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7 Fun Wildlife Safaris Cape Town: Your Best Options

Elephants crossing a river during a Cape Town wildlife safari boat tour.

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Cape Town, the lovely city at the tip of South Africa, is famous for its Table Mountain and beaches. But did you know it’s also a great place to start wildlife adventures? Wildlife safaris from Cape Town let you see some of Africa’s most incredible animals up close.

In 2024, there are more ways than ever to go on a safari near Cape Town. Regardless if you have just one day or a whole week, there’s a perfect wildlife trip waiting for you. Let’s look at seven safari options that will make your visit to Cape Town even more special.

1. Big Five Game Reserve Wildlife Safari from Cape Town

If you don’t have much time but want to see lots of animals, the Big Five Game Reserve Wildlife Safari from Cape Town is a great destination. This wildlife safari from Cape Town lets you see lots of animals in just one day.

Lions spotted during a Big Five safari at a game reserve near Cape Town.

What Happens on Your Safari Day Trip

Your day starts early. Someone will pick you up from your hotel in Cape Town’s city center. You get on a comfy bus with air conditioning and drive for about 2 hours to the Aquila Game Reserve. The Aquila Game Reserve is in a place called the southern Karoo, which is kind of like a desert.

When you get to the Aquila Game Reserve, you meet your guide and ranger. They help you get into an open-air safari vehicle. That’s when the fun really starts!

See the Big Five and Other Animals

As you drive around the Aquila Game Reserve, you look for the Big Five – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo.

Your ranger will tell you cool facts about these animals. Did you know elephants can drink up to 190 liters of water in a day? That’s like drinking 190 big bottles of soda!

But the Aquila Game Reserve isn’t just about the Big Five. You might see giraffes eating leaves from tall trees or hippos relaxing in water holes.

And don’t forget to look up – there are more than 170 different kinds of birds in the Aquila Game Reserve. One special bird is the ‘Aquila’ Black Eagle. The reserve is named after this bird.

What You Get on Your Cape Town Safari Tour

The Big Five wildlife safari Cape Town trip costs $168.41 per person. Here’s what you get:

What’s IncludedWhat’s Not Included
9-hour tourTips for the guides
Hotel pickup and drop-offExtra food and drinks
Game drive
Lunch
English-speaking guide
Big Five Wildlife Safari Cape Town: Tour Inclusions and Exclusions

After your exciting game drive, you will return to the main building for lunch. Then you’ll get back on the bus to Cape Town. You get back to the city in the late afternoon.

The Big Five Cape Town wildlife safari tour is great if you want to see the Big Five without spending too many days away from the city.

2. Two-Day Safari Experience from Cape Town

If one day isn’t enough (and let’s be honest, is it ever enough when it comes to seeing animals?), then you might like the two-day safari experience from Cape Town.

This Cape Town game reserve safari lets you see more of South Africa’s beautiful Garden Route and go on two game drives.

Explore the Garden Route on a two-day Cape Town safari.

Day One: From Cape Town to the Bush

Your trip starts early in the morning when someone picks you up from your Cape Town hotel. You drive along the pretty Garden Route and stop at Cape Agulhas.

Cape Agulhas is the most southern point in Africa. It’s where the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean meet. You can stand with one foot in each ocean!

After that, you go to the Garden Route Game Lodge. As the sun starts to go down, you go on your first game drive. Watching animals come out as it gets dark is really special.

Day Two: More Animals and the Trip Home

You wake up early for a morning game drive. Animals are often more active when it’s cool in the morning, so you might see things you didn’t see the day before.

After breakfast, you start going back to Cape Town. But the trip isn’t over yet! You stop in a town called Hermanus, which is famous for whale watching. You also visit a penguin colony in Betty’s Bay.

What You Get on This Two-Day Safari

This trip costs $452.59. Here’s what you get:

What’s IncludedWhat’s Not Included
2 full days of adventureLunch on both days
A place to sleep for one nightDrinks with alcohol
Dinner and breakfastTips for the guides
2 game drives
Ride in an air-conditioned minivan
English-speaking guide
Two-Day Safari Experience from Cape Town: Package Details

3. Marine Big 5 Safari from Cape Town

Who says Cape Town safaris are just about land animals? The Marine Big 5 Safari lets you see some amazing sea creatures on this Cape Town wildlife safari tour.

