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Town in North West province, South Africa
Photo: Mart Bouter, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Rustenburg (Place of rest) is the largest city in South Africa's North West Province, with a population of 550,000 in 2011.
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A little museum showing the way things were back in the day when Paul Kruger worked on a farm called Boekenhoutfontein, before he became president of the Suid-Afrikaanse Republiek, the Dutch South African Republic circa 1852-1902. The museum shows exhibits pertaining to the Boer farming life and heritage.
Lots of sable antelope and popular hiking venue. Site of Kgaswane Rusternburg Waterfall. Accommodations pricing start from R40 per camping stand (6 people) and R800 per cottage per night
Two large reserves north of the Pilanesberg, almost half the size of Belgium. They are conservation and transition zone between the Kalahari sandveld and the thornveld. Madikwe hosts all the major plains species, including the Big Five and has the second largest concentration of elephants in South Africa.
One of the most accessible South African game reserves. It is located a 1½-hour drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria, outside Rustenburg. It is the fourth largest national park in South Africa and is set in the Pilanesberg range, traversing the floor of a long-extinct volcano. Pilanesberg conserves all the major mammal species including lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo.
A wild animal park home to lions, tigers, black jaguars, hyenas, as well as the only strawberry leopard worldwide. You can take tours of the animals as well as spending intimate time with cubs, lemurs, and adult lions and cheetahs. Tours are kind of spendy but the goal of the park is to take in abused and neglected animals.
A game lodge where you can do guided lion walks and other encounters with nature (touch a tiger, interact with lion cubs, etc). Servals, caracals, cheetahs also live here. Bookings essential.
7 en-suite bedrooms with mini-bar and tea and coffee trays. This rustic, characterful lodge offers a country, homely relaxation, back-to-nature experience.
An oasis in the African bushveld, this private boutique hotel offers secluded comfort and in-obtrusive service.
Homestay with a pool and a view in town.
Rustenburg's principal shopping complex is pretty new and shiny and isn't really in Rustenburg at all given its location next to the N4. One highlight is the Cape Town Fish Market. Pick'n'Pay, Game and Woolworths are the anchor tenants.
By train
There are no passenger trains going through Rustenburg. The only trains used are cargo and freight used by the mining and steel industries.
By car
Follow the N4 toll road west from Pretoria. Total toll is R32 in April 2010. The R104 road is a toll-free alternative which is parallel to the N4 but is narrow and bendy with several stops in between.
By bus
In 2012 there was still no public transport or public bus route. Although private buses are available if you search the internet.
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