Pilanesberg National Park
Kubu, Pilanesberg National Park
The Kubu is a 11.7 km tar road in Pilanesberg National Park, starting at Bakubung Gate. It connects to Kgabo, Kgama, Letsha, Mankwe Way and Ntshwe. Here's what lives along it, where to stop, and when it's most active.
Kubu is the tarred road in from Bakubung Gate on the western side of Pilanesberg, near Sun City, and the easiest first drive in the park for any car. Together with Kgabo it forms the main tar route across the park to Bakgatla Gate in the north. Lengau Dam, an open waterhole you watch from your vehicle, and Kubu Picnic Site are both close to the road. Letsha turns off to the Mankwe Dam hide, and gravel roads such as Kgama, Ntshwe and Tshukudu e Ntsho Drive branch off for quieter loops. Kubu is the Setswana word for hippo.
Where the Kubu runs
Recent activity on the Kubu
Sightings already logged on the Kubu
See exactly where, which way they're moving, and get alerts here. Works with no signal.
Open in opspoorMost reported on the Kubu
Habitat along the Kubu
Open grassland: Open plains with few trees. Grazers gather here and predators hunt across it.
Habitat mapped by opspoor. Data sources
Best time to drive the Kubu
Park-local time of day for every confirmed sighting logged on this road, most often early morning (5–8am).
Hour-by-hour patterns per species are in the opspoor app.
Waterholes and stops on the Kubu
- Bakubung GateGateBakubung Gate is one of the main entry points into Pilanesberg National Park, located on the park’s western side near Sun City. It provides convenient access to the reserve’s road network and…On the road
- Lengau DamWaterholeLengau Dam is a peaceful water stop in Pilanesberg where visitors can watch wildlife and birds from the comfort of their vehicles. With no bird hide at the dam, it offers an open and natural viewing…150 m off the road
- Kubu Picnic SitePicnic SpotKubu Picnic Site is a designated roadside picnic stop along Kubu Drive in the southern part of Pilanesberg, providing a sheltered place to pause during a game drive. The site is set within the…150 m off the road
- Mankwe Dam Bird HideBird HideMankwe Dam is the largest body of water in Pilanesberg and one of the park’s most popular wildlife-viewing areas. Its expansive waters attract a wide variety of birds and animals, while the nearby…900 m off the road
See every waterhole, hide and viewpoint on the map, and navigate to them, in the opspoor app.
Kubu questions
Where is the Kubu in Pilanesberg National Park?
The Kubu is a 11.7 km tar road in Pilanesberg National Park, starting at Bakubung Gate. It connects to Kgabo, Kgama, Letsha, Mankwe Way and Ntshwe.
What animals can you see on the Kubu?
The species most often reported on the Kubu by opspoor users are chacma baboon, giraffe and hippopotamus.
Are there waterholes or hides on the Kubu?
Yes. Along the Kubu you'll find Lengau Dam and Mankwe Dam Bird Hide.
Can I use opspoor on the Kubu without signal?
Yes. Signal in Pilanesberg National Park can be patchy, and opspoor works fully offline: you can see sightings you've already loaded and log your own, which sync when you're back in range.
Roads connecting to the Kubu
Driving the Kubu soon? See recent sightings on this road, alerts when something's spotted nearby, and a map that works with no signal.