Welcome to
BOTHONGO Rhino & Lion
Nature Reserve

Located in the heart of the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This remarkable reserve offers an unforgettable wildlife experience, where nature and conservation come together in one of the most historically significant areas on the planet.

Whether you are here for a day trip or an extended stay, the reserve provides a variety of activities, from guided safaris and animal encounters to exploring the breathtaking landscapes that define this unique region. 

Come immerse yourself in the wonders of nature, where the past meets the present, and enjoy an experience that is as educational as it is exhilarating.

Our top attractions

The Bothongo Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve boasts a remarkable array of attractions that captivate visitors.

Game Drives

Embark on thrilling guided game drives and immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty and wildlife wonders of the African wilderness.

Restaurants

Savor culinary delights at Neck and Deck, Thatch, or Boma restaurants, where every dish is designed to ignite your taste buds.

Wonder Cave

Explore the enchanting depths of Wonder Cave, where nature's secrets unfold in a captivating underground adventure that’s perfect for all ages.

Kids Play Parks

Enjoy endless fun at our kid-friendly play areas, complete with a refreshing swimming pool oasis for the whole family.

Gauteng's largest cave

Discover the awe-inspiring wonders of Wonder Cave, South Africa’s third-largest living cave chamber, located in the Bothongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve. This natural marvel, carved over millions of years, reveals a breathtaking underground landscape.

The Wonder Cave experience includes self-drive entry, offering the freedom to explore the reserve before an unforgettable guided tour. Inside, you’ll be mesmerized by intricate formations, towering stalactites and stalagmites, and the rich history within these ancient walls.

This guided journey unveils the hidden geological splendor, connecting you with nature’s profound beauty beneath the earth’s surface. Explore the breathtaking beauty of Wonder Cave, a true gem in the heart of the reserve!

the nearest faraway place

Wind-down,
relax and connect
with nature

Experience rustic charm in our tranquil log cabins amidst nature’s embrace

Have fun!

THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO

Bothongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve is jampacked with activities for the whole family. Whether you’re in the mood for a relaxing bush escape or a day full of adventure, you’ll find something here that's just right for you.

Welcome Centre

Restaurants & Cafes

WonderCave

The Nearest Faraway Place

Big Game and Endangered Species Await You on an Unforgettable Safari

Discover a hidden sanctuary where serenity and adventure meet, offering a perfect escape from the everyday hustle.

Embark on thrilling adventures through our reserve with guided game drives or self-drives, exploring diverse wildlife and breath-taking landscapes at your own pace and preference.

Guided Game Drives & Self-drives

Wildlife Wonders

Endangered Species and Iconic Wildlife in the Heart of Nature

The Bothongo Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve offers a captivating wildlife experience right on your doorstep. Home to over 600 animals and more than 30 species of game—including three of the Big Five: Kruger lions, white rhinos, and buffalo—the reserve offers guided open-vehicle game drives led by SATOUR-registered experts.

In addition to these iconic species, visitors can witness endangered animals like the reintroduced wild dog, as well as cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles, and over 20 types of antelope. For bird enthusiasts, the reserve features a vulture hide where you can observe and photograph the rare Cape vulture. There’s even evidence that elusive leopards occasionally roam the area.

Bike Park &
Kids Play Areas

Cycling paradise & outdoor excitement

Dive into fun at our BMX Bike Park, where exhilarating rides meet refreshing swimming pools and vibrant kids’ play areas, ensuring a day filled with excitement and joy for all

Let's get Social

Catch us on facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Merry Christmas from the Rhino & Lion Reserve! Roxy’s sharing all the must-dos for a truly wild festive season. A wild time is guaranteed! 🎄🦁 #MerryChristmas #FestiveSafari #WildHoliday #RhinoAndLionReserve See MoreSee Less

Wishing all our incredible visitors a season filled with peace, joy, and adventure from everyone at Bothongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve!

May this time of year bring happiness and special moments with loved ones. Thank you for being part of our journey! We look forward to seeing you soon for more unforgettable experiences.

Stay safe and enjoy the season! 🦁✨

#SeasonOfAdventure #BothongoRhinoAndLion #CelebrateNature
See MoreSee Less

Wishing all our incredible visitors a season filled with peace, joy, and adventure from everyone at Bothongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve!

May this time of year bring happiness and special moments with loved ones. Thank you for being part of our journey! We look forward to seeing you soon for more unforgettable experiences. 

