North West Province Travel Guide

North West Province is a popular holiday destination for families. Within easy reach of Johannesburg, the region has much to offer in the way of authentic Big 5 game viewing and family-friendly options.

Pilanesberg National Park is a comfortable two- to three-hour drive from Johannesburg and offers accommodation to suit all budgets from basic tented camps to luxury bush lodges. Set inside the crater of an extinct volcano, the park is home to a rich range of southern African wildlife from the Big 5 to cheetahs, Hartmann's mountain zebras, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles and over 260 species of birds.

Sun City Resort borders the Pilanesberg National Park to the south and is famous the world over for its glamorous casinos, golfing facilities, sporting and entertainment events and fun-filled, child-friendly activities.

Further north on the border to Botswana, prime safari destination Madikwe Game Reserve is a 4.5-hour drive from Johannesburg. Home to a wide range of fauna and flora, Madikwe is a popular malaria-free destination for families who want to see free-roaming Big Five and endangered African wild dogs on open-safari vehicle game drives, enjoy the year-round sunshine and take advantage of specially designed child-friendly wildlife and entertainment programmes.

Closed to the public, a private Kalahari conservation reserve offers families and small groups the unique opportunity to volunteer and work with wildlife in one of South Africa's largest private Big Five game reserves. Wildlife conservation efforts volunteers can participate in include activities like doing predator research, placing and monitoring camera traps, counting game, doing vegetation surveys and going on anti-poaching patrols.

North West Province is a fantastic holiday destination with great weather, a wide range of activities for all ages and wonderful accommodation options to suit all budgets.