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Aquila Safari: Big 5 Wildlife Adventure
4.4
166 Ratings
Cape Town
Experience the thrill of a Big5 wildlife safari at Aquila Game Reserve. Includes park fees, transport, and lunch. Book now for a hassle-free adventure!
Experience the thrill of a Big5 wildlife safari at Aquila Game Reserve. Includes park fees, transport, and lunch. Book now for a hassle-free adventure!
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Cape Town - Pickups from selected hotels within a 10 km radius of Cape Town city center will commence at approximately 8:00 AM, with departure to Aquila Private Game Reserve scheduled for around 9:00 AM, promising an unforgettable African safari experience. All hotel pickups are organized within an hour to ensure a smooth and timely start to your…
- Cape Town - Pickups from selected hotels within a 10 km radius of Cape Town city center will commence at approximately 8:00 AM, with departure to Aquila Private Game Reserve scheduled for around 9:00 AM, promising an unforgettable African safari experience. All hotel pickups are organized within an hour to ensure a smooth and timely start to your wildlife adventure.
- Paarl - Once everyone is on board, the journey continues along South Africa’s picturesque N1 highway, passing through charming towns and the stunning landscapes of the Cape Winelands, including Stellenbosch, Paarl, and Worcester—renowned for producing some of the world’s finest table grapes. Enjoy views of mountain ranges adorned with Cape Fynbos, featuring proteas, ericas, and restios.
- Aquila Private Game Reserve - Upon arrival at Aquila Game Reserve, guests will be greeted with a complimentary drink before indulging in a delicious buffet lunch catering to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian preferences. After lunch, embark on an exhilarating 3-hour open safari game drive with an expert ranger, enhancing your chances of spotting the Big 5 and other wildlife. Following the safari, you will be transferred back to Cape Town, arriving at your accommodation around 5:30 PM. Please note that all alcoholic beverages are not included and will be at your own expense.
- Cape Town - After an exciting safari at Aquila Game Reserve, enjoy a relaxed drive back to Cape Town, where you will be dropped off at your hotel or accommodation.
What's Included
- Round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- 3-Hour Small-Group Safari in Open 4x4 Vehicle
- Expert guide
- Lunch
- Round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- 3-Hour Small-Group Safari in Open 4x4 Vehicle
- Expert guide
- Lunch
What's Not Included
- Soft Drinks and Alcoholic beverages (Drinking age is 18 years and older)
- Tips/gratuities (optional)
- Soft Drinks and Alcoholic beverages (Drinking age is 18 years and older)
- Tips/gratuities (optional)
Additional Information
Embark on the ultimate Big 5 safari adventure from Cape Town with a comprehensive day trip to the malaria-free, award-winning Aquila Private Game Reserve. Benefit from hassle-free logistics, including hotel pickup and drop-off, park fees, and a full buffet lunch. Spend approximately 3 hours in open safari vehicles guided by expert rangers to enhance…
Embark on the ultimate Big 5 safari adventure from Cape Town with a comprehensive day trip to the malaria-free, award-winning Aquila Private Game Reserve. Benefit from hassle-free logistics, including hotel pickup and drop-off, park fees, and a full buffet lunch. Spend approximately 3 hours in open safari vehicles guided by expert rangers to enhance your chances of spotting lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and Cape buffalo, as well as giraffes, cheetahs, antelopes, and diverse birdlife. Avoid the stress of self-driving—enjoy the comfort of air-conditioned transport and concentrate on photography, conservation-focused wildlife viewing, and a well-organized schedule ideal for first-time visitors, families, and those with limited time seeking the premier Cape Town safari day trip.
Location
Cape Town
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.4
(166 Ratings)
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Michael
Jan 31, 2026
Aquila Reserve Tour - Great experience. Driver Dylan was excellent!. The reserve was worth the trip. The reserve tour guide was informative and with a good sense of humor.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kriste0
Jan 19, 2026
Perfect day trip from Cape Town - We had a great experience at the Aquila Game Reserve! In the morning, our driver, Gift, picked us up right outside our Airbnb. He was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the city, sharing with us the history of Cape Town as we drove along the N1. The scenery on our two-hour trip to Aquila was incredible - mountains everywhere and gorgeous vineyards along the way. I appreciated that we stopped about an hour into the ride to use the bathroom and get snacks/drinks before we continued.
Once we arrived at Aquila, we were greeted with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine or grape juice and had time to explore the grounds before we ate our delicious buffet lunch. What a lovely place! There was live, traditional music playing as we ate, and the surroundings are beautiful. Staff all very friendly and kind. Food was amazing!
The safari itself didn't disappoint. We knew Aquila was a game reserve and that it wouldn't be like a safari you'd find in the wilds of Africa. However, we had limited time in Cape Town, and coming from the United States, this was a perfect taste of what a "real" safari would be like. That being said, the safari ride was no joke! The trucks we were in and the roads we traveled on were bumpy and made me a bit nervous. I guess I expected a paved road or something the way others had described it. But, this was legit. The reserve is huge! Gorgeous environment.
Our guide for the Safari, Tina, was awesome. He found us four of the big 5! (The elusive leopard is nocturnal, so we didn't see him.) In addition to the top four "big ones," we also saw Ostrich, Giraffes, Zebras, and Hippo! I've never been so close to animals like this. They were amazing. Tina was very kind, allowing a young boy who was a little nauseous to sit up front with him.
Aquila does it right! We took a break from the Safari and had a pit stop at an outpost along the route. Here, again, we were treated to wine and waters, used the restroom, and sat under umbrellas taking in the scenery of the reserve. Amazing!
