Big Five Safari and Breede River Valley Guided Day Trip
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Cape Town, South Africa
- 10 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
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Overview
Spotting the Big Five—lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo—is a priority for many visitors to South Africa and this tour is ideal for those with limited time. Travel from Cape Town by upmarket air-conditioned vehicle, enjoying views of the Breede River, Hex River Wine Valley, and Table Mountain along the way, then join a group safari drive at a private game reserve and enjoy some incredible wildlife-watching opportunities.
- Express tour from Cape Town: ideal for those short on time
- Guided game drive: maximize your chances of spotting the Big Five
- Delicious buffet lunch including a glass of champagne
- Round-trip transport from Cape Town by upmarket air-conditioned vehicle
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Transport in an upmarket vehicle
- Game park charge (R2365pp low /R2555 mid /R2785pp peak season - includes lunch & game drive)ZAR2,365.00 per person
- Gratuities
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Pick up and drop off from any hotel, guesthouse, vacation rental or private residence within 10km of Cape Town central. Additional charge for pickups outside of this area.
Operating hours.8:30 am
Itinerary
1
Cape Town Central
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Du Toitskloof
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Breede River (Pass By)
3
Du Toitskloof Wines
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Aquila Safari Reserve Directions
4 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Du Kloof Lodge
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Cape Town Central
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Wheelchair accessible
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
- Infant seats are available on request if advised at time of booking (cost excluded)
- Stroller accessible
- Infant meals not included
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Jo_E
This was a very nice experience! Our tour guide Chesney was wonderful - very nice, with lots of interesting information, and always looking out for us. The first stop on our way to the safari, a wine tasting spot, was delightful. Lunch at the safari was good, and the actual safari, with tour guide Trevor, was so much fun! We saw lots of animals and Trevor had a lot of great information abou the animals. We are very happy that we took the tour. We can certainly recommend this for safari beginners.
Reviews
4.8
based on 605 reviews
Hemraz_H, Mar 2026
Awesome, we enjoy the private tour, the guide was nice, the experience was there we seen the big four close enough
Georgina_B, Mar 2026
Super amazing day! We saw 4 of the big 5 as well as other animas like giraffe and zebra. Out guid mike was brilliant would highly recommend this experience
Emily_C, Mar 2026
Great day with excellent timing at every stop. Chesney was a great guide and made sure we didnt miss a thing.
Lydia_B, Mar 2026
It was a great way to see these big 5 without spending a ton of money on a larger safari. It was just right for us or families with children.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Lydia
Thank you so much for taking the time to review your experience with us. Your 5 stars are much appreciated!!
Ian_M, Mar 2026
Unbelievable host so knowledgeable great day answered alll our questions just a nice man use this firm
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Ian,
Thank you so much, we are so happy to hear that you had a good day with Werner!
Jack_M, Mar 2026
Can’t recommend this activity enough. We were picked up by our guide Mike first thing in the morning and he couldn’t have been more helpful.
We really felt the VIP treatment! We saw 4 out of the big five and we were driven home by ole tired but with memories for a lifetime.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Jack,
Thank you so much! Mike is such a talented guide and we are so happy to hear you enjoyed his VIP service!
Lara_C, Feb 2026
A wonderful experience from start to finish. Our guide Chesney was engaging, knowledgeable, and incredibly attentive, making the day both enjoyable and insightful. Even though it rained and made parts of the safari challenging, it was still a fantastic experience. Highly recommended!
Jo_E, Feb 2026
This was a very nice experience! Our tour guide Chesney was wonderful - very nice, with lots of interesting information, and always looking out for us. The first stop on our way to the safari, a wine tasting spot, was delightful. Lunch at the safari was good, and the actual safari, with tour guide Trevor, was so much fun! We saw lots of animals and Trevor had a lot of great information abou the animals. We are very happy that we took the tour. We can certainly recommend this for safari beginners.
