Every time you think you have found the best place on earth, another venue comes into play. Pilanesberg is that place. I commonly use words in this web site like amazing, awesome, fantastic, brilliant and so on. I can not find better words to describe Pilanesberg.
As you will have read elsewhere, my two all-time favourite resorts are Swadini and Berg-en-Dal. Well, Pilanesberg now matches them if not beats them.The reserve is situated in a volcano that became extinct many many years ago (apparently the largest ever recorded). The scenery comprises bush land, open veld, mountains and the most beautiful valleys with rivers and dams.
As for animals? Very different then Kruger. Kruger predators basically run on Impala. They are everywhere. At Pilanesberg, there were not many, however, there were Zebras, Giraffe and Wildebeest everywhere. True planes
animals.As for the resort.
We stayed at one of the Golden Leopard Resorts: - Bakgatla. The resort is not quite like Eden Park, Mbizi or Mabalingwe, however, very comfortable. I have read in a number of forums that the Caravan sites are spacious. This I can now confirm. There is more then enough space for a caravan as well as at least two fair sized tents for the kids. Then there is still room for the chairs and eating area. The pool area is the best attraction with grassed, nice, shady areas and the biggest most inviting pool I have seen in some time. Ablutions were plentiful and again with more then enough facilities per ablution to cater for an army. There was definitely more then enough hot water.Bakgatla is literally a 2,5 hour (On the dot) drive from Benoni. Although on the way there, I was doing the litres per km and so on thing, I forgot all about it and the computer re-set after the 2 hours had elapsed.
Coming back though, I did remember to capture and here is the info: -
Anyway, to some photos...
Our camp site
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We found a camp site (#90) at the far end of the Caravan section with trees in front and behind. Set the caravan up underneath the one tree for shade and had a lovely relaxing time. |
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This was the area to our right. As you can see, it was very spacious with not too many people on top of each other |
The Camp (Bakgatla)
The hides.
The Elephants



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On the Letsha loop while heading back to camp on the last day, we came across this herd of Elephants. What apeared to be between 4 or 5 animals soon turned out to be between 15 to 20 Elephants.
The more we sat watching,
the more they crept out of bushes and trees everywhere. It is amazing how they can hide in the bush.
We spent some time with them and here are the better photos. |
Other general Photos
The Frogs.



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While at the camp, in the evening, one frog after another started up with their croaking. The noise one hour later was defining. It
sounded like there were thousands of these guys all over the place. I must say, it was lovely to listen to when in bed.
On the first night we had a serious rain storm. Then on Saturday, while cooking on the braai, there
was frogs all over the place wandering around. Even in the toilets was like walking the gauntlet with frogs in every single nook or cranny.
I am led to believe that there is 13 species of frogs in the camp. We only managed to spot 3 of them and the photos of those guys are to the left! |
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