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Hot air ballooning over the Magaliesberg.

The famous 18th hole at Sun City

Hot air ballooning over the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.

Putting under sunny South African skies.

Painting of a hunter, San rock art.

Old Potchefstroom homestead

Top 10

Natural attractions in North West

1. Pilanesberg Game Reserve
   

   Located in the crater of an extinct volcano, the 55 000 hectare Pilanesberg Nature Reserve Pilanesberg is home to the Big 5 – elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino. Apart from prolific birdlife,...

   
2. Magliesberg Mountain Range
   

   The scenic Magaliesberg is made up of rocky kloofs, undulating hills and sheer outcrops, all of which have created a fantastic destination for walking, hiking, swimming, exploring and rock climbing....

   
3. Madikwe Game Reserve
   

   Close to the Botswana border, this Big 5 reserve (which was once farmland) is home to abundant wildlife, and a great diversity of landscapes and vegetation. Apart from lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo...

   
4. Barberspan Bird Sanctuary
   

   A birder’s paradise, this pan is provides an important sanctuary for migratory birds and boasts the country's largest waterfowl congregation. It's home to more than 320 bird species including...

   
5. Taung Heritage Site (including the Blue Pools)
   

   Tau means ‘the place of the lion’ (and the area named after the legendary chief of the Bataung people). The site is famous for Professor Raymond Dart’s discovery of the Taung skull, while the...

   
6. Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve
   

   Along Bloemhof Dam's vast shoreline visitors fish for carp and barbel, while others take out their binoculars to see how many of its 250 bird species they can spot. For bigger fare, take a self-drive...

   
7. Hartbeespoort Dam
   

   Hartbeespoort Dam and its surrounding areas are hugged by the scenic Magaliesburg Mountain range. Sailing, windsurfing, jet skiing, parasailing and water skiing are popular activities, along with...

   
8. The Tswaing Crater
   

   The most visible meteor impact site in South Africa today is the Tswaing Crater, 40-km north of Pretoria. Resulting from a meteor strike some 200 000 years ago, today the site looks like a big...

   
9. Kgaswane Mountain Reserve
   

   At Kgaswane Mountain Reserve is most famous for its breeding herd of sable antelope, but is not shy when it comes to birds. Birds of prey such as martial and Verreaux's eagles as well as a breeding...

   
10. Boskop Dam Nature Reserve
    

    Situated over 3 000 hectares of grassland, this nature reserve is a popular spot for nature-lovers and bird-watchers. Angling, canoeing and game viewing are all on offer at Boskop which is best known...