I would highly recommend this trip to tourists in Cape Town! We would have never seen this area of South Africa if we hadn't signed up, and we loved seeing these beautiful animals up close! Well worth the money and then some.
Side note - tip your drivers! They work hard and are lovely people.
Last tip: We took this trip in January, and it was hot! We all brought jackets, and had no idea how to dress (do we need pants, etc.) but we left our jackets in the car and our shorts, sandals, and tank tops along with sunscreen was all we needed!)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joeyboff
Dec 23, 2025
Excellent day out. Great driver. - A fabulous day out. Picked up punctually outside hotel. Driver was there early. Fantastic driver. He was so knowledgeable.
Safari was excellent. Superb resort too. Very good food.
Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sue_m
Nov 25, 2025
We had seen some negative... - We had seen some negative reviews about the park but these were not correct. Guides were very knowledgeable, we saw more than we expected, the whole place was extremely well run.Our collection and return to Cape Town was also excellent
Review provided by Viator
383jac
Mar 18, 2026
Superb driver! - The driver who drove my friend and I was very kind and nice and knowledgeable. It was unfortunately the rudest and made the time difficult. But Mr. Jeff couldn't have been more professional in dealing with them and trying to do his best with dealing with the people he was given. Had the people not been there, it would have been a peaceful and incredible day.
We saw all the animals we wanted to see and the trip was amazing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Navigator06556617474
Mar 3, 2026
My very first safari - an unforgettable experience. - My first safari was an unforgettable experience! The tour was fantastic from the start—Gift and our driver picked us up right on time at the designated spot in a very comfortable Sprinter van that seated 15-18 people. The drive to the reserve was smooth, with perfectly timed pit stops for bathroom breaks.
We were warmly welcomed with champagne (and a non-alcoholic option—a thoughtful touch). Lunch, included in the price of the tour, was pretty good, though it was a bit surprising that non-alcoholic drinks like my hot tea weren't included.
The game drive was the highlight: we spotted entire families of zebras, buffalo, antelope, rhinos, and hippos. Three elephants strolled majestically across the plains, and we even saw two lions—one perched regally, the other lounging on her back with paws in the air. No giraffes that day, but the wildebeest and springbok herds were stunning together. It was cold and rainy, which made the later part a tad uncomfortable (though they provided free plastic ponchos with hoods).
At the final stop before heading back, another round of champagne felt a little out of place in the chilly weather—hot chocolate or coffee would have hit the spot!
For a first safari, it's absolutely worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christine
Feb 13, 2026
Proceed to Kruger National Park for a more enriching experience. - Too few animals, small sad looking small groups of rhino, elephants, giraffes. One hippo, glimpse of one lion in a cave-like shelter. Unnecessary extended rest stop which appeared to be simply an opportunity for snack item cash grab.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lipoy
Jan 25, 2026
Not great - We decided we wanted to do a safari while we were in Cape Town but wanted one as near as possible. The hotel recommended Aquila as it was only 2 hours away. They organised everything and the driver Charlton was excellent. A lovely helpful man and nice car.
We arrived at 9 am and had breakfast at the ‘service station’ style restaurant. It was ok but nothing great. We then went on a truck with 20 people and a driver/ guide ‘Trevor’ he was very good and explained a lot about the trip.
Unfortunately I feel this is where it becomes a 3 star experience. The animals were in their own sections ie zebras first then drive 10 minutes and there would be a few antelopes and then onto the next section with a hippo. The whole tour went on like that. The lions (4 of them) were in a small compound. Looking very tired and sad.
All in all I’m glad we did it but I’m sure it’s at the bottom end of safaris. If you don’t want to fly to one of the big safaris this works. Ish
Sorry Aquila not good enough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daniel_s
Nov 24, 2025
Transfer to the park and back not good. - Driver all good
Vehicle to park too small for passengers. Driver said he received this old too small replacement vehicle. He apologized all day , but this did not make the vehicle any better. Safari Park also all good.
Review provided by Viator
Claudette_g
Nov 23, 2025
I had to pay an extra $210 out of pocket to get back to cruise in time. The office support was HORRIBLE. - The office support staff screwed up, lied, and then blamed the customer.
Isaac, the driver is the only person out of the organization I'd trust. He was super.
I texted Viator support 4 days prior to tour to confirm timing. ("My ship all onboard time is 5:30. Will that be a problem?")
They misunderstood my question, and replied that I'd be fine. (Mistakes happen, I understand.)
When Isaac realized at 11:30 am that there was no way I'd get back to my cruise for all aboard time, he made plans for my return. Instead of a 2.5-3 hour safari, I got one hour, then had to pay for a private driver to get me back to Cape Town. It cost me $211 additional for the driver that I was required to pay in cash before they'd bring me back.
I contacted the office with a copy of the driver payment receipt, explained the situation (which Isaac had already discussed with them at length.), and requested reimbursement for the expense. They SAID via text they'd reimburse me the $211. It's 10 days later and they still Have NOT reimbursed me a penny. Separately, I also requested a partial refund of the $257 tour price since I got to experience less than half of what I paid for. They refused the request.
Although I had confirmed timing ahead of time, and they apologized for inconvenience of their misunderstanding, they haven't reimbursed me a penny, and subsequently said it was my fault because I didn't specify AM or PM.
If you can find a way to get to Aquila on your own, do it. Beautiful place. Just don't use Viator to get there.
I'm VERY DISAPPOINTED on how they handled this.
Review provided by Viator
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