Stay safe and enjoy the season! 🦁✨

 #SeasonOfAdventure #BothongoRhinoAndLion #CelebrateNature

4 CommentsComment on Facebook

Merry Christmas to you ALL🎄🎊🙂

Wild animal christmas

Hi Ek is opsoek na pryse Vir Maart skoolvakansie, ons Wil nie KZN toe gaan Nie almal word siek, St Lucia dink as jy n pensioner is het jy baie geld, ons is opsoek na n plekkie 1×6 slaapplek Vir 2 volwassenes 1 pensioner en 3 kiddies en Dan 1 aparte plekkies Vir 1×3 slaapplek Vir 2 pensioners en een volwassene, daar Moet ook darem dinge wees Vir die jongmanne Om te doen asb, Ek het Nou Al orals gesoek en die mense sy pryse is belaglik jy Kan net Nie bekostig Om bietjie net vakansie te Gaan Nie, asb enige voorstelle teen bilikke pryse los maar n boodskap asb

This festive season, make memories instead of traffic jams! Didi’s got all the reasons to head our way for a family-friendly safari adventure. 🦁#FestiveEscape #SafariAdventure #RhinoAndLionReserve #FamilyFriendly #ShortDrive #GoWildThisHoliday See MoreSee Less

1 CommentComment on Facebook

👣💋🖤🤍💯%🇿🇦🌍💜💯%🍼🍂🥇👑🦏

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Our guests love the reserve

Walid Bendaya
20:34 06 Jan 25
Great family time not far from Jobourg! Excellent
Werner Ungerer
09:35 06 Jan 25
Shawn Gertenbach
09:15 06 Jan 25
The park itself was really nice ,but don't stop at the First restaurant at the entrance rather head inside the Park for better options, lots of Wild life up close
Magugu Marylin Mhlanga
16:55 07 Jul 24
Great food, animal view is great
Deez Govender
17:58 05 Jul 24
Excellent experience. You get 4 of the Big 5. Routes are easy to manouevre. Staff are friendly. Rhinos are not de-horned. Strongly recommended!
Bianca van Wyk
13:44 05 Jul 24
What a wonderful experience. The excitement of finding animals such as the lions and all the animals. The guide book was my favourite part. We take for granted what beautiful animals we have here and this reserve does not disappoint. My favourite was the jaguar. How it was pacing and they have everything available. You can day camp and braai there. And it was so peaceful.The cave is not for everyone and that's OK. But I enjoyed the peacefulness of the reserve and it was honestly amazing.
Larry Mabs
19:49 04 Jul 24
subutay ceyhan
12:51 03 Jul 24
Ria Pretorius
12:28 02 Jul 24
Wouter Prozesky
04:08 02 Jul 24
Chris Radley
15:07 30 Jun 24
Sipho Qwabe
09:14 30 Jun 24
Has an awesome day with my family
Kutwaroo Yudish
05:31 27 Jun 24
Wonderful experience
Dj shakir Williams
10:12 25 Jun 24
Hilton Kriek
13:39 24 Jun 24
Was a great experience, the staff were friendly, the checkin was streamlined and the log cabin was perfect. We really enjoyed out 4 Nighy stay and will recommend it to anyone.
marco van heerden
19:07 23 Jun 24
KIRAN KUMAR DONTHA
16:57 23 Jun 24
Mbali Dlamini
18:09 22 Jun 24
Mish Mawela
11:31 22 Jun 24
Ervine Kekana
19:28 20 Jun 24
Absolute gem in Johannesburg!!
Maxine Koekemoer
21:05 19 Jun 24
such a lovely place to visit. Tons to see and kids love it. Food is great. Animals are awesome 👌
shannon paul
09:11 19 Jun 24
Tafara Chitsiga
05:35 19 Jun 24
Safe free parking and great coffee!
A M
08:38 18 Jun 24
Ellis
17:16 17 Jun 24
It was a great experience, I would recommend doing the self drive. Lots to see and do, mountain bike tracks for adults and children.
evelynn rose Jenzer
16:46 17 Jun 24
What an awesome outing. Loved Everything. Big Nuz was great with us and what a lovely person. Will definitely be back. Big Nuz (Maxwell) you are the best.
Dinalia Naidu
08:53 17 Jun 24
Melissa Uys
12:00 16 Jun 24
We spent the whole day between self-drive, other enclosures, feeding the giraffe and the wonder cave! At the wonder cave, they had a few school groups that booked quite a few slots but the amazing Rose, Monique and the gentleman i forgot is name but he did a great job they really put in a great effort and made it enjoyable. My partner is from Chile and had a wonderful time seeing all the beautiful animals up close and with ease.
Refiloe Marev
06:08 16 Jun 24
I was there yesterday. More than i expected. It is a Mini Kruger National Park. Picnic area is so wonderful. Clean toilets, water taps everywhere, a lot of space for every family. At first, the map is a bit complicated but becomes easier as you drive around. I will go again very soon...
