Christmas in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve

Recently I have been craving a trip to the bush.

I took two weeks of leave from work and escaped to the Pilanesberg to celebrate Christmas and New Years. My mission for this trip was quite simple - to eat good local food, read that novel I had put off for so long, soak up some much needed sunshine and spot one of the Big Five animals.

Pilanesberg is a popular game reserve in South Africa and is a true Big Five area housing elephants, lions, buffalos, leopards and rhinos. Amongst the big five there are also other animals which roam the park such as giraffes, antelopes, baboons and impala. We were lucky enough to come in close proximity to a herd of elephants and watch a rhino and her baby cross the road during out trip. Pilanesberg is South Africa's fourth-largest national park and a place I hold very close my heart. I've been visiting this park since I was a little girl and per tradition my father opted to self-drive. We spent a grand total of thirteen hours in the park and time seemed to slip by so quickly.  

So how do you spot one of the Big Give in the Pilanesberg National Park? It requires good timing, patience and of course a keen eye. Immersing yourself in the beauty of the area beneath the warmth of the African sun I managed to come out of the park feeling refreshed with new eyes.

Photography: Li-Chi Pan

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