The circular layout of the park can be traced to prehistoric times, when this area was the fiery crater of a volcano. Around the central Mankwe Dam lie three rings of little hills – mound of cooled lava – and the whole area is raised above the plain.

The decision to establish a reserve here was economic: to benefit the local people, and to complement the nearby resort of Sun City. Re-stocking the overgrazed farmland turned into one of the most ambitious game relocation ventures ever attempted in South Africa.

Pilanesberg National Park offers a choice of accommodation, from the luxurious Kwa Maritane Lodge, Tshukudu Bush Camp and Bakubung Lodge, which overlooks a hippo pool, to tented camps and thatched huts. In the vicinity is a private camp with bungalows and a pleasant caravan park.