Let’s just get one thing straight: I am not a morning person. Waking up at 4:00 a.m. on vacation felt like a questionable life choice. But apparently, if you want to see wild animals before they wander off into the bush for the day, you need to be out there before the sun even considers waking up. So that’s exactly what we did — twice.
Our home base for this adventure was Ivory Tree Game Lodge, a gorgeous oasis inside Pilanesberg National Park where the beds were comfy, the showers were outdoors, and the wildlife was just a stone’s throw away. Literally. We had a resident warthog wandering by.
5 A.M. Mornings: Blankets, Bush Coffee, and Lions Being Majestic
Every morning at 5:00 a.m., we shuffled out to the safari trucks — wrapped in thin blankets (emphasis on thin) and clutching the last shreds of our cozy dreams. It was cold, it was dark, and we were mostly running on adrenaline and hope.
But halfway through each drive, salvation arrived in the form of a bush coffee stop — complete with steaming coffee and a generous splash of Amarula served on a white-cloth covered camping table. Coffee and liqueur before 7 a.m.? Safari rules, not real-world rules.
The wildlife was well worth the early alarm. We saw impalas grazing in the grass, kudus moving like shadows among the trees, and wildebeest who looked like they had just rolled out of bed too. Then came the stars of the show – lions crossing the roads at their own leisurely pace, completely unbothered by our presence.
5 P.M. Dusk Drives: Golden Hour, Birdwatching, and White Rhino Traffic Jams
By 5 p.m., we were back on the trucks, ready for another round of animal-spotting — and another coffee and Amarula stop, naturally.
Dusk in Pilanesberg is pure magic. Everything turns golden, the birds put on a show, and the animals seem to emerge from nowhere. We saw zebras grazing peacefully, giraffes nibbling treetops, and an endless parade of birds showing off their colors.
One evening gave us a real surprise: three white rhinos in a bit of a standoff, including a very pregnant female. We sat quietly, watching the male antagonize the female, the female snorting and pushing him away.
We didn’t spot any cheetahs or leopards (despite our best efforts and desperate binocular scanning), but we did find a fresh leopard footprint pressed into the dirt. Close enough to remind us: just because you don’t see them, doesn’t mean they’re not watching you.
It’s the Little Moments (and the Amarula)
It wasn’t just about the Big Five. Some of my favorite moments were the little ones: a mongoose darting across the road, a chameleon blending into a branch, the sudden flash of color from a lilac-breasted roller soaring overhead.
Our Guide from Ivory Tree, whose name was Answer, was amazing — sharp-eyed, full of stories, and patient with all our (very enthusiastic) questions. Thanks to Answer, we didn’t just see animals; we understood the rhythm of the land and how nature interacts with itself.
Every drive ended the same way: a little dustier, a little more exhilarated, and very, very grateful. Pilanesberg wasn’t just a park — it was a reminder that wild beauty is still very much alive in the world.
Would I set that 4:30 alarm again? Absolutely. Hand me a blanket, a cup of Amarula coffee, and let’s go find the leopards!
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