Often being called “The Volcano that gave birth to a game reserve”, this park is situated on the remains of a volcanic crater, said to be one of the only three alkaline volcanoes in the world. It is estimated that the eruptions took place some 1,300 million years ago, leaving behind a unique geological structure.
Evidence of some rare rock types, such as foyaites and syenites make up many of the rocky structures, these hard rocks are found many kilometers under the earth crust and were brought to the surface and deposited by the volcano. At the time of the volcanic activity, the height of the volcanic mountains were estimated to be about 7,000 meters above the earth's surface, today they have weathered to no more than 700 meters.
The Pilanesberg Park was conceived in 1969. It took ten years of research before it finally opened on 8 December 1979.
Firstly, this 55,000 hectare had to be prepared, by removing all evidence of mechanized farming and mining. Houses, fences, windmills, pumps and mining equipment were dismantled and trucked away. Tons of alien vegetation were removed and indigenous vegetation was seeded in its place. The eroded land had to be reclaimed and the area had to be fenced.