Manyane Resort
Self-catering chalets, safari tents and campsites beside Manyane Gate, on Pilanesberg's eastern side
About this stay
Manyane sits beside Manyane Gate, on the eastern side of Pilanesberg, reached from Sun City by the R510 through Mogwase rather than past the Sun City complex. The park is malaria-free, and the drive from Johannesburg is about 170 km, roughly two hours.
What you get depends on the unit. The four-sleeper chalets have a double bedroom, two single beds in a loft, a kitchen with an oven, air-conditioning and a braai patio. The studios for two are smaller units with a shower, a fridge and a braai. The 21 safari tents have electricity, a fridge, a heater and a braai, with shared ablution blocks. Campers bring their own gear, and a site takes up to six people. The restaurant serves breakfast, à la carte meals and buffets; massages can be booked ahead, but this is not a spa resort.
- Beside Manyane Gate, on the eastern side of Pilanesberg
- 10 studios and 14 four-sleeper self-catering chalets
- 21 safari tents with electricity, fridge and heater
- Campsite with powered and unpowered pitches, up to six people per site
- Walk-in aviary, mini golf, trampoline and two pools
- Restaurant serving breakfast, à la carte meals and buffets
Our take
Manyane is the only resort that uses Manyane Gate, on the eastern side of Pilanesberg, and you reach it through Mogwase on the R510, not past Sun City. It is a Golden Leopard Resorts camp built for people who light their own braai: 10 studios, 14 four-sleeper chalets with a kitchen, 21 safari tents on shared ablutions and a large campsite. Impala, zebra and warthog wander through the camp. I would choose it for a self-drive family or campers who want to be on the park roads when the gate opens. If you expect hotel service, look elsewhere: the 7.2 score from 1,227 reviews says the experience is uneven, while Bakubung Bush Lodge, on the Sun City side, scores 9.2 from 2,632 reviews.
- In the four-sleeper chalets, two of the beds are single beds up in a loft, which matters if you travel with toddlers.
- Safari tents have no cooking facilities beyond the outdoor braai: if you plan to cook every meal indoors, book a four-sleeper chalet, which has a kitchen with an oven.
- Monkeys and baboons take food in the camp: keep it locked in the car or the chalet, and zip the tent closed whenever you leave it.
- Pilanesberg's gates keep the same hours every day of the week: 05:30 to 19:00 from November to February, 06:00 to 18:30 in March, April and October, and 06:30 to 18:00 from May to August. For September the park lists both timetables, so plan on the shorter day and be back at Manyane by 18:00.
Why we love it
- Self-drive game viewing from Manyane Gate, right beside the camp
- Four-sleeper chalets with a kitchen, a loft and a braai patio
- Impala, zebra and warthog grazing inside the camp
- Two pools, a walk-in aviary, mini golf and a trampoline for children
Why guests love itManyane works for families because children have room to play without leaving the fence: two pools, a walk-in aviary, mini golf, a trampoline, outdoor chess and a walking trail where impala, kudu and zebra graze. Pilanesberg is malaria-free and about 150 km from Pretoria, so young children avoid antimalarials and a long transfer. The four-sleeper chalets have a kitchen, air-conditioning and a braai patio, with a double bedroom for the parents and two single beds in the loft. The safari tents are a harder sell with small children, since the toilets and showers are in a shared block. The weak point is consistency: 7.2 from 1,227 reviews sits well below Bakubung Bush Lodge (9.2) and Ivory Tree Game Lodge (9.6). I would book a chalet, plan to self-cater and treat the restaurant as a back-up. Families who prefer not to drive can join the guided game drives, which leave in the early morning and late afternoon.
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