#mankwe dam

[kevlo75]

Some of the most beautiful scenery within the entire park can be viewed in the Mankwe Dam region. The dam is the largest body of water in the game reserve. This makes it the perfect place to spot a wide variety of animals. water-buck, wildebeest, zebra and impala are among the animals that make a stopover on the grassland bordering the dam. #pilanesberg #dam (à Pilanesberg, North-West, South Africa) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClB3n0-repM/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[haysois]

Misty morning at Mankwe Dam por Sumarie Slabber Por Flickr: Pilanesberg National Park, South Arica

[kruger2kalahari]

We spent a few days in the Pilanesberg with our wonderful friend @cgordon74. The photography was challenging as the park was full of water! Usually, September is one of the driest months but we had unusual winter rains in Johannesburg and the NW so all the dams, from Ruighoek to Ratlhogo and Mankwe to Makorwane were filled to the brim with water! These are images of the sunrise and sunset from where we were staying. More pics to follow. http://www.kruger-2-kalahari.com #NaturePhotography #Africa #Photographic #Travel #landscape #WildlifePhotography #PhotoSafari #Kruger2Kalahari #AfriTravel #eBooks #Wildlife #Pilanesberg #sunrise #sunset #landscape_lover #landscape_captures #landscape #pilanesberggamereserve #pilanesbergselfdrive #pilanesbergnationalpark (at Pilanesberg National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjKgKqtqVHx/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[tourwithus89]

Discover Pilanesberg National Park

Among Southern Africa’s fascinating game reserves, Pilanesberg National Park is possibly the most accessible. Situated in the ecologically rich transition zone between the Kalahari and the Lowveld, this vast area promises thrilling big game viewing in a malaria free environment. A wide variety of accommodation is available to suit your needs.

Find accommodation in Pilanesberg

Accommodation in Pilanesberg National Park is as varied as the park itself. Pilanesberg offers a host of accommodation options, ranging from resorts, safari tents and bush lodges to chalets and self-catering. Discerning travellers will especially enjoy the exclusive lodges in the private Black Rhino Reserve, which was recently added to Pilanesberg National Park. Families and budget travellers will find a variety of accommodation choices to suit every budget, including self catering, bed and breakfast and chalet options. Pilanesberg Game Reserve offers a good option for travellers who would like to visit the internationally acclaimed Sun City, with some lodges located only ten minutes’ drive from the resort.

Whether you choose a rustic safari tent, a self catering escape, or luxurious five star lodge, the abundant wildlife of the malaria-free Pilanesberg remains the main attraction of this popular park.

Safaris in Pilanesberg

The Pilanesberg National Park is home to a brimming diversity of wildlife. Almost all of Southern Africa’s big game featured around the unique geological formation called the Pilanesberg Alkaline Ring Complex.

Pilanesberg safaris are unique as they explore the transition zone of the Kalahari with the Lowveld creating unique overlaps in animal species and vegetation. Pilanesberg safari packages range from game drives to exclusive experiences such as balloon safaris over the unique geology in the pristine wilderness of Pilanesberg National Park.

Winter Special! This is a per unit per night rate.(Book and travel within 30 days)

Valid until: 30 September 2021

Rate is valid for Mid-week stays

A maximum of 8 adults sharing in 4 chalets, kids 9 years & younger will share chalets with adults

A minimum stay of 2 nights is required for all stays

Weekend Rates available on request (minimal surcharge applies)

Exclusive use of the entire lodge

Book and travel within the required period

See the Big 5

Some of the most beautiful scenery within the entire park can be viewed in the Mankwe Dam region. The dam is the largest body of water in the game reserve. This makes it the perfect place to spot a wide variety of animals. water-buck, wildebeest, zebra and impala are among the animals that make a stopover on the grassland bordering the dam.

For bird lovers, there is a bird hide very close to the water’s edge. Make sure you take note of the fish eagles, kingfishers and cormorants circling the dam. All of these places provide many a fantastic opportunity to photograph the plentiful array of fauna and flora.

Pilanesberg National Park, or Pilanesberg Game Reserve as it is often called, is located in the Bojanala Region, within the North West Province and relatively near Johannesburg. With an area of 550km², it is the fourth largest park in South Africa. The volcano crater in which the park is situated erupted 1300 million years ago. Pilanesberg was originally owned by 3 of the local tribes. Many of the Stone Age and Iron Age sites around the reserve show proof of the presence of man.

