Big Five Day Safari from Cape Town

The drive from Cape Town to the reserve

The reserve lies about two hours north-east of Cape Town, and the road there is part of the experience. After collecting guests at the central hotels, our vehicle leaves the city on the N1, crosses the Cape Flats with Table Mountain shrinking behind you, and climbs into the Du Toitskloof mountains through the long Huguenot Tunnel. On the far side the landscape opens into broad valleys ringed by jagged peaks, and the vegetation gradually changes from green fynbos to the dry scrub of the Karoo edge.

The transfer takes roughly two and a half hours with a comfort stop on the way. On the default option the vehicle is shared with a small group; on the private options a vehicle and driver are reserved for your party only, so you can stop for photographs where you like. Either way, you arrive at the reserve gate around late morning for the afternoon safari programme.

A private Big Five reserve near Cape Town

The reserve covers a large tract of mountain and plain on the fringe of the Karoo, a semi-desert landscape of red earth, rocky koppies and dramatic skies. It was restocked with wildlife that once roamed the region, and today it protects all five of the animals that safari-goers most want to see: lion, elephant, rhino, Cape buffalo and leopard. Leopards are nocturnal and shy, so daytime sightings are rare; the other four are seen on most drives, though no sighting is ever guaranteed.

Is a Big Five safari from Cape Town worth it compared with Kruger? The reserve is smaller and the animals are managed, but for a traveller with one day to spare it offers a genuine open-vehicle game drive, knowledgeable rangers and scenery that few of the big northern parks can match. Conservation programmes on the reserve care for rescued animals, and the rangers explain this work during the drive.

Lunch on the terrace

On arrival you are welcomed at the main building, a thatched complex with a broad terrace, lawns and a pool looking out over the plain to the mountains. Lunch is a generous buffet of local dishes, salads and grills, with vegetarian choices; tell us about dietary needs when booking so the kitchen can prepare. Drinks other than those in the buffet are paid on the spot.

The hour or so at the terrace is also a chance to watch animals from a distance: giraffe, zebra and antelope often graze within sight of the building, and the waterhole below draws birds in the heat of the day. The full-day and early morning options add a buffet breakfast here as well, which is why many guests choose to spend longer at the reserve.

The open-vehicle game drive

The heart of the day is a two-hour game drive in an open-sided safari vehicle, with raised tiered seats so everyone has a clear view and a ranger at the wheel who reads the tracks and radios other vehicles for sightings. The route winds across the plains and along the base of the cliffs, stopping whenever something appears: a lion pride resting under a tree, elephants at the water, rhino grazing in the open, hippo in the dam.

Rangers describe the behaviour and ecology of each species and the fynbos and succulent plants around you; birders should look for black eagles on the cliff faces and ostriches striding across the flats. Bring a jacket even in summer, because the open vehicle is breezy, and a hat and sunscreen for the midday sun. Photographers get the warmest light on the afternoon and sunset drives.

Early morning, sunset and full-day options

Besides the default afternoon safari with lunch and shared transfers, this page lists several private-transfer options. The early morning safari leaves Cape Town before dawn with a pre-packed breakfast and reaches the reserve as the animals are most active. The sunset safari departs after midday, includes light snacks and ends with the game drive in golden light as the plains cool down. The full-day safari combines a buffet breakfast, the game drive and lunch, and the full-day combo adds a horseback or quad bike safari for a different angle on the reserve.

On every private option the return transfer is reserved for your party only; the game drive itself is shared with other reserve guests. Choose by the time you have and the light you want: early morning for activity and cool air, sunset for colour, full day for the most time with the animals. The booking panel on this page shows all options and their current prices.