Safari in Cape Town: My Best Tips & Experiences with the Big 5

You're in Cape Town and want to see wildlife? Especially if you don't have time to travel to the east or north of South Africa - where the major national parks like Kruger are located - you might still wish for some safari vibes. Even those traveling with children often avoid malaria-free areas in the east.

I often get asked if Cape Town is suitable for a safari. My honest opinion: Only to a certain extent. Many day trips, like to the Aquila Game Reserve, are heavily tourist-oriented - with many visitors and little authentic nature experience. You will quickly feel like you're in a zoo.

However, there are exceptions: Some private reserves focus on conservation and sustainable safari experiences. After thorough research and personal experience, I can recommend a few private game reserves - with real chances to see the Big 5, malaria-free, and incredibly scenic.

A safari around Cape Town is not worth it as a day trip since the best game reserves are too far away.

A safari around Cape Town is worth it if it's your first trip to South Africa, you're not going to Kruger National Park and have never seen animals in the wild before. But only then, if you stay at least one night.

There are many private wildlife conservation areas (in English: Private Game Reserve) around Cape Town, where you can book day trips with game drives and also stay overnight.

I am a safari and Africa expert and have spoken with locals about which safari lodge they recommend near Cape Town, where you won't feel like you're in a zoo.

The answer was clear: Gondwana Game Reserve or the relatively new Mont Eco Private Game Reserve. We tested both; Isa went for a day trip to another game lodge.

Read on to find out everything about a safari near Cape Town. My conclusion can be found at the end of the article.

A safari near Cape Town in South Africa, especially at Gondwana Game Reserve, is particularly worthwhile for families with young children seeking a malaria-free safari experience.

Near Cape Town, you will find Private Game Reserves where you can experience the Big 5, giraffes, antelopes, hyenas, or warthogs in the wild.

If you do not want to travel to Kruger National Park, a safari near Cape Town is an alternative. This way, you can at least get a first impression of what it's like to experience animals in the wild.

Especially the Gondwana Game Reserve or the Mont Eco Game Reserve are known for being family-friendly, allowing children from 6 years old to participate in regular game drives, and offering private vehicles for younger children (2-6 years). Thus, it provides a perfect solution for families who want a safe and inclusive safari experience without giving up adventure.

A trip to South Africa is not complete without a safari. In the 18th and 19th centuries, large wildlife was nearly eradicated in the Cape Province. Since the 1980s, more and more farmland has been converted into private wildlife reserves, as the former grazing land has proven to be much more profitable for tourism than traditional farming. Since space is limited, you can much more easily "find" animals here than, for example, in the vast Kruger National Park. Hence, the term "safari park" (or zoo) is not without reason.

The operators invest a lot of time into restoring the farms, eliminating non-native plants, and relocating animals that they acquire from other reserves. They also support research programs and engage in conservation efforts. Private reserves are vital to the protection of rhinos, as they are extremely threatened by poaching and need to be meticulously protected around the clock.

Note: Many of these private wildlife reserves provide homes for animals that have been rehabilitated after injuries at conservation facilities. Once they recover, they are released into private reserves to allow them to experience a normal life (as best as possible). For example, Gondwana provides excellent protection for poaching-threatened rhinos.

At Botlierskop, there are two cheetahs, Catja and Hobbes, who both previously suffered injuries and are physically disadvantaged. They are located here in an area free from lions and hyenas to improve their chances of survival. Because even cheetahs are extremely endangered animals.

I could now, like many others who do not know about animals and wildlife protection in Africa, write a list of which game reserves are the best. But that's not entirely true. As a safari expert, I have spent a long time researching this and have consulted rangers and local inhabitants involved in wildlife conservation in South Africa for advice. The best and only game reserve they wholeheartedly recommend is the Gondwana Private Game Reserve, which we then visited.

Only one reserve was advised against, which tends to focus on quantity over quality: Aquila Private Game Reserve.

Due to its proximity to Cape Town, game drives occur several times a day to please day customers. Those who offer quad biking and helicopter safari flights likely do not have wildlife conservation in mind. The visit is really cheap, but I would advise against it. I strongly recommend against it. Friends went there before they asked me for advice and were very disappointed, wishing they had known earlier.

At Gondwana, my South African friends didn't say anything bad about the others, but they all agreed that Gondwana does the best work near Cape Town. All private reserves are dedicated to wildlife conservation. Every wildlife reserve is better than none. The more space that is protected, the more the animals can recover in the Cape region, whose populations went to near zero after big game hunters shot them all in the past.

A new reserve that Dom has tested is the Mont Eco Game Reserve. He was very enthusiastic and has gained a lot of insight into safari and wildlife conservation through me. They even managed to book the shuttle (available from Cape Town or the Winelands) and thus enjoyed a stress-free time as a group of five.

I will show you alternatives that Isa tried as part of a day trip. This is cheaper and simply a more sensible alternative with a small child if you've never seen elephants, rhinos, lions, and giraffes before.

Here you can find my detailed experience report on Gondwana Game Reserve.

Gondwana Game Reserve is only 25 minutes from Mossel Bay. It's about a 4-hour drive from Cape Town. The area is massive, covering 11,000 hectares. It features the Big Five, giraffes, a cheetah, hippos, zebras, various species of antelopes, and plenty of cool birds (we saw a secretary bird).

Day trips for safaris are not offered here, only for overnight guests. This makes it much more exclusive and less crowded. The accommodations are all very stylishly furnished, and the food in the restaurant is excellent. The ideal mix of relaxation, safari, and luxury.

Check out my detailed report on Gondwana Game Reserve here.

Mont Eco Game Reserve is located about 2.5 hours northeast of Cape Town and offers an exclusive safari experience near the Cederberg Mountains. Covering an area of 8,000 hectares, the reserve is home to a variety of wildlife, including the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo) as well as numerous bird species.