Over 7 000 Animals

In 1979, Operation Genesis was launched. Operation Genesis was designed to reinforce the homegrown game population in the area. As part of the initiative, 110 kilometres of game fence was put up, as well as the 188 kilometres of roads that were established. Another plan of action put into place involved 6000 animals being introduced to the area. In the years that followed, Operation Genesis has been expanded on. Today, there are over 7 000 animals, 360 bird species, and more than 200 kilometres of roads.

Featured Lodges

Top Reasons to Visit

You may be wondering what sets Pilanesberg Game Reserve apart from other National Parks. What makes it so unique? Here are some of the best reasons to visit Pilanesberg:

Accessible

Only three hours’ drive away from South Africa’s largest city (Johannesburg), Pilanesberg National Park offers the perfect opportunity to leave the city lights behind, and discover another world. Celebrate the public holidays, or enjoy a romantic getaway in the unspoiled wilderness.

Variety of Accommodation

The diversity of Pilanesberg’s accommodation options means that there is an offering to suit every taste. Whether you enjoy “roughing it” in a Safari tent in the bush, or a savouring a glass of fine wine in a big bubble-bath as you gaze out the window of your luxury lodge, Pilanesberg has something just for you.

Ecological Richness

Pilanesberg National Park exists in a transition zone between the dryness of the Kalahari and the wet Lowveld vegetation. This rich transitional zone attracts an incredible variety of game animals, flora and fauna that are not often found living side by side. Virtually all of the animal species native to southern Africa can be found here, including the Big 5, wild dog, Roan, Tsessebe, Sable antelope and more than 360 species of bird.

Bursting with Wildlife

The relatively small size of the park, and its unusual ecological richness, dramatically increase your chance of encountering the Big 5 in their natural environment. Enjoy a leisurely Safari experience, or a surprise weekend escape: Pilanesberg allows you to choose your own adventure.

Ancient History

Pilanesberg National Park is set within the crater of an ancient volcano, formed 1.2 billion years ago by overflowing magma. The landscape and rock formations we see today are the enduring reminders of this magnificent occurrence.

Photographic Hides

Immerse yourself in the natural world, in one of Pilanesberg’s concealed photographic hides. Hidden within the park, these well-built hides provide a comfortable place to wait for that perfect shot. A rare opportunity to view the wildlife and birds in their natural habitat, safely out of sight.

Pilanesberg Day Tour

If you are short on time or perhaps you would like a quick insight into what Pilanesberg National Park can offer, the 1 day tour is a great option. Due to the limited time you will have to explore this Big 5 reserve, your day will be busy, but not rushed! Pilanesberg National Park is only a quick 2 hour drive from Johannesburg, which makes it the perfect destination for a 1 day safari tour.

You will have the opportunity to see fantastic wildlife and soak in the incredible scenery in this Big 5 Game Reserve.

View this Day Tour

Pilanesberg Info

Interesting Facts

Park Area: 550km²

Currency: South African Rand

Seasons: Dry season in the winter months (April to September), and wet season in the summer months (October to March)

Popular attractions: Big 5, hot air-ballooning, day trips, Lost City at Sun City

Nearby airports: O.R. Tambo International (220km)/Pilanesberg International Airport (inside the park)

Nearest cities: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Rustenburg

History

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[mjpphotographysblog]

Catch of the day.. African Fish Eagle at Mankwe dam on Hippo loop in Pilanesberg National Park taken with a Canon 70D and a Sigma 50-500 mm lens #africanfisheagle #eagle #pilanesberg_ #birdwatching #bird_captures #naturelovers #igtravel #best_birds_of_ig #birdsofinstagram #birds #birdphotography #birdlovers #all2epic #bestbirdshots #your_best_birds #wildlifephotography #practicalphotography #natgeo #natureaddict #photography https://www.instagram.com/p/CNc_cveAS5A/?igshid=epp9lrf6m0kt

[benjaminsblog]

2.8.19 (Pilansberg pt.2)

Still cannot believe this is my job!  We were up sickeningly early, but after the shock wore off, the promise of what was to come woke me up. After a spot of breakfast, we got ready to go. Before we left, I spotted a baboon lope to a spot just outside the fence of the campsite, and as I watched, a whole posse rocked up, including some baby ones!

Once we were in the park, things got amazing real quick; most people like to try and spot the ‘Big 5′ (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo), but I also had an eye on ‘Lion King bingo’ (lion, baboon, hornbill, hyena, meerkat, warthog). The first thing we saw - and one I really wanted to see - was a pair of white rhinos trotting along the side of the road! We got pretty close, but they are surprisingly skittish for walking tanks, and they hared off sharpish. We ended up seeing a bunch of rhinos throughout the day, and although we joked that it was getting old, the novelty never wore off.

