Planning a trip to Pilanesberg National Park? Download opspoor to see recent sightings in the park and log your own.
Your chances of seeing Cheetah in Pilanesberg National Park
Trophy sighting. Cheetah are one of the trophy sightings of Pilanesberg National Park: hard, but never impossible. Drive early and late, and open opspoor before you head out to see where they've been spotted recently.
When to see Cheetah in Pilanesberg National Park
Cheetah are most active early morning (05:00 to 09:00), during the day (06:00 to 18:00) and late afternoon into dusk (16:00 to 19:00). In the heat of the day (11:00 to 16:00) Cheetah usually rest in shade, so scan under trees and in thickets.
This is Cheetah's general behavior. Once enough sightings are logged in Pilanesberg National Park, this page also shows when they're actually seen here.
Where to look for Cheetah in Pilanesberg National Park: best roads and waterholes
Drive
Moloto Drive, Sefara Drive and Nare Link run through open grassland: good country for Cheetah.
- Moloto Drive18.3 km · open grassland
- Sefara Drive5.9 km · open grassland
- Nare Link5.6 km · open grassland
Picked from habitat, not from sightings. opspoor shows where Cheetah have actually been seen recently.
Wait at water
Cheetah are drawn to water, especially in the dry season (May to October), so waiting at a waterhole is one of the best ways to see them.
Recent Cheetah sightings in Pilanesberg National Park
How to spot Cheetah in Pilanesberg National Park
About the Cheetah
The cheetah is a specialised African predator built for speed, with a slender body, long legs, a deep chest and a long tail used for balance during high-speed pursuits. Its golden coat is covered with solid black spots and it has distinctive dark tear markings running from the eyes toward the mouth. Cheetahs primarily hunt during daylight, using stealth and short bursts of extreme speed to catch small and medium-sized antelope, especially young or smaller prey. They are generally solitary, although females may live with dependent cubs and males may form coalitions.
How to identify the Cheetah
Slender, long-legged cat with a small head, deep chest and very long tail. Coat is golden to pale yellow with numerous solid black spots, black tear marks running from the eyes toward the mouth and a distinctive white-tipped or dark-tipped tail.
Other species to look for in Pilanesberg National Park
Other parks where you can see Cheetah
Easiest first.
Heading to Pilanesberg National Park? opspoor shows where Cheetah have been logged recently and lets you log your own, even with no signal.