Big 5 Safari from Cape Town: Aquila Game Reserve full day

A morning tracking the Big 5 across open reserve.

This full-day tour from Cape Town combines a scenic drive through Stellenbosch, Paarl, Worcester and the Hex Valley wine regions with a 3-hour game drive at Aquila Game Reserve, 180 km away. A qualified game ranger leads the safari in an open 4x4 vehicle. Hotel pickup, welcome drinks, buffet breakfast and lunch are included. The reserve is home to elephant, buffalo, lion, rhino and other wildlife across its 4,500 hectares.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day safari and wine region drive

• Drive from Cape Town through wine regions
• Pass Paarl Rock and historic settlements
• Drive through Du Toitskloof pass tunnel
• Drive through Breed River catchment area
• Drive through Hex Valley wine region
• Arrive at Aquila Game Reserve
• Enjoy welcome drinks and buffet breakfast
• Go on 3-hour Big 5 game drive
• Return for buffet lunch
• Swim or relax by pool or bonfire
• Drive back to Cape Town

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cape Town.
• welcome drinks.
• buffet breakfast before the game drive.
• up to 3 hours in an open 4x4 safari vehicle with a qualified game ranger.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• buffet lunch after the drive.
• air-conditioned transport during the scenic route.
• complimentary entry to The Diamond Works museum.

Times

• Every day 08:30 09:00

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Before you book

Group Up to 13

Live guide English and French

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point. You can choose from 5 pickup points.

Book up to 3h before

Ages Adult (12 to 85 years) · Child (under 12)

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund. It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Low physical effort Stroller-friendly

Operated by Remigeous Tsuro

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

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Traveler reviews

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The experience

The drive out of Cape Town takes you through some of South Africa's most recognizable wine country. You'll pass Paarl Rock, one of the two largest single rock outcrops in the world, then drive through the nearly 4 km Du Toitskloof tunnel, built by Italian engineers, which cuts through the pass between two mountain ranges. The route continues through the Hex Valley, where the Mediterranean climate and montane fynbos vegetation support vineyards that export grapes worldwide. The landscape itself is the point here: dramatic edged mountains, river valleys fed by winter snowmelt, the kind of scenery that frames why people make the 2-hour drive to this reserve.

At Aquila, you start with welcome drinks and a hearty buffet breakfast before heading out in an open 4x4 with your game ranger. The vehicle design (open sides, elevated seating) is built for sightlines: you're positioned to spot animals across the 4,500-hectare reserve without a windshield between you and the landscape. The game drive runs up to 3 hours. A qualified ranger drives and narrates, reading the terrain and animal behavior to position the vehicle for sightings of the Big 5 (elephant, buffalo, lion, rhino), and other wildlife that roams freely here.

After the drive, you return for a buffet lunch. In summer, the swimming pool offers a way to cool off. In winter, a bonfire warms the pool area before the drive back to Cape Town. The tour includes bottled water throughout and an air-conditioned vehicle for the road journey, plus a complimentary visit to The Diamond Works museum on the return.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 12).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How far is Aquila Game Reserve from Cape Town?

Aquila Game Reserve is approximately 180 km from Cape Town, about a 2-hour drive from the city.

What animals will I see on the game drive?

The reserve is home to the Big 5 (elephant, buffalo, lion, rhino), and other wildlife that roam freely across the 4,500 hectares. A qualified game ranger leads the drive and positions the open 4x4 vehicle for sightings, though wildlife encounters depend on animal movement and location on the day.

How long is the actual game drive?

The game drive lasts up to 3 hours in an open 4x4 vehicle with a qualified ranger.

What's included in the tour price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, welcome drinks, buffet breakfast, the 3-hour game drive in an open 4x4 with a qualified ranger, buffet lunch, bottled water, air-conditioned transport to and from the reserve, and a complimentary visit to The Diamond Works museum are all included.