Camping

Camping in Pilanesberg National Park

Name: Pilanesberg National Park
Address: South Africa

Camping is the cheapest bed at Pilanesberg, and both public campsites sit at a gate, so you are on the road when it opens. Here is what each site costs, what has burned and what has not, and how to book with Golden Leopard Resorts.

If you only want the answer

The two public campsites are at Bakgatla Resort (north-east gate) and Manyane Resort (east gate), both run by Golden Leopard Resorts for the North West Parks board. A non-electrified site costs R322 a night midweek and R390 at weekends for up to six people and two vehicles (2026). The conservation fee comes on top: R748 per foreign adult per day. Book on +27 (0)14 555 1000.

Where you can camp in Pilanesberg

There are two public campsites, both at a resort run by Golden Leopard Resorts, a state-owned company that reports to the North West Parks and Tourism Board. Bakgatla Resort is at Bakgatla gate in the north-east, near Saulspoort; Manyane Resort is just inside Manyane gate on the east side, near Mogwase. The lodges inside the park and on the private reserve on the western side have no campsites.

Campsite	Run by	Price (per site, per night)	What you get
Bakgatla Resort	Golden Leopard Resorts	R322 midweek, R390 weekend, non-electrified (2026)	Electrified and caravan sites also sold; chalets and a villa in the same resort
Manyane Resort	Golden Leopard Resorts	No official price; agents quote the Bakgatla grid	Camping, caravan sites and ablutions were not damaged in the February 2024 fire

Bakgatla figures: Golden Leopard's own page ("from R322") and the midweek and weekend grid on pilanesbergnationalpark.org, both read 24 September 2026.

How much does camping in Pilanesberg cost?

The site is priced per night for up to six people and two vehicles, and there is no per-person camping rate. At Bakgatla a non-electrified site costs R322 midweek and R390 at weekends, an electrified site R345 and R422, and an electrified caravan site R380 and R477 (2026).

The conservation fee is charged on top and is far larger. For two foreign adults with a car, one night on a midweek site costs R322 plus R1,664 in fees: R1,986, about $121. Two South Africans with ID pay R322 plus R504, so R826.

Manyane after the fire

A fire in February 2024 destroyed Manyane's restaurant, reception and conference centre. Golden Leopard's notice of 17 September 2024 said camping, caravan sites and ablutions were not affected, and that only the campsite and the two-sleeper chalets were operating. A parliamentary oversight report in October 2025 called the rebuilding "nearing completion".

No 2026 update has been published. Plan to cook for yourself at Manyane, and ask when you book whether reception and the restaurant are open again.

How to book a campsite

Book through Golden Leopard Resorts on +27 (0)14 555 1000, the number the park's FAQ gives. The board's own website returned an error in September 2026 and its announced online booking platform was not live, so phone is the dependable route. Give your dates, the number of people and vehicles, and whether you want power.

Animals and rules at the campsites

Neither resort publishes anything about animals coming into camp, and we found no current report on it. Pilanesberg's park rules still apply: no pets anywhere, and motorbikes may ride to the Manyane and Bakgatla camps but not into the park.

Before you pitch

Pack for cold from May to August: July nights in the area average about 3 °C.
Bring a chip-and-PIN card and a backup: the gates have been card only since 1 December 2025.
Check gate times for your month. Entry usually stops an hour before closing, which is as early as 18:00 from May to August.
Expect queues of South African day visitors on weekends and in Park Mahala Week (20 to 27 September 2026).

Something this page does not answer?

Manyane's 2026 status is not published. If you are planning around it, ask us and we will try to find out.

Ask us. We answer questions about the park itself, and we can usually tell you which camps work on one route and who to write to. If what you want is a trip someone else arranges, we will say so and hand you to an operator we know, and we earn a commission if that becomes a booking.

Nothing on this site sits behind the form. Every figure we have is already on the page.

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