Between the four of us, we managed to spot a lot of animals in the bush - zebras, wildebeest, and impala were plentiful, but the Big 5 members were proving tricky, despite rhinos coming out of our ears. We saw an elephant from (very) afar via binoculars, but privately I didn’t count that. Seeing other cars parked at random spots was often a good sign of action, and at one point we sidled up to a pair of them, and were rewarded with three young lions nestled in the grass beside the road! 

We had another mini-braai for lunch, in quite possibly the most stunning place I’ve seen; we drove up to Fish Eagle Site, which overlooks the humungous Mankwe Dam - it was teeming with wildlife around the banks, and it was a quite surreal experience - I did my best to take it in and feel overawed, but I think it was simply too majestic for my brain to fully compute! After lunch, we carried on touring the tracks, and the animals kept on coming! Giraffes were a frequent occurrence, we saw a large group of baboons chilling on the dam itself, and we drove right past a large herd of wildebeest camped out on the side of the road.

Our Big 5 hopes were fading fast - partly because each time we thought we saw an elephant, it turned out to be another rhino (ugh, so basic), but also because buffalo and leopard are incredibly rare to see. Leopard was top of my wishlist but I never harboured any real hope of seeing one, but we eventually managed to see some elephants without the aid of binoculars - we found a group of them at a watering hole - they were a bit far to get a good photo of, but that moment seemed to open the floodgates, and we saw loads of the blighters after that (London buses, am I right)! We saw a lot of calves among the big’uns, too, and our sightings got closer and closer until we could have virtually reached out and touched one. Alas, the buffalo and leopards remained elusive, but I was not in the least bit disappointed with our haul (I only missed out on Timon for Lion King bingo, which is a solid effort). We spent 11 hours in the park today!

It was a lo-o-ong journey back, and I got to experience SA driving at night (not fun), but eventually we made it home. We said our goodbyes and thanks to Brandon (and Kate), who has been our overseer at work as well as these two incredible days, and dragged ourselves up to our apartment. The enormity of everything I’ve seen hasn’t sunk in yet (I haven’t really had a chance to go over it all), but I am once again pinching myself that this is in fact my job - I have spent three weeks in South Africa masquerading as a work trip, but I have managed to fit in some incredible life experiences. I will be sorry to go, but also happy to spend some time at home. August looks pretty quiet for me, which is just as well, given that I’ll be spending virtually all of September & October in the Land of the Rising Sun...this can’t be happening!

[exoticsandbirds-blog]

Bird Photography on Your Southern African Safari

In the event that you are a winged animal picture taker then a southern African safari has much to offer you, in the prime summer months, as well as in the winter months!

Here we talk about our birding encounters in four of southern Africa's most well known diversion stores to enable you to pick your goal.

Kruger National Park

The Kruger Park's different scope of living spaces is in charge of a feathered creature rundown of more than 550 fowl species, while the accessibility of sustenance in these living spaces guarantees that numerous species happen in wealth.

The Park is particularly useful for extensive raptors which are uncommon sightings outside of expansive protection zones, while numerous other rare and transient species are pulled in to the Kruger's untainted wild.

Birding is great all through the Kruger however the far north has a tendency to be the most gainful feathered creature photography territory. A standout amongst other known birding hotspots in the north is the Pafuri excursion site where you could locate a mess of 'specials' that are not found in whatever remains of the recreation center.

Regularly observed Pafuri specials incorporate Lemon-breasted Canary, Wattle-looked at flycatcher, Yellow White-eye, Greyheaded Parrot, Mottled Spinetail, Crested Guinea-fowl and African Finfoot. Less normal however every so often observed, are Dickinson's Kestrel, Thickbilled Cuckoo, Pel's Fishing Owl, Goldenbacked Pytilia, Rackettailed Roller, Whitebacked Night Heron, Narina Trogon and Yellowspotted Nicator.

These specials ought to be searched for up and down the Luvuvhu stream and not exactly at the excursion site. This Pafuri territory has such great feathered creature specials since it is near the Mozambique drift and the Limpopo River, which goes about as a movement passageway for fowls that are typically discovered further toward the north and east.

The scaffold over the Luvuvhu River and Crook's Corner can be especially remunerating with sightings of the uncommon Pel's Fishing Owl.

The other sixteen Picnic locales are additionally worth strolling around as the flying creatures are utilized to people and enable you to draw near to them.

There are eleven winged creature covers up situated all through the recreation center of which we have discovered Lake Panic stow away close Skukuza camp and Sweni stow away close Satara camp to give the best feathered creature photography openings.

