North West

A province next to Johannesburg, with the Sun City resort and Pilanesberg safaris close at hand.

North West lies in northern South Africa, bordering Botswana, and its capital is Mahikeng. Sun City is a well-known integrated resort with hotels, golf courses and a water park. Right next door, Pilanesberg National Park sits within an ancient volcanic crater landscape, offers sightings of the Big Five, and is malaria-free, making it ideal for a short safari. The area around Hartbeespoort Dam is a weekend getaway for Johannesburg residents. Game viewing is best in the dry season, May to September, and it's about a two-to-three-hour drive from Johannesburg.

Destinations

• Sun City & Pilanesberg
• Johannesburg

Itineraries

• Johannesburg History & Pilanesberg Safari – Explore Soweto, Constitution Hill, and Pretoria, then go on a malaria-free safari in Pilanesberg.
• Lesotho Highlands East-West Traverse & Sani Pass – Traverse the highlands east from Maseru to ride ponies, see waterfalls and dams, and descend Sani Pass to Durban.
• Kruger, Mozambique Coast & Eswatini Loop – An epic Southern African road trip from Johannesburg, linking canyons, safaris, coastal highways, and kingdom valleys.
• Cape Town, Garden Route & Kruger Panorama – The ultimate first-time South Africa itinerary: Cape Town, Winelands, the Garden Route, and a flight to the northeast f…