The bush, on your own terms.
A stay at Phirima Lodge includes exclusive use of a private game-viewing vehicle and a resident ranger, dedicated solely to your party for the length of your stay.
Twice-Daily Game Drives
Each day begins and ends in an open 4×4, departing at dawn and again at dusk - the two windows when the bushveld is at its most active. Your ranger, guiding only your party, threads through the Black Rhino Game Reserve and, thanks to full traversing rights, into the wider Pilanesberg National Park beyond. Across more than 55,000 hectares of crater landscape, sightings range from elephant and rhino to lion, leopard, and buffalo - the Big Five, alongside more than 360 recorded bird species.
- - Private vehicle, exclusive to Phirima Lodge guests
- - Dawn and dusk departures, the most active times for wildlife
- - Full traversing rights into the greater Pilanesberg National Park
- - Led by a resident, experienced game ranger
Arranged With Neighbouring Lodges
Walking safaris are not offered directly from Phirima Lodge. For guests who would like a closer, quieter encounter with the bush on foot, guided walks can be arranged with neighbouring lodges within the reserve. Pricing, availability and bookings should be requested from those operators directly - our hosting team is happy to point you in the right direction.
Wildlife Without Leaving Home
Not every sighting requires a vehicle. From the private waterhole deck, the comings and goings of the bush continue quietly through the day - elephant, antelope, and birdlife drawn to the water just beyond the boma.
A Reserve Rich in Birdsong
Beyond the Big Five, the Pilanesberg National Park's transitional zone - caught between Kalahari dryness and Lowveld richness - supports an exceptional range of birdlife. Keen birders will find the reserve a quiet reward in itself, with sightings recorded across hundreds of species throughout the surrounding park.
Build your ideal safari itinerary.
Tell the hosting team how you want to spend your days - game drives, bush dinners, and quiet hours by the pool - and they will tailor the stay around you.