All the fundamental camps and bushveld camps are magnificent for birding - a few houses have water basins before them, which pulls in a wide range of fowls while around evening time you should search for the inhabitant owls and nightjars!

Regardless of whether you are driving along the streets or sitting at your home, you will have the chance to see and photo many distinctive feathered creatures, a portion of the more typical ones being Rollers, Drongos, Storks, Starlings, Doves, Guinea-fowl, Francolins, Hornbills, Bee-eaters, Kingfishers, Swallows, Vultures, Eagles and Owls.

Pilanesberg Game Reserve

The Pilanesberg is useful for birding with more than 350 species being recorded. When we originally began visiting the Pilanesberg we used to see raptors however amid the most recent couple of years hawk and vulture sightings have been rare. The recreation center is, nonetheless, great for its water winged animals.

There are a couple of fowl conceals that have been developed on the edges of waterholes and dams that give fantastic amusement and fledgling photography openings.

Lake Mankwe, for instance, is a prime spot where you can photo Kingfishers (Malachite, Giant, Pied), Cormorants, Spoonbills, Herons, Fish Eagles, Osprey and a large group of other water feathered creature species. The lake is huge so you can photo feathered creatures in trip as they fly from the shore to arrive on the dead trees before the cover up.

Birding is likewise great in the camps where you stand a superior possibility of seeing a few flying creatures, for example, the Crimson-breasted Shrike.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Despite the fact that the Kgalagadi offers an extensive variety of fowls (more than 280 fledgling species have been recorded) it is most notable for its winged animals of prey.

There are three fundamental birding conditions in the recreation center; the rise streets, the Nossob and Auob riverbeds, and the three principle camps. Most winged animal species are found all through the recreation center yet somewhere in the range of have a tendency to be more typical in one of these three situations.

Check the trees in the three principle camps for owls and other bramble veld species. The vast majority of our raptor sightings have been at the waterholes along the Auob and Nossob waterway streets.

Regardless of whether you are remaining at one of the wild camps you ought to likewise be compensated with great winged creature sightings, contingent upon which camp you are at. We have seen Secretary Birds, Martial Eagles, Lanner Falcons, Goshawks, Sand-grouse and Owls from our ridge lodges at the wild camps.

Etosha National Park

Feathered creature photography in Etosha can be great in winter however is best in the late spring a very long time from when the downpours begin, typically October, until April. More than 412 feathered creature species have been recorded in Etosha.

Namutoni - The waterhole isn't awesome for well evolved creatures yet it can deliver some great flying creature sightings including Caspian Plover, Red-charged Queleas and Greater Painted-kill.

In camp keep a post for the Palm Swift, Sunbirds, Starlings, Barn Owls and Red-confronted Mouse-feathered creatures. Fisher's container, or, in other words the camp, can create some pleasant summer transients, for example, Black-necked Grebe, Lesser and Greater Flamingos, Yellow-charged Stork, African Openbill, and Saddle-charged Stork.

Halali - This camp is our most loved for feathered creatures. you may see Bare-cheeked Babblers, Violet Wood-hoopoes, Carp's Tit, Southern Yellow-charged Hornbills and Southern White-confronted Scops Owls - all in camp.

At the Moringa waterhole we have seen Doves, Pygmy Falcons, Fork-followed Drongos and at dusk gigantic herds of Namaqua Sandgrouse with Owls later in the night.

Okaukuejo - In camp there is a Sociable Weaver settle in a tree comfortable waterhole divider and the Weavers will keep you engaged for a considerable length of time. You can see numerous winged animals either at the waterhole or in the camp.

By day keep a post for Namaqua Sandgrouse, Red-charged Queleas, Lanner Falcons, Gabar Goshawks, Red-charged Teals, Southern Pied Babblers, Crimson-breasted Shrikes, Violet-eared Waxbills, African Hoopoe, Groundscraper Thrush, Dusky Sunbirds, Acacia Pied Barbets, Golden-followed Woodpeckers, and huge herds of Double-grouped Sandgrouse.

