After spending our final day in Cape Town yesterday, we got up very early and took a taxi to Cape Town International Airport for our flight SA 302 to Johannesburg at 6:00 AM. We had breakfast at the SAA Domestic Premium Class Lounge before the flight.

Onboard there was a choice of breakfast or fresh fruit. The expected time of arrival was 7:55 AM, so we wouldn’t be able to make it to Pilanesberg by 9:30 AM for the open vehicle safari drive. So the only option we had was the closed vehicle safari. I had booked it with MoAfrika Tours, including pickup and drop off at the airport, about a month before we travelled.

Based on the earlier email correspondence, we were expecting it to be a minivan, but when we reached the airport we had a private car and driver waiting for us because we were the only ones for the closed vehicle safari that day. This would mean that we both had window seats and unobstructed views in all directions, which was a nice surprise. Our bags were checked through and we left the airport and drove towards Pilanesberg.

We entered the park from the Manyane Gate and started our safari. It was great to see the wild animals so close up, it almost seemed unreal.

We drove back to the Manyane Resort for a quick lunch break and then back into the park for the rest of the day. We headed to the Mankwe Hide (which unfortunately burnt down couple of years later) with great views of the Mankwe Dam and wildlife there.

We got to see three of the Big Five game: lions, elephants, and rhinoceroses. Overall it was a fantastic experience and a day very well spent. Our African adventure would not have been complete without this.

We left the park from the Bakubung Gate around 6:00 PM and started driving back towards O.R. Tambo International Airport to catch our red-eye flight ET 848 at 11:35 PM. We had dinner at the SAA International Premium Lounge before our flight.

Supper was served onboard after take-off as we flew north towards Ethiopia. This was our last day in South Africa and our return journey home would continue the next day to Addis Ababa and then onward to Mumbai.

🚘 MoAfrika Tours
🍽️ SAA Domestic Premium Class Lounge
🍽️ Manyane Resort
🍽️ SAA International Premium Lounge