Tourist watching a whale during a Marine Big 5 safari from Cape Town.

Going to Dyer Island

Your day starts when someone picks you up from your Cape Town hotel. You drive to a town called Gansbaai, where you get on a boat to Dyer Island. Dyer Island is famous for its sea animals, and you might see the Marine Big 5 – whales, sharks, dolphins, seals, and penguins.

What You Might See

Depending on the time of year, you can see different kinds of whales. From June to December, you might see Southern Right Whales. Other times, you might see Humpback Whales or Bryde’s Whales.

There’s a place called Shark Alley where you often see Great White Sharks. You’ll almost definitely see Cape Fur Seals, and you might see dolphins playing in the waves. The endangered African Penguin lives here too.

What’s Included in Your Marine Safari

The Marine Big 5 Safari trip costs $171.61. Here’s what you get:

What’s IncludedWhat’s Not Included
10-hour tourExtra food
Boat tripTips for the guides
Water to drink
Tea and coffee
Someone to explain things
Visit to a place that helps penguins
Marine Big 5 Safari from Cape Town: Tour Inclusions

4. Two-Day South African Wildlife Tour with 4×4 Safari

This tour lets you see two different areas – the Garden Route near the coast and the Klein Karoo, which is drier. It’s a great way to see different South African landscapes and animals.

Sighting elephants and leopards on a two-day wildlife safari near Cape Town.

Day One: Botlierskop and Oudtshoorn

You leave Cape Town early and go to Botlierskop Private Game Reserve. Here, you go on a 4×4 safari drive to see some of Africa’s Big 5.

After that, you drive to Oudtshoorn, which is known as the ostrich capital of the world. I once tried ostrich meat here – it tastes pretty good and isn’t fatty!

Day Two: Buffelsdrift and Route 62

You start your day with another 4×4 drive, this time at Buffelsdrift Private Game Reserve. You might see Cape buffaloes and African elephants here.

On the way back to Cape Town, you drive along Route 62, which is the longest wine route in the world. If you like wine, you’ll love this part!

What You Get on This Two-Day Wildlife Tour

This trip costs $287.96. Here’s what you get:

What’s IncludedWhat’s Not Included
2 days of adventureSome meals and drinks
A place to sleep for one nightExtra activities you can choose to do
Breakfast
2 x 4×4 game drives
Someone to explain things in English
Pickup and drop-off in Cape Town
Two-Day South African Wildlife Tour: What’s Included

This two-day Wildlife safari near Cape Town is great if you want to see different kinds of South African landscapes and animals. You get to go on exciting 4×4 drives and see lots of wildlife. Plus, you get to drive along the famous Route 62 and maybe try some South African wine.

5. Five-Day Garden Route and Addo Safari

This is the biggest South African wildlife safari from Cape Town. Over five days, you will see the best of the Garden Route and visit Addo Elephant National Park. It’s a long trip that takes you through some of South Africa’s prettiest places and lets you see lots of different animals.

Elephants near safari vehicles during a five-day Cape Town safari at Addo Elephant Park.

Day-by-Day Breakdown

  1. Cape Town to Oudtshoorn: You drive along Route 62, visit a place that makes wine, and see some rescued elephants.
  2. Oudtshoorn to Addo: You visit an ostrich farm and the Cango Caves before going to Addo.
  3. Addo Elephant National Park: You spend the whole day on a game drive, then go to Jeffreys Bay.
  4. Tsitsikamma and Knysna: You explore forests, walk on bridges over rivers, and visit Knysna Heads.
  5. Back to Cape Town: You can choose to visit Botlierskop Private Game Reserve for one more safari drive.

