Pilanesberg Game Reserve

The day of León's  5th birthday we arrived in Pilanesberg Game Reserve...our second time camping as a family after our tee pee weekend experience in Lantau, Hong Kong in May 2012. Time really flies!

We had bought an amazing Spiderman cake to share with friends, but as soon as we opened the boot of the car, the cake box opened, the cake slipped out and landed face down! Of course, we ate it all nevertheless. The earth got mistaken by chocolate in the bonfire light.

We only spent 2 nights there but we slept so well in our super basic tents. I guess the foam mattresses really helped. We did 3 game drives and got super lucky by seeing two different lion prides in total. It is not often that you see the big cats in game drives. It must be León's influence because ever since our arrival in South Africa, it seems that our lives are filled with lions. Indeed, it is León that has adapted the best to our new life. He has embraced a new continent, school, nanny, house and weather so smoothly.

If you want to experience a real luxury experience, there are also 7 private lodges in Pilanesberg and some are really fancy and obviously expensive. 

Beyond the big wild animals, what we really loved was the breath taking savannah landscapes and unforgettable African sunsets. The vegetation alone took our breath away. The evocative thorn trees only previously seen in movies before. A great weekend out of Joburg!