Plan Your Stay
Getting Here & Good To Know
About Your Stay
Tsholo Safari Lodge is in the Black Rhino Game Reserve, a private concession within the malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park in North West Province, South Africa. It is about 2.5 hours’ drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Black Rhino Game Reserve, Pilanesberg, North West, 0336
GPS: -25.163012, 26.983454
Directions to
Tsholo Safari Lodge
The Black Rhino Game Reserve has its own private gate on the R565, separate from the public Pilanesberg gates. Set your GPS to Tsholo Safari Lodge (-25.163012, 26.983454).
- Lanseria International
- ±165 km 2¼–2½ hours
- Johannesburg / Sandton
- ±190 km 2½–3 hours
- O.R. Tambo International
- ±235 km 3–3½ hours
1. Getting onto the N4
From O.R. Tambo International Airport
Leave the airport on the R21 north towards Pretoria. Follow the R21 to its end, join the N1 north, and shortly afterwards take the N4 Platinum Highway west, signposted Rustenburg.From Lanseria International Airport
Turn north out of the airport onto the R512 towards Hartbeespoort. Follow the R512 for about 35 km, past Hartbeespoort Dam, and join the N4 west towards Rustenburg.From Johannesburg City / Sandton
Take the N1 north towards Pretoria, follow it around the western side of the city, and take the N4 Platinum Highway west, signposted Rustenburg. From Fourways and the northern suburbs, the R511 or R512 north past Hartbeespoort Dam onto the N4 is slightly shorter.2. N4 to Sun City (all routes)
Follow the N4 west. Shortly before Rustenburg, take the R556 off-ramp signposted Sun City / Pilanesberg. Turn right at the stop street, cross over the highway, and follow the R556 north-west for about 55 km, passing the southern Pilanesberg gates.
3. Sun City to the Black Rhino gate
Continue past the Sun City entrance on your right and past Sun Village Shopping Centre. At the 4-way stop, turn right onto the R565 signposted Derdepoort / Molatedi, and follow this tar road for about 27 km. The Black Rhino Game Reserve entrance is on your right, marked by a large white board.
4. Arrival
Give your name at the gate. From the gate, follow the signs to Tsholo Safari Lodge.
Good to know
- Fuel and supplies
- Sun City / Sun Village is your last fuel stop and shop. Please fill up before continuing.
- Arrival time
- Please try to arrive by 15:00, so you can settle in before the afternoon game drive. Please arrive at the Black Rhino gate before 18:00.
- Speed
- Limits are strictly enforced through the villages along the R556 and R565. Watch for pedestrians and livestock.
- Big Five reserve
- From the gate onwards, please remain in your vehicle and keep to 40 km/h.
- Road conditions
- Tar road all the way to the Black Rhino gate, and no 4x4 is required. Only during heavy rain may an SUV be needed for the last stretch.
- Transfers
- Nightjar can arrange road transfers from O.R. Tambo, Lanseria and Sandton. Please request one when you book.
Route at a glance: Gauteng → N4 west → R556 turn-off (before Rustenburg) → Sun City (last fuel & shops) → R565 for ±27 km → Black Rhino gate → Tsholo Safari Lodge
The Shape of
A Day
Nothing here is compulsory. Skip any of it and nobody will mind — but this is how the days run, and the kitchen and the vehicles keep to it.
| 05:15 | Wake-up call & coffee station opens |
|---|---|
| 05:30 | Morning game drive departs |
| 09:30 | Return to lodge — full breakfast served |
| 12:30 – 14:30 | Light lunch |
| 15:30 | Afternoon tea |
| 16:00 | Afternoon game drive departs |
| 18:30 | Return to lodge; sundowner drinks on the Upper Deck Bar |
| 19:30 | Dinner service begins |
| 21:30 | Kitchen closes; the Upper Deck Bar stays open for a nightcap |
| 05:30 | Wake-up call & coffee station opens |
|---|---|
| 06:00 | Morning game drive departs |
| 09:30 | Return to lodge — full breakfast served |
| 12:30 – 14:30 | Light lunch |
| 15:00 | Afternoon tea |
| 15:30 | Afternoon game drive departs |
| 18:00 | Return to lodge; sundowner drinks on the Upper Deck Bar |
| 19:00 | Dinner service begins |
| 21:00 | Kitchen closes; the Upper Deck Bar stays open for a nightcap |
Optional extra
Bush walk
Leave the vehicle behind and walk the Pilanesberg at its own pace — reading tracks and signs, learning the plants underfoot, and meeting the smaller creatures a game drive passes by.
Closed shoes, long trousers and a hat. From age sixteen, weather permitting.
- Summer
- Depart 05:30 · walk 06:00
- Winter
- Depart 06:00 · walk 06:30
Eight guests a day, booking essential. Please enquire with reservations.
- Game drives
- Please be at the vehicles five minutes before departure. Blankets and ponchos are on board.
- After dark
- The camp is fenced. However, should you feel the need, please ask at the bar and a guide will walk you to your room.
- Amani Spa
- The spa welcomes you from 07:00, with the last booking at 18:00. Spa reception will find you a time.
Timings may shift with the weather and the reserve.
Before You
Travel
Check-in and check-out
- Check-in from 14:00; check-out by 10:00.
- You are welcome to arrive from midday to enjoy lunch, but rooms are only ready from 14:00.
- Early check-in and late check-out are subject to availability.
Health and safety
- Pilanesberg is a malaria-free area.
- The camp is fenced. Should you feel the need after dark, ask at the bar and a guide will walk you to your room.
- Please do not feed any animals.
What to pack
- A warm jacket, hat and gloves for winter drives (May–August), when early mornings are cold
- Sunscreen, sunhat and sunglasses
- Binoculars and a camera
- Swimwear
- Comfortable closed shoes for walking
Weather
- Summer (October–March) is hot with afternoon thunderstorms.
- Winter (May–August) has warm, dry days and cold nights and mornings.
Connectivity and power
- High-speed Wi-Fi is available throughout the lodge.
- Power is 230V with South African plug types M and D, and the lodge has backup power during load shedding.
Day visitors
The Black Rhino Game Reserve is a private concession and is not open to day visitors, including for the restaurant or spa. Guests must have a confirmed booking to enter.
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted in the rooms or public areas.
Pets
Pets are not permitted in the reserve.
Accessibility
Tsholo does not have fully wheelchair-accessible rooms, but some rooms suit guests with limited mobility. Please contact reservations before booking so we can advise.
Ready to
Plan Your Stay?
See live rates and availability, or browse our frequently asked questions.