Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve: How to Visit, What to Expect and What’s Nearby
By Heléne Geyser, 5 November 2026, 8 minute read
If you’re skimming
- Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve is at 520 Kromdraai Road, Kromdraai, Krugersdorp, in the Cradle of Humankind.
- You can explore it on a self-drive in your own car or book a guided game drive. The Bothongo WonderCave is inside the reserve.
- It’s closed on Mondays, apart from the school holiday Mondays it lists, and open on public holidays.
- This is an independent guide, not the official site. Hours and prices below were checked in November 2026.
This isn’t the official Rhino & Lion website. For tickets and the latest information, go to rhinolion.co.za.
Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve describes itself as “located in the heart of the Cradle of Humankind” and home to more than 600 animals and over 30 species of game. You can drive yourself around, join a ranger on a game drive, and head underground to a cave. The WonderCave plus self-drive ticket covers both of those (Rhino & Lion).
This page is for families planning a day out, visitors pairing a game drive with the Cradle’s fossil sites, and anyone who’s promised the kids “real lions, not the ones on TV”.
What Is Rhino & Lion and What Will You See?
The reserve names Kruger lions, white rhino and buffalo, plus cheetah, hippo, crocodile, more than 20 kinds of antelope, and Cape vultures you can watch from a vulture hide. It says it has reintroduced wild dog, and that there’s evidence leopards occasionally roam the area (Rhino & Lion).
According to the reserve’s activity list, your entrance ticket also covers the Lion and Predator Camp (you drive through the predator enclosure), a snake and reptile park with snake shows, a waterfowl park, the Bothongo African Garden, and braai and picnic areas with a swimming pool and a jungle gym (Rhino & Lion). Braai grids are for rent at the kiosk, so you only need to bring the meat and the patience.
The Bothongo WonderCave
The WonderCave is inside the reserve. You reach it through the reserve’s main entrance, and you can also visit it as a standalone outing (Rhino & Lion). The reserve says:
- it’s 5 to 10 million years old, and South Africa’s third-largest cave chamber after the Cango and Sudwala Caves;
- it has formations up to 15 m;
- you go down 87 stairs at a 45-degree angle to 22 m below the surface, then take a lift a further 18 m;
- tours run every two hours (Rhino & Lion).
Italian miners discovered it in 1898, according to the reserve (Rhino & Lion). Before you book, read the health notice on the WonderCave page. It warns of a risk of histoplasmosis, a fungal lung infection linked to bat or bird droppings in caves. WonderCave tours are also weather-dependent, so phone to confirm on the day (Rhino & Lion tickets).
Planning Your Visit to Rhino & Lion
Where is it and how do you get there?
The address is 520 Kromdraai Road, Kromdraai, Krugersdorp (Rhino & Lion). It’s on the same road as the Sterkfontein Caves, whose address is Kromdraai Road, Sterkfontein (Wits Sterkfontein Caves). For the main routes from Joburg, Pretoria and Lanseria, see our Cradle of Humankind guide.
Self-drive: what car do you need?
The reserve says its dirt roads are regularly maintained and suitable for most passenger vehicles, but advises against supercars. Some roads are 4×4 only, rain can affect conditions, and there’s a marked 4×4 route through areas 2×4 vehicles can’t reach (Rhino & Lion). A reserve map is available to download from the official site. In other words, if your car counts as “most passenger vehicles”, you should be fine, and the low-slung sports car can have the day off.
Predator feeding is listed at 13:00, but the days differ between pages of the official site (Rhino & Lion; Rhino & Lion tickets), so check on arrival. To get a spot at feeding, the reserve advises arriving early, especially on weekends and public holidays (Rhino & Lion).
Hours and closing days (checked November 2026)
From the official reserve times page. Confirm on the official site before you go.
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed, except listed school holiday Mondays |
| Tuesday to Friday | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 to 17:00 or 18:00 (the site gives both) |
| Public holidays | 08:00 to 18:00 |
The reserve says it’s open on all public holidays. The holiday Mondays it lists as open include 14, 21 and 28 December 2026, and 4 and 11 January 2027 (Rhino & Lion).