What You Get on This Five-Day Safari

This five-day Wildlife safari near Cape Town trip costs $601.83. Here’s what you get:

What’s IncludedWhat’s Not Included
5 days of adventureSome meals and drinks
4 nights in different places to sleepExtra activities you can choose to do
4 breakfasts
Game drive in Addo Elephant National Park
Someone to explain things in English
Lots of entrance fees and activities
Five-Day Garden Route and Addo Safari: Tour Package Details

This five-day Garden Route and Addo Safari lets you see the most animals and nature of all the trips we’ve talked about. It’s perfect if you want to really see a lot of South Africa’s different landscapes and animals, while also trying some of the country’s food and learning about its culture.

6. Big Five Safari and Breede River Valley Guided Day Trip

This Cape Town safari tour is great if you want to see animals and try some wine, all in one day. It’s perfect if you don’t have much time but want to see some of the best things the Western Cape has to offer.

Tourists enjoying wine tasting in Breede River Valley as part of a Cape Town safari trip.

Your Day of Animals and Wine

Your day starts early. Someone picks you up from your Cape Town hotel at 8:30 AM. You get in a nice, air-conditioned vehicle and drive along the N1 highway. You pass the Language Monument outside a town called Paarl.

You drive through a beautiful mountain pass called Du Toitskloof Pass. You stop at the top to look at the view. You can even see Table Mountain far away!

Then, you drive through the pretty Breede River Valley and Hex River Valley. These places are famous for making wine. You can see neat rows of grape vines with big mountains behind them.

Trying Wine at Du Toitskloof Wines

You stop at a place called Du Toitskloof Wines. Here, you can try some of the wines they make. Du Toitskloof has wines from six different farms in the Breede River Valley. They’re really famous for their Chenin Blanc wine, which has won awards.

It costs R50 per person to try the wines. Du Toitskloof Wines also does something called Fairtrade, which helps more than 3000 people every year.

If you don’t like wine, don’t worry! Next door, there’s a famous bakery called Ou Meul Bakery & Cafe. You can have a cup of coffee and eat a yummy homemade pastry. They also have a nice shop where you can buy gifts.

Big Five Game Drive

The most exciting part of your day is next. You go to a big private game farm that’s 10,000 hectares big. You go on a 2-3 hour game drive with someone who knows all about the animals. The vehicle usually has about 14 people in it.

On your game drive, you might see the Big Five – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. You’ll probably see lots of other animals too. The person driving your vehicle will tell you interesting facts about the animals and where they live.

What’s Included

This Big Five Safari and Breede River Valley tour costs $151.25. Here’s what you get:

What’s IncludedWhat’s Not Included
10-hour guided tourTips for the guides
Hotel pickup and drop-offDrinks with alcohol (except at wine tasting)
Ride in a nice vehicleGame park entrance fee*
Someone to explain things
Wine tasting
Big lunch with champagne
Big Five Safari and Breede River Valley Day Trip: Tour Inclusions

Note: You have to pay extra to get into the game park. The price changes depending on the time of year:

  • When it’s not busy: R1690 per person
  • When it’s a bit busier: R1890 per person
  • When it’s very busy: R2090 per person, kids pay half the price. This extra fee includes your big lunch, champagne, and the game drive.

This Big Five Safari and Breede River Valley Guided Day Trip lets you see animals, try wine, and see beautiful views all in one day. It’s great if you want to see the best things the Western Cape has to offer in just one day.

7. 4×4 Safari Cape Town: A Bumpy Adventure

If you want a more exciting way to see animals, a 4×4 safari Cape Town adventure might be just what you’re looking for. These tours let you go off-road and get closer to nature.

4x4 safari in Cape Town driving through the reserve to spot wildlife like giraffes.

Seeing Animals Off-Road

When you go on a 4×4 safari, you ride in a tough vehicle that can drive on rough roads. These vehicles can go to places that normal cars can’t reach. This means you might get closer to the animals and see more of them.

The first time I went on a 4×4 safari, we got so close to a group of elephants that I could hear their trunks swishing through the grass! It was really cool.

What Happens on Your 4×4 Safari

These trips usually last about 3-4 hours. You bounce along dirt roads, cross small streams, and drive up and down hills looking for animals. The person driving your vehicle knows a lot about driving off-road and finding animals.

You’ll probably look for the Big Five – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. But you’ll likely see lots of other animals too, like zebras, giraffes, different kinds of antelope, and many birds.

Many 4×4 safaris stop at a pretty spot in the reserve for a break. You can get out of the vehicle, stretch your legs, and enjoy the view. If your safari is in the late afternoon, you might even have a drink and snack while watching the sun go down.

Choosing Your 4×4 Safari

Several game reserves near Cape Town offer 4×4 safaris. Here are some popular ones:

  • Aquila Game Reserve: It’s about 2 hours from Cape Town. They do 2-hour 4×4 safaris with people who know a lot about the animals.
  • Inverdoorn Game Reserve: This one is about 2.5 hours from Cape Town. They do 3-hour 4×4 safaris and teach you about protecting animals.
  • Fairy Glen Private Game Reserve: It’s just over an hour from Cape Town. They do 2-3 hour 4×4 safaris in a pretty reserve with mountains around it.

4×4 safaris usually cost between $100-$150 per person. The price depends on which reserve you go to and how long the safari is. Many of these tours will pick you up from your hotel in Cape Town, which makes it easy.

What to Bring on Your 4×4 Safari

When you go on a 4×4 safari, it’s good to be prepared. Here are some things you should bring:

  • A camera that can zoom in
  • Binoculars
  • Sunscreen and a hat
  • Comfortable clothes in neutral colors
  • A light jacket or sweater (even in summer, mornings can be cool)
  • Shoes that cover your whole foot
  • A water bottle

Remember that a wildlife safari from Cape Town lets you see animals where they really live. The 4×4 vehicles can get close to the animals, but it’s important to respect the animals’ space and do what your guide tells you.

A 4×4 safari Cape Town adventure is great for people who like taking photos, people who love nature, or anyone who wants to do something different. If you choose a 4×4 safari, it might be the most exciting part of your trip to Cape Town!

When planning your Cape Town safari, don’t forget to explore the city too. There’s plenty to see and do, even on a budget. You can find 11 free things to do in Cape Town that will make your trip even more memorable without spending extra money.

How To Pick Your Perfect Wildlife Safari from Cape Town

Cape Town has so many different wildlife safari options. There’s something for everyone, whether you only have one day or you can stay for a week, whether you want to see animals on land or in the sea.

When you’re trying to decide which wildlife safari Cape Town trip is right for you, think about these things:

  • How much time do you have? If you don’t have much time, the Big Five Game Reserve Wildlife Safari or the Big Five Safari and Breede River Valley Guided Day Trip are good one-day options.
  • How much money do you want to spend? Prices range from $151.25 for a day trip to $601.83 for the five-day Garden Route and Addo Safari. Remember to think about extra costs like park fees and activities you might want to do.
  • What are you most interested in? If you love sea animals, don’t miss the Marine Big 5 Safari. If you like wine, the Breede River Valley tour lets you see animals and try wine. If you want excitement, you might like the 4×4 safari options.
  • How active do you want to be? Most safaris are okay for anyone, but some activities (like hiking or adventure sports on longer trips) might need you to be more fit.
  • What time of year is it? Some things, like whale watching, you can only do at certain times of the year. Check when the best time is to see what you’re interested in.

No matter which option you pick, a wildlife safari from Cape Town lets you see some of Africa’s most amazing animals in the places where they really live. I hope this helps you choose the perfect wildlife safari for your trip to Cape Town.

Which Is the Best Safari From Cape Town?

The best safari near Cape Town is Aquila Game Reserve, just 2 hours away. It offers a Big Five experience, including lions, elephants, and rhinos, with 4×4 drives and horseback safaris. It’s perfect for day trips, but you can also stay overnight

Are There Safaris Out of Cape Town?

Yes, several safaris are available near Cape Town. Aquila and Inverdoorn Game Reserves, just 2-3 hours away, offer Big Five experiences with day trips and overnight stays. Sanbona is a more luxurious option about 3 hours from the city.

Where Is the Most Luxurious Safari Near Cape Town?

The most luxurious safari near Cape Town is at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, 3.5 hours away. This 58,000-hectare reserve offers five-star lodges like Dwyka Tented Lodge, with stunning views and rare wildlife, including white lions.

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