Petrus Mabizela
05:16 16 Jun 24
Tiaan Kotze
15:57 15 Jun 24
The game was a bit sparse, accomodation was good, staff friendly
Stefan Els
14:07 15 Jun 24
Mandy Davis
07:32 15 Jun 24
It's so amazing to have such a great reserve right on our doorstep! I love going to the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve.
Anatoly St
18:33 13 Jun 24
Wonderful, wonderful, only positive impressions
Bhekisisa Antony Nkala
10:37 13 Jun 24
Vishal Ramphal
18:01 12 Jun 24
What a perfect place to be with loved ones. Visited today purely by chance and what I can tell you is that is is the most underrated venue in Johannesburg. Better than the other place, way cheaper too. Staff are just great and the pizza at the Neck & Deck restaurant will blow your socks off... Trust me...GO TO THIS PLACE!
Eckard Human
03:35 12 Jun 24
Linge Rasivhetshele
18:48 11 Jun 24
Meagan Frans
12:54 10 Jun 24
Frank Serrao
15:38 09 Jun 24
ricky pereira
13:00 09 Jun 24
SUSHEN PABBI
06:13 09 Jun 24
Werner Taljaard
20:52 08 Jun 24
Samuel Wepener
18:54 08 Jun 24
Marnus Coetzee
04:52 07 Jun 24
Elize Boemer
17:49 06 Jun 24
Lovely week experienced
Resham Sathideen
16:51 05 Jun 24
Reabetsoe Mabooa
16:20 05 Jun 24
Mathe Kgomotso
14:28 05 Jun 24
Amanda Boniface
05:32 05 Jun 24
Overseas visitors enjoyed visiting and going on the Safari tour.
Mélissa Montocchio
15:13 03 Jun 24
Bianca Florio
07:32 03 Jun 24
Our favorite place to go for a weekend away! The cabins are in perfect condition and friendly staff!
Tracy Mhungu
03:53 03 Jun 24
Beautiful place, we had an amazing time loved the game drive.They have a playing area for the kids and bicycle track
Ceejay Els
16:13 02 Jun 24
The Reserve is clean and all the workers are friendly.
Karel Edward Roodt
07:47 02 Jun 24
It was an amazing experience and I truly loved every moment.
Kenneth Hasha
10:00 01 Jun 24
Danie Stoop
13:58 31 May 24
It was great! Many animals to see! Fields are beautiful and green after rains. Some roads a bit bad due to rain, but they are working at it. Really worth the while. Make sure to visit neck&deck.
Charlotte Fuller
07:40 31 May 24
Amazing and beautiful place
Werner Mommsen
17:13 30 May 24
Deidre Naude
13:30 30 May 24
Loved every moment of my day. Enjoyed the caves and saw so many animals. Everything was clean and well organised.
Akani Mbhombhi
12:49 30 May 24
Stephan Smith
19:19 29 May 24
Lerato Mokoena
13:42 29 May 24
Thabile Shongwe
05:08 28 May 24
elsabe blackie
13:55 27 May 24
My happy place!! Absolutely worth every cent! Animals are looked after and every single staff member is so friendly and welcoming! Stayed in the Couples Cabin and it was neat and beautiful!! Thanks to Rudi, Angie, Donna and all the other staff for making it such a great experience! See you next year again!!!
Divi-mari Claassens
17:22 25 May 24
elias lesiba
18:39 23 May 24
riaan barnard
06:10 23 May 24
Willie de Jonge
05:18 23 May 24
Marien Graham
11:43 19 May 24
Went for a self-drive 09:00 - 11:40. It is wonderful that one doesn't have to drive for HOURS to see something (this is my experience of the much larger National Kruger Park). As we entered, we immediately started seeing animals and they were up close. We arrived at the caves at 11:40 to start our 1-hour cave adventure at 12:00. It started on time and it was just wonderful! It's constantly (throughout the entire year) 16 degrees Celsius. It sounds cold BUT DO NOT TAKE A JACKET. The cave is VERY humid inside, and everyone in the group that wore jackets, took their jackets off. Wear hiking shoes with good grip, because it is dark and slippery in there. It was just a wonderful day. The restaurant (Neck & Deck) is great. The only one "flaw" was that we were 4 people, and for 3 of us, our food was timely, but the 4th person only received his pizza later (the rest of us didn't have pizza), so we were already halfway through our food when the pizza arrived. So I will write a review for the restaurant pointing out that, if the pizza takes longer, then start with it in advance. But this being said, the food was great and the atmosphere is great. The views are amazing (overlooking wild animals). I had the grilled hake, and it was flawless. Overall, overlooking the late pizza, the day was excellent and Bothongo Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve deserves a 5-star review.