Guests can stay in luxurious lodges that combine comfort with an authentic African atmosphere. The reserve offers guided game drives, bush walks, and bird watching experiences led by experienced rangers. A special highlight is the nighttime starry sky, which is particularly clear and impressive due to the remote location of the reserve.

Mont Eco is strongly committed to conservation and sustainability. Programs for reintroducing threatened species are being carried out, and initiatives to support local communities are encouraged. By staying in the reserve, guests directly contribute to preserving the local flora and fauna.

Check out Dom's detailed report on Mont Eco Game Reserve here.

Not worth it as a day trip, but ideal on the way to the Garden Route.

Since Isa was traveling with a baby, Botlierskop Game Reserve was ideally located along the Garden Route, just 20 km northeast of Mossel Bay. Here, you can book a game drive without needing to book an overnight stay. However, Botlierskop is 'only' 4,500 hectares big and is home to free-ranging wildlife, four of the 'Big 5' (rhinos, elephants, buffalo, and lions). Instead of a leopard, there are cheetahs. Zebras, giraffes, wildebeests, and hippos, along with many antelopes, complete the safari experience.

Day guests can use the two pools at the main area (there are 3 outdoor and one indoor pool), a gym, and luxurious glamping tents near the lodge.

With luck, you can spot elephants, zebras, and rhinos from the pool. The view is great. The rooms are nice, but for a special experience, the 'Tented Lodges': Glamping tents.

The day fee is R80 per person, with children aged 0-2 receiving free admission. Guests who book activities get free access. In addition to classic safaris in jeeps, they also offer a horseback safari. I had the 'pleasure' of experiencing this in Uganda and found it less comfortable as a non-rider. If you ride, it's a wonderful experience.

Children between 3 and 12 get 50% off the adult price for game drives; from 12 years old, children must pay the full price. If your child is under 3 years, you must book a private game drive. But it is possible. However, I suspect that children wouldn't get much from it. For self-driving, I recommend the Addo Elephant National Park.

The Garden Route Game Lodge was established in 1999 as the first private wildlife reserve in the Western Cape. The lodge is privately owned, malaria-free, and family-friendly. Here, alongside a variety of animals and birds, you can also experience four of the Big 5.

The Garden Route Game Lodge is often recommended for safaris. Friends provided the following feedback and experiences that I want to share with you. The Garden Route Game Lodge is only 3,000 hectares large and quite small. Therefore, it only has 'four' of the Big Five: lions, rhinos, elephants, and buffalo. The area is simply too small for leopards. However, there are cheetahs, giraffes, antelopes, and the pretty cool aardwolves as well as caracals.

Sanbona is another of the best wildlife reserves for safaris near Cape Town. The reserve is truly massive with 58,000 hectares. At the Explorer Camp, walking safaris (Bush Walk) are even offered, which I find pretty cool.

Here, you can see the Big Five and (with a bit of luck) other rare species like aardvarks and caracals. Sanbona features a highlight: the rare white lions, which I have never seen in the wild. River rabbits, which live in the central Karoo, can also be seen with a lot of luck.

And there is not only flora and fauna: The San and Khoi-Khoi rock art found here is over 3,500 years old.

A safari near Cape Town can vary greatly in price depending on the chosen reserve, type of safari, and accommodation. While some reserves are known for their affordable offers and day trips, others offer more luxurious and thus more expensive but high-quality experiences.

Mont Eco Private Game Reserve

This reserve is about two hours from Cape Town and offers luxurious Big Five safari experiences. The prices for overnight stays start at R8,640 per person per night. Mont Eco places great value on exclusivity and personal service, leading to a higher quality experience.

Botlierskop Private Game Reserve

Located in Mossel Bay at the start of the picturesque Garden Route, Botlierskop offers luxurious safari experiences in a malaria-free area. The reserve is home to a variety of wildlife, including lions, elephants, buffalo, and rhinos. Prices start at R3,560 per person per night. Botlierskop is known for its excellent service and quality of safari experiences. Day visitors are welcome, and Isa used this service. Ideal also for families with babies.

Gondwana Private Game Reserve

Also located along the Garden Route, Gondwana offers luxurious accommodations and top-notch safari experiences. Prices start at R7,140 per person per night. Gondwana is known for its exclusive atmosphere and the opportunity to see the Big Five in a picturesque setting.

When choosing a safari experience near Cape Town, it's important to consider the price-to-quality ratio as well as the desired level of exclusivity and service. While cheaper options like Aquila and Inverdoorn are more accessible, more luxurious reserves like Mont Eco, Botlierskop, and Gondwana offer a more intense and personalized safari experience.

Aquila Game Reserve

Discount prices make Aquila Game Reserve appealing with rates starting at just R1,090 (60 euros) per adult. Anyone who thinks this is a great value for money for safari travelers from Cape Town is mistaken. There is only one thing to say here: mass tourism at its worst, and a true zoo experience. The peak is the new cooperation with Uber, where you can book a special safari day trip under "UBER Safari". This was only meant to be temporary, but I had it still available after the promotion on UBER. Really terrible. If you visit this reserve and are disappointed afterward, don't say I didn't warn you.

Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve

Located almost three hours from Cape Town, this reserve makes great efforts in cheetah conservation, which is a great thing in itself. Besides cheetahs, you can also observe giraffes, zebras, and elephants here. A day safari starts at 130 euros, which is also too cheap and thus attracts the masses. I cannot recommend this either.

I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful in answering your questions. If you have more ideas or questions, we look forward to your comment here on the travel blog. I will try to visit another game reserve on the next trip and provide information on which game reserve is worth visiting between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

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