anyone

We booked the 2-day Pilanesberg Safari with MoAfrika through Viator, and it turned out to be one of the absolute highlights of our South Africa trip. If you’re deciding between Kruger and Pilanesberg for a shorter stay, we couldn’t recommend this experience more. From the very beginning, everything was perfectly organized. The early hotel pickup, smooth transfers, great communication, and overall logistics made the trip completely stress-free. What really made this tour exceptional, though, were the guides. Timen and Martin were simply outstanding. Their passion, knowledge, sense of humor, and ability to track wildlife made every game drive exciting. They constantly positioned the vehicle perfectly, explained animal behavior in fascinating detail, and made sure everyone had the best possible experience. You could genuinely tell how much they cared. We deliberately booked this tour because it uses the smaller open safari vehicles, and we’re so glad we did. The experience feels much more personal and immersive compared to the large safari trucks. Across the four game drives, we saw an incredible variety of wildlife: elephants (including adorable babies walking right past our vehicle), rhinos, hippos, zebras, giraffes, hyenas, wildebeest, monkeys, countless antelopes, beautiful birds, and even two leopards—a sighting our guides described as very rare. The biggest highlight came on the second morning when we found a pride of lions with cubs. Watching them move through the grass and witnessing a real hunt unfold just meters away was something we’ll never forget. Seeing wildlife behaving naturally in their own environment was an experience that simply can’t be described in words. The tour also included comfortable accommodation, great food, and even a traditional South African bush lunch. As a pleasant surprise, we even received an additional game drive on the final day, meaning we experienced four different safaris instead of the three we originally expected. If we had to mention one small point for improvement, it would only be that the sunrise drive operated by the lodge wasn’t quite at the same exceptional level as the MoAfrika drives. However, that hardly affected our overall experience, which was outstanding from start to finish. This tour exceeded every expectation we had. Professional, well organized, incredible guides, unforgettable wildlife encounters, and memories that will stay with us forever. Without hesitation: 5/5 stars. We’d book with MoAfrika again in a heartbeat.

It was perfect. Our guides were Moloco and Petrus, and they are sensational, always looking for everyone's comfort, and the best experiences. I'd come back a thousand times

We had a fantastic experience on this two-day trip and would thoroughly recommend it. We were picked up promptly from our hotel by Nicki and taken to the park for the first of four open-vehicle game drives. Each drive was incredible, and all the guides were knowledgeable and informative. Our first two drives with T-Man and D were brilliant. They both went above and beyond—answering all our questions and ensuring we had the best possible experience. T-Man expertly and safely navigated the park, even managing to track down the lion we’d been hoping to see all day, which was a real highlight. We stayed at Bakubung Lodge, which was excellent. The room and food were both fantastic, and we had a brilliant view overlooking the park. On our second morning, we had an early start for a lodge-organised safari with Maea, who was also incredibly informative. Having drives at different times of day really enhanced the experience, as we were able to see a wider variety of animals depending on the changing conditions. We were very lucky to see a cheetah, lion, leopard, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, and many more animals. Throughout the trip, the staff were attentive and made sure we were well-fed, hydrated, and comfortable. We especially enjoyed the lunchtime meal and drinks provided in a beautiful setting within the park, which was a lovely touch. Their knowledge and professionalism meant we always felt safe, even when animals were very close. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone.