Safaris · CAPE TOWN SAFARIS
Good cape town safaris tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 11 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Leave Cape Town by air-conditioned minibus for Aquila Private Nature Reserve, crossing the Hex River Valley. After a buffet lunch, join an English-speaking ranger for a two-hour open-vehicle safari. You may see lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, hippos, and up to 172 bird species.
“It was great! Our guide Kayim was fantastic, great ride”
Travel in a small group from Cape Town to Cape Agulhas and Garden Route Game Lodge. Expect long but scenic drives, two safari outings, a three-course dinner, breakfast, and a comfortable four-star chalet. Guides such as Chris, Vaughan, and Benjamin are known for thoughtful commentary.
“The guide (Chris) was excellent. Very flexible, planning the route to get the best weather at different places and asking us how long we wanted to stop for. He also answered all my questions about South Africa”
Head from Gansbaai’s Great White House to the Dyer Island ecosystem for a two-hour marine safari. A marine biologist explains the wildlife, while the crew searches for whales, sharks, seals, dolphins, and penguins. Cape Town transfers and a penguin sanctuary visit are optional.
“Their focus in conservation and education is very obvious. Everyone from reception, to check in and briefing, to the crew afterwards was amazing. They truly went out of their way to ensure everyone’s experience was pleasurable.”
Spend about nine hours traveling from Cape Town to malaria-free Aquila Game Reserve, where an English-speaking ranger leads a three-hour open-vehicle drive. Expect lions, rhinos, buffalo, elephants, giraffes, birds, a buffet lunch, and scenic Karoo views. Guides such as Denver, Max, Josh, and Abriel have earned particular praise.
“We are not really animal friendly but the whole experience of this safari was amazing, from the friendly and helpful driver/tour guide to the guide on the safari bus. Had an amazing day”
Travel from Cape Town through Du Toitskloof and the Breede River Valley to Aquila Private Game Reserve. Your guide, often Mike, Werner, Jamie, or another Born in Africa professional, handles the drive while a reserve ranger leads the safari. Lunch and champagne are included in the reserve fee.
“Werner my tour guide and driver was super! Fun, courteous, knowledgeable about the area and country. The winery was lovely and a good tasting. Aquila was great. I lucked out and had Jana as my guide. She is the conservationist for the reseRead more”
Travel from Cape Town to Aquila Private Game Reserve with guides such as Dona, Elda, or Frank, then ride an open safari truck at sunset. Expect a long but scenic day, a 45-minute wine tasting, welcome refreshments, buffet food, pool time, and a good chance to see four of the Big Five.
“The trip was amazing, both the driver to Aquila and the safari tour guide were amazing. They both explained things very well. On the way from CPT to Aquila our driver explained some history about CPT, the winefarms and the wars, it kept the drive entertaining. Shoutout to Dona (our driver) (with one a)😉. The safari tour guide was also very good. The park itself is beautiful aswell, it’s not the biggest, but it was big enough to see a lot of animals. We managed to see 4 out of the big 5. The leopard was the only one we didn’t see. Apart from the animals in the big 5…”
Travel from Cape Town or Stellenbosch to Oudtshoorn for two shared 4x4 safaris at Botlierskop and Buffelsdrift. Expect long scenic drives, a night in accommodation ranging from backpacker to luxury, and an optional elephant observation. Guides such as Nev, Denver, Ulrich, and Dylan are known for keeping the journey informative and friendly.
“I have no words to describe what this experience meant to me. I only encountered amazing people who made me feel safe and loved! I could see all the animals I admire from up close, I had the time of my life. Thank you everybody for everything!”
Travel from Cape Town to Aquila Private Game Reserve for a sunset drive in an open 4x4 truck. You’ll have round-trip transport, a welcome drink, snacks, and an experienced ranger. The reserve offers close animal sightings, though the long drive and bumpy truck ride require patience.
“We had tue most amazing day, our driver Dona was absolutely amazing , told us so much about South Africa in our drive qas very friendly and made us all very comfortable was also a fantastic driver felt very safe. We saw 4 of the big 5 the Aquila Game reserve was absolutely magnificent we had a great guide Tyler he made every effort possible to make our Safari perfect. Thank you for such a wonderful experience.”
Leave Cape Town at 6am for Cape Agulhas and the Garden Route Game Lodge. Enjoy sunset and early-morning safari drives, a lodge dinner and breakfast, then return via Hermanus and Betty’s Bay. Guides such as Chris, Benjamin, Vaughan, and Frank have led recent departures, but assignments vary.
“I booked this experience many months in advance, only to receive a last-minute message—less than 24 hours before check-in—informing me that it was cancelled. No real support, no proper communication, just a cancellation with no explanation. After hours of bacRead more”
Travel from Cape Town through Route 62, Oudtshoorn, Addo, Jeffreys Bay, Tsitsikamma, Knysna, and Wilderness. You’ll share a minivan with up to 25 people, sleep in four different areas, and choose extras such as bungee jumping, surfing, horseback riding, and game drives. Guides include Isaac, Maudi, Neville, and Uriel.
“This must have been the best guided tour I have ever been on. Our Guide, Uriel, had exceptional knowledge about everything around the places we visited and beyond and organized everything perfectly. It felt more like traveling with a friend than someone who is getting paid for it after the first few hours into the trip already. If you travel solo or with friends I strongly recommend the dorm option as you will meet a lot of nice people along the way and have a lot of social activity in the evenings.”
Join an English-speaking crew at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront for a 90-minute catamaran search along the Atlantic coast. Look for dolphins, seals, penguins, whales, and sunfish, with Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Camps Bay, and the Twelve Apostles as your backdrop. Muffins, hot chocolate, water, and binoculars are included.
“The crew were constantly on the lookout for marine animals. And when we saw them, they were very knowledgeable. Didn’t see sharks or whales on this occasion. But delighted to see penguins, seals, dolphins, and sunfish. It was only a small group, so we all got an opportunity to move around the boat, and sit outside. Really enjoyable trip.”
Dunes, game drives, camps or snow.
