Big Five Safari Near Johannesburg: Our Pilanesberg Week
Sep 23, 2026 · 35 min · 11 segments
Two and a half hours from Johannesburg, no malaria tablets, no light aircraft, and we still saw all of the Big Five in a day. After three weeks in Cape Town, we headed north for Doug's very first…
Two and a half hours from Johannesburg, no malaria tablets, no light aircraft, and we still saw all of the Big Five in a day. After three weeks in Cape Town, we headed north for Doug's very first safari, staying at Kwa Maritane Lodge inside Pilanesberg Game Reserve and heading out on private game drives with our guide, Heinrich. - Why Pilanesberg Works for a First Safari from Johannesburg - What the Big Five Are and How Pilanesberg Compares with Kruger - Staying at Kwa Maritane Lodge: Chalets, Spa, Bar and Boma Dinner - Elephants at the Waterhole and Lions Roaring at Night - Keeping Doors Shut and Dealing with Cheeky Monkeys - The Hide, the Tunnel and the Live Camera on Your TV - What a Private Guide Adds: Tracking, Local Knowledge and Comfort - Why a Full Day in the Park Pays Off - Lions on a Kill, an Up-Close Leopard and a Black Rhino - Guided Drives vs Self-Driving - Packing for Winter Mornings in Open and Enclosed Vehicles - Pairing Cape Town with a Game Drive Show notes, photos, and links are at globaltravelplanning.com/episode105. If you'd like to connect with Heinrich, send us a message via SpeakPipe. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share it with a fellow travel lover planning a trip to South Africa. Episodes 102 and 103 cover our time in Cape Town. Plan your next trip step by step with our free Global Trip Planner - download it here. Support the show 🗺️ **Free Global Trip Planner** Planning a trip of your own? Grab our free Global Trip Planner, a five-step workbook with the checklists, timelines and itinerary templates Doug and I use for our own trips. 🎤 Leave us a voice message via SpeakPipe ☕ **Enjoying the show?** Support us from $3 a month and get a shoutout on air: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2252461/support 🗺 **Global Travel Planning** Website | Instagram | YouTube 🇬🇧UK Travel Planning 📍London Travel Planning Work With Us **- *Contact tracy@globaltravelplanning.com for brand partnerships and business inquiries.*** ***Disclaimer: Some outbound links financially benefit the podcast through affiliate programs. Using our links is a small way to support the show at no additional cost. I only endorse products, programs, and services I use and would recommend to close friends and family.*** ...
Two and a half hours from Johannesburg, no malaria tablets, no light aircraft, and we still saw all of the Big Five in a day. After three weeks in Cape Town, we headed north for Doug's very first…
