The short answer. Just a night or 2: Dinokeng, about 1 hour away. First safari with children: Pilanesberg or Mabula, about 2 to 3 hours. A romantic weekend: Welgevonden, about 3 hours. The most lodges to choose from and a proper sense of wilderness: Madikwe, about 4.5 hours, so worth a 3-night long weekend.
| Reserve | Drive from Joburg | Big Five | Best for | Resident rates live now at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinokeng | About 1 hour | Yes | A night or 2 at short notice | Nako Safari Lodge |
| Mabula | About 2 hours | Yes | Families and first safaris | Mabula Game Lodge, Safari Plains, Kwafubesi Tented Camp |
| Pilanesberg | About 2.5 to 3 hours | Yes | Families | Shepherd's Tree, Ivory Tree, Tambuti, Tshukudu Bush Lodge |
| Welgevonden | About 3 hours | Yes | Couples | Sediba Rock Lodge, Clifftop, Elephants Crossing, Makweti, Tshwene |
| Marakele | About 4 hours | Yes | Mountains and space | Marataba Safari Lodge, Marataba Mountain Lodge |
| Madikwe | About 4.5 hours | Yes | A 3-night long weekend | Madikwe Hills, Tuningi, Rockfig |
Why these reserves work for a long weekend
None of them is in a malaria area, so there are no tablets to organise and nothing to worry about with small children. They are close enough to leave on a Friday, they all have the Big Five, and several offer midweek rates, which makes a Sunday to Thursday escape even better value.
Dinokeng: the one you can do tonight
About an hour from Joburg and Pretoria, Dinokeng is the easiest safari in the country to fit around a working week. It is a good choice for a single night, or for grandparents who would rather not spend the day in the car.
Mabula and Pilanesberg: the family ones
Both are close, both are Big Five, and both have lodges built around families. Pilanesberg sits inside the crater of an ancient volcano, so the scenery changes around every corner, and Shepherd's Tree currently has a resident rate running until the end of March 2027. More on our Pilanesberg page.
Welgevonden: the grown-up one
Welgevonden limits how many guests are in the reserve at any one time, and there is no self-drive: you leave your car at the gate and your lodge collects you, so the reserve stays quiet. Several lodges here are built for couples, with plunge pools and suites set well apart. See every rate on our Welgevonden page.
Madikwe: worth the extra hour
Madikwe is the furthest of these reserves and the wildest. It is known for wild dog, and has the widest choice of lodges on this list, from family lodges to Madikwe Hills, which takes children from 10. Take 3 nights so the drive earns its keep. All the live rates are on our Madikwe page.
The long weekends coming up
- Christmas: Friday 25 to Sunday 27 December 2026
- New Year: Friday 1 to Sunday 3 January 2027
- Human Rights Day: Saturday 20 to Monday 22 March 2027
- Easter: Good Friday 26 to Family Day, Monday 29 March 2027
- Freedom Day: Tuesday 27 April 2027, so take the Monday off for 4 nights
The close reserves book out first on long weekends, so ask early. Many specials end in mid December, and we update the list as new ones come in.
School holidays
For families, these are the windows that matter. Public school holidays for the coming year:
- December holidays: 10 December 2026 to 12 January 2027
- Easter holidays: 20 March to 5 April 2027
- Winter holidays: 26 June to 19 July 2027
- Spring holidays: 23 September to 4 October 2027
Use the When filter on our specials to see only the rates open in each one.
Good to know
- Conservation fees are extra unless the special says otherwise. In 2026 Madikwe charges South African residents R260 per adult per night and Welgevonden R360 per person. See every reserve's fees.
- Midweek rates usually mean Sunday to Thursday nights.
- Drive times are a guide from central Johannesburg and depend on traffic and which gate you use.
Questions we are asked
Which malaria-free reserve is closest to Johannesburg?
Dinokeng, about 1 hour away.
Is Madikwe malaria-free?
Yes. It is outside South Africa's malaria risk areas.
Are children welcome?
At many of these lodges, yes. Ages vary from lodge to lodge, so send us their ages and we will match you to the right one.
When are the school holidays?
The December holidays run from 10 December 2026 to 12 January 2027. In 2027 the others are 20 March to 5 April, 26 June to 19 July and 23 September to 4 October.
Tell us which weekend and who is coming, and we will find the rate.
Visiting from overseas? Our international site has a round-up of luxury malaria-free safaris near Johannesburg.