Around evening time look for Pearl-spotted Owlets, Verreaux's Eagle-owls, Barn owls, and Rufous-cheeked Nightjars

Visit Website : http://www.exoticsandbirds.com/

[instapicsil3]

Nestling in a volcanic crater 1.2bn years old, Pilanesburg National Park is a popular weekend getaway for Joburgers. The park is home to a wide variety of animals, including a full house of the Big Five: lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo. One of the best places to spot wildlife is at the Mankwe Dam, where hippos burp and wallow in the cool water, springboks leap across the plains and dazzles of zebra munch on sun-bleached grass. The predators are most active at dawn and dusk, so plan accordingly to have the best chance of seeing a chase. To discover more about the dramatic landscapes and spectacular beasts to be found outside Johannesburg, click on 1843’s handle and follow the link in their bio. #travel #SouthAfrica #Rhino http://ift.tt/2HYknJ4

[thelifesway]

Mankwe Dam #PilanesbergNationalPark #5yearsofTheLifesWay #TheLifesWay #Photoyatra . . . . #photographyeveryday #photographylover #worldbestgram #TravelJournalist #TravelDiaries #Johannesburg #SouthAfrica #JohannesburgCityLife #AfricaNature #AfricaAmazing #Africansafari #HolidaysSeason #Amustplacetovisit #Love #Water #Wildlife #WalkingWithCamera #instadaily #Instasummer #aashishRai #SocialMediainfluencer #Blogger #Birds #NatureAdmirer #NatureLoveAllaround (at Pilanesberg National Park)

[lightnotions]

Catch of the day... Take-away breakfast at Mankwe Dam, was happy to catch this pied kingfisher with his catch before it knocked it out. These guys operate at speeds that are hard to keep-up with and I got lucky here. Was just a Great day out with Christa Goosen Photography. #wildography

[alxndrasplace]

(ESA)  Pilanesberg, South Africa

Copyright contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2017), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

The circular structure dominating this Sentinel-2 image is Pilanesberg, the result of geological activity over more than a billion years. Once a massive volcanic complex towering over 7000 m tall, millions of years of erosion have shaped the landscape to what it is today: concentric rings of hills rising from the surrounding plain, with a diameter of some 25 km.

A greater part of Pilanesberg is a protected game reserve and home to the ‘big five’: lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, rhinoceros and leopard. Other animals include cheetahs, zebras, giraffes and over 360 species of birds.

Within the circular structure, we can see a few bodies of water, the largest being Mankwe near the centre. Before this area was a reserve, farmers built that dam to create this lake, but today it attracts tourists looking to spot wildlife.

The land outside Pilanesberg is speckled by infrastructures such as buildings, roads and even a football stadium (upper right).

South Africa is the world’s leading platinum producer, and a number of mines surround the park – such as the bright area at the top of the image, or square area at the bottom.

Source

[pokistuff]

Misty morning at Mankwe Dam by Sumarie Slabber Pilanesberg National Park, South Arica http://flic.kr/p/RDGXJ1

[kruger2kalahari]

We saw this leopard hiding in the bushes up in the rocks just before Mankwe Dam. We sat and waited for about 40 minutes before she showed herself. What was most amazing was all the cars that just drove by and didn't ask what we were looking at! Patience and speaking to other visitors will provide you with the sightings! Image from The Photographer’s Guide to the Pilanesberg National Park eBook. http://www.kruger-2-kalahari.com/photographers-guide-to-the-pilanesberg.html #NaturePhotography #Africa #Photographic #Travel #WildlifePhotography #PhotoSafari #Kruger2Kalahari #AfriTravel #eBooks #Wildlife #Pilanesberg #nikon #iamnikonsa #nikonwildlife #sigmaphoto_sa #leopard #gamedrive #selfdrive #selfdrivesafari #bigfive #predator #gameviewing #patience (at Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa)

[funnywildlife]

The Headmaster by cybeR@NGER on Flickr.

Mankwe Dam, Pilansberg NP, South Africa.

[mjpphotographysblog]

Catch of the day.. African Fish Eagle at Mankwe dam on Hippo loop in Pilanesberg National Park taken with a Canon 70D and a Sigma 50-500 mm lens #africanfisheagle #eagle #pilanesberg_ #birdwatching #bird_captures #naturelovers #igtravel #best_birds_of_ig #birdsofinstagram #birds #birdphotography #birdlovers #all2epic #bestbirdshots #your_best_birds #wildlifephotography #practicalphotography #natgeo #natureaddict #photography https://www.instagram.com/p/CNae-ZKATHA/?igshid=16i1w6eboshdb

[mjpphotographysblog]

Catch of the day.. African Fish Eagle at Mankwe dam on Hippo loop in Pilanesberg National Park taken with a Canon 70D and a Sigma 50-500 mm lens #africanfisheagle #eagle #pilanesberg_ #birdwatching #bird_captures #naturelovers #igtravel #best_birds_of_ig #birdsofinstagram #birds #birdphotography #birdlovers #all2epic #bestbirdshots #your_best_birds #wildlifephotography #practicalphotography #natgeo #natureaddict #photography #photographyaddict #canonphotography https://www.instagram.com/p/CNRyswVAjjS/?igshid=1hn99ihl4rth0