Tickets (checked November 2026)
From the official ticket page. Adult prices include the conservation fee. Confirm before you go.
| Ticket | Adult | Kids 5 to 12 | Pensioners 60+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-drive | R360 | R220 | R280 |
| WonderCave plus self-drive | R520 | R310 | R410 |
| 2 hour guided game drive (minimum 2 people) | R690 | R480 | R540 |
| 1 hour predator tour (minimum 2 people) | R570 | R400 | R460 |
The ticket page also lists a weekend sunset drive, a 3 hour game drive, private vehicles, a guided Savannah Trails walk, the Cradle BMX track and giraffe feed at R80 a bag (Rhino & Lion tickets). The Neck & Deck page, though, says giraffe feeding is currently unavailable (Rhino & Lion), so check before you go. Guided game drives are in open vehicles, led by what the reserve calls SATOUR-registered experts (Rhino & Lion). For the reserve’s rules, read its terms and conditions before you go.
Kids
On price, each ticket on the official page also says “Kids Under 12 Free (one child free per paying adult)”, which conflicts with the 5 to 12 prices above, so confirm when booking (Rhino & Lion tickets).
Kids get a jungle gym and a small splash pool with a shallow area for toddlers, used strictly under adult supervision (Rhino & Lion). The Cradle Bike Park has tracks for all levels, with equipment rental on site, at an extra cost (Rhino & Lion).
Where to Eat at Rhino & Lion
The reserve names three restaurants: Neck & Deck, Thatch and the Boma (Rhino & Lion). Meals are charged separately from your ticket (Rhino & Lion).
- Neck & Deck: the reserve describes an open-air restaurant with views of animals including a giraffe, an Afro fusion menu (breakfast, burgers, pizza and mains), seating for 300, a wine cellar and a children’s play area. For giraffe feeding, see the note under tickets above (Rhino & Lion).
- Thatch Café: at the welcome centre, with light meals, drinks, a barista and a limited à la carte menu, overlooking the bike park (Rhino & Lion).
- Boma: named on the restaurant guide, without further details (Rhino & Lion).
Make a Day of It
- Sterkfontein Caves: guided cave tours, Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00 to 16:00 (Wits Sterkfontein Caves). Do the fossils in the morning and the animals in the afternoon.
- Maropeng Visitor Centre: the official visitor centre of the World Heritage Site, open every day (Maropeng).
- Lion & Safari Park: another wildlife outing, which says it’s 13 km from Lanseria Airport and offers self-drives and guided tours (Lion & Safari Park).
- More ideas: our day trip to the Cradle, things to do in the Cradle and where to stay guides.
See all businesses in the Cradle of Humankind
Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve FAQs
Is Rhino & Lion open on Mondays?
Usually not. The reserve is closed on Mondays except the school holiday Mondays listed on its site, such as 14, 21 and 28 December 2026. It says it’s open on all public holidays (Rhino & Lion).
How much is a self-drive at Rhino & Lion?
In November 2026 the official site listed R360 per adult (including the conservation fee), R220 for children aged 5 to 12 and R280 for pensioners aged 60 and over (Rhino & Lion tickets). Confirm before you go.
Is Wonder Cave inside Rhino & Lion?
Yes. The reserve says the WonderCave is reached through its main entrance and can also be visited on its own. The WonderCave plus self-drive ticket was R520 per adult in November 2026 (Rhino & Lion; Rhino & Lion tickets).
Can you do Rhino & Lion in a normal car?
The reserve says its dirt roads suit most passenger vehicles, though some roads are 4×4 only and rain can affect conditions. It advises against supercars (Rhino & Lion).
Where can you eat at Rhino & Lion?
The reserve has three restaurants: Neck & Deck, Thatch and the Boma (Rhino & Lion). Meals are paid for separately from your entrance ticket (Rhino & Lion).
More on the Area
See our Cradle of Humankind guide, plus Muldersdrift and Krugersdorp for shops and everyday services nearby.
Listings and details on My West Rand can go out of date. Please confirm hours, prices and availability with the business before you visit. Spotted something wrong? Let us know, we’d genuinely love the help.