Laurent Mornet
19:07 12 May 24
We stayed 2 nights in the cabin log with jacuzzi and we had a wonderful time. The chalet was not brand new but well equipped, clean and comfortable for us. We had a Rhino with the baby stayed in front of our cabin the whole night. We would definitely go again.
Celeste Eastwood
16:42 12 May 24
Really yummy pizza!! Beer on tap. Bring your cozzie, there's a pool!Was lovely to feed and pet a giraffe for the first time in my life - but shame, he/she needs a friend ☺️
Saroj Kumar Sahu
03:50 27 Mar 24
Our visit to Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve was truly unforgettable! From the moment we stepped foot in the reserve, it was evident that we were in for an incredible experience. Watching the majestic lions and even having the opportunity to feed them was a highlight for both the kids and us.The safari experience at Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve was exceptional. The knowledgeable guides ensured that we got up close and personal with a variety of animals, making it an educational and thrilling adventure for the whole family. We were delighted to see so many different species in their natural habitat, which left us with a sense of wonder and appreciation for the diversity of wildlife.Overall, our day trip to Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve exceeded our expectations in every way. It was a perfect blend of excitement, education, and family bonding. We highly recommend this reserve to anyone looking for an unforgettable safari experience.
Asta B.
18:34 21 Feb 24
Great safari experience, highly recommend! Us as a family with your children, we loved seeing all the animals. And we saw sow many of them! Was a great day trip!
Cassidy Leslie
16:04 14 Jan 24
Sadly we arrived later and missed the giraffe feeding. The game drive was excellent and my daughter enjoyed seeing all the animals. Weeks later, she's still talking about this experience.
Ballók Anita
17:54 13 Jan 24
jason adriaanse
13:07 12 Jan 24
Over delivered in terms of what was offered and the value received. Friendly and helpful guides. Great family outing. Highly recommended
RENAE GOVINDSAMY
19:57 09 Jan 24
This is such a beautiful place. There’s a lot of animals to see. 3 restaurant to eat at. Loads of stuff for the kids to do. This place is a must see and you can even feed a giraffe on the deck of 1 of the restaurants.
Jonathan Frölander
16:11 05 Jan 24
Very well spent money on a guided game drive around at the reserve.Most of the different animals were visible and the nature in the reserve was really beautiful.The guide was the big start of the tour. She was very informative with a great passion.I can highly recommend this trip.
Nicole Dicks
17:30 03 Jan 24
Wonderful experience. It felt like money well spent. There was lots to do: Cave experience, reptile show, feeding of predators and variety of buck during driving around the reserve.
Aranganathan S
15:04 31 Dec 23
Cars can go for safari here, if you don’t have car then you can choose open safari vehicle. There is a feeding time for lions, wild dogs, cheetahs. There is a cave, visit it. This area is safe. The staffs are friendly. It is completely outside of Johannesburg. While returning it would be tough to get taxis using bolt or uber. Come here at 9 or 10 AM and spend enough time here. 3 hours could be enough but with kids, you can spend more time. Photographers must bring good zooming lens.
Masego Banda
18:49 09 Sep 23
Went for a day, to the restaurant. Let’s start with the drive: lovely views of mountains and green trees —felt like a local gateway which was fun. The entrance is clean and well-maintained. This place is popular for their restaurant, but it also offers overnight accommodation and a game drive.We went to the restaurant, the attraction point is *drum roll* feeding the giraffe😅 while you wait for your meal or after your meal, you have the option to feed the giraffe for R50 (how cool).The food was amazing, and well priced. It’s a good place to go for a first-date, birthday celebration or just a simple Sunday family outing. Definitely recommend!
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