Big Five Safari and Wine Tasting from Cape Town - One Day

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/17

Duration10h

GroupUp to 20

PickupAt your hotel

Wine, mountains, and lions in one loop from the city

A full-day guided tour from Cape Town that pairs Breede River Valley wine tasting and mountain scenery with a Big Five safari at Aquila game reserve. The day includes hotel pickup and dropoff, a professional guide, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, wine tasting at Du Toitskloof Wines, lunch and a 2–3 hour game drive at the reserve. Game park entry is paid separately and includes a welcome drink and access to see lions, elephants, buffalo, leopard and rhino on the same afternoon.

10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Big Five Safari and Breede River Valley

08h30 pick up from hotel
Drive along N1 past Language Monument
Travel up Du Toitskloof Pass and view scenery
Enjoy Breede and Hex River Valley scenery
Stop for wine tasting and coffee break
Arrive at game reserve for lunch and safari
2-3 hour guided game drive
Comfort break at Du Kloof Lodge
Return to Cape Town via Huguenot Tunnel
Drop off at hotel around 18h30

The Experience

The day starts at 8:30am from your hotel in an upmarket vehicle with a professional guide. You head north on the N1 past Paarl, then climb through Du Toitskloof Pass—a stop at the top lets you see Table Mountain receding behind you and the Hex River Valley opening ahead. The route itself is the first payoff: the drive through the winelands is the reason most people book this instead of two separate trips.

By mid-morning you reach Du Toitskloof Wines in the Breede River Valley, where you can taste wines from six surrounding farms (the Chenin Blanc is award-winning; wine tasting costs R60 per person). If wine is not your thing, the Ou Meul Bakery & Cafe next door serves Bootleggers coffee and homemade pastries, and both spots let you browse gift shops with the Du Toitskloof mountain range as your backdrop. This is a real stop, not a rushed photo moment—you have time to sit and eat.

Afternoon shifts to Aquila, a 10,000-hectare private game reserve where you arrive to a complimentary glass of bubbly (alcohol-free available) and a buffet lunch. The 2–3 hour game drive follows with a professional ranger—groups stay around 14 people per vehicle, so you are not crammed in. This is where the Big Five appear: lions, elephants, buffalo, leopard and rhino are all reintroduced here, and a single afternoon gives you a real chance to see them. Game park entry is paid separately (R2365 per person low season, R2555 mid season, R2785 peak season; children half price), and prepayment is required—your guide arranges it and sends you a payment link. On the return, you stop for a comfort break at Du Kloof Lodge on the Molenaars River, then drive back through the Huguenot Tunnel and arrive at your hotel around 6:30pm.

What’s included

Professional guide and hotel pickup and dropoff.
transport in an air-conditioned upmarket vehicle.
wine tasting at Du Toitskloof Wines (R60 per person, optional).
coffee and pastries at Ou Meul Bakery & Cafe (optional).
game park entrance, welcome drink, buffet lunch and 2–3 hour guided game drive at Aquila (paid separately).

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availableNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Born in Africa Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want wine tasting and a Big Five safari in one day with a guide managing the route and timing, rather than piecing together separate experiences.