Tsambika_J, Feb 2026
Would definitely recommend this trip, we had a great time and saw 4 of the big 5! Mike, our guide was very knowledgeable and made the journeys really interesting.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Tsambika
Thank you so much for your 5 star review we are so happy to hear you had a good time with Mike
Carrie_F, Feb 2026
Really fun experience with Werner and Sungani. We unexpectedly had a fun stop at a fabulous winery, and then spent a few hours at Aquila nature reserve. We saw lions, hippos, rhinos, baboons, zebra, elephants, and more! We had a private vehicle which was great. It does get expensive - there is this tour, but then entrance fees on top of that and a private vehicle (which probably wasn't necessary in the end). If you can't make it to a full safari (multi day) this is a great introduction, and our guide at Aquila, Abriel, was a real expert.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Carrie
Thank you so much for your detailed review we appreciate the feedback and the 5 stars. Werner and Sungani will be happy to hear you had such a good time with them
Patricia_R, Feb 2026
It was really nice , I was lucky enough to see all 5 😊 and the guide was fantastic.
The safari and wine tasting part of the day was wonderful however my driver to and from the location put a bit of a damper on the day. Melodie was an agressive driver with road rage. She also was not mindful of sharing her opinions about topics that may be offensive to others.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for taking the time to review your day with us. We were naturally concerned about your feedback, especially since Melodie always receives such high praise from guests. So we reached out to the other guests that were in the vehicle with you on the trip. They gave Melodie a glowing review and a five star rating. We are a bit confused but do apologize if you felt differently and are glad that the rest of your day was enjoyable.
Janaya_B, Feb 2026
We had a wonderful time with Werner on our tour! He was very knowledgeable, fun and entertaining. Would definitely recommend!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Janaya
Thank you so much for the 5 star review and the recommendation, Werner will be delighted to hear you had a fun and entertaining day with him
Christopher_H, Feb 2026
It's a bumpy ride and well worth it to see the rescued animals in a wide open space. Our guide Trevor did an excellent job explaining about the animals and getting us into position so we could capture great pictures and videos. It seemed very humane we had a great time!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Christo
Thank you for taking the time to review your experience with us, your 5 stars are truly appreciated
Robert_W, Feb 2026
If you have already been on a safari this is not necessarily for you as although Aquila offer a 2 hour drive the trails are very rocky and a little uncomfortable
Our guide Werner was excellent and very informative on the drive to Aquila with a really enjoyable wine tasting and some magnificent views
We managed to see all the big 5 except lions but Werner rectified this by arranging for us to view to lions held in a separate enclosure
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Robert
Thank you so much for taking the time to review your experience with us we are glad to hear that you enjoyed the journey and that Werner managed to arrange for you to see the lions
MichaelLeonard_S, Feb 2026
Wonderful drive with lots of knowledge about the area, history, agriculture and geography. Winery we stopped at was great. The game reserve was enjoyable and informative.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Michael
Thank you for your review we are delighted to hear you had a great experience!
Pascale_V, Feb 2026
Werner (tour guide) & Sirgany (driver) made it an awesome experience. The wine experience and the safari trip was worth the money!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Pascale,
Werner and Sungani are the dream team! We are so happy to hear you had a good time with them. Thank you for your review
Tracey_B, Jan 2026
Our guide, Melodie, was excellent!! Amazing knowledge, great humour and easy to talk to and ask questions with honest local answers. We chose a private safari. Our guide again was very knowledgeable and talked us through in depth their conservation aspirations. A truly lovely man! The lunch on arrival was varied and tasty along with the entertainment. Overall an excellent trip and great value for money!
Phillip_W, Jan 2026
Unless this is your only or one of only a few Safari Options on your travel, skip it. Having completed nearly two dozen Safari Game Drives, this game drive ranks at the bottom and is what I would term a tourist trap. Our driver took the game reserve was excellent and the stop at the winery on the way was really nice. The lunch at the Aquila Private Game Reserve was very nice. But the game drive itself is more akin to a very large zoo you drive through. They feed the animals and have names for most of them. The Rhino had its horns partially removed. Also know that while you are on the “Safari” there will also be tourists on horseback “safaris” as well as tourists on ATV “safaris”.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
This small private game reserve (10,000 hectares) will admittedly never be able to compete with its bigger brothers (e.g the Kruger National Park @ 2 million hectares), but it does offer the unique possibility of seeing the Big 5 in their natural habitat in one afternoon within driving distance of Cape Town. The reserve has won many international awards for conservation and are world renown for the re-introduction & re-habilitation of game in the Karoo area. Most of the animals were rescued from captivity and did not learn to hunt, so they are fed. It is also standard practice to remove rhino horns to prevent poaching.
We are pleased, however, that you enjoyed everything else about your day except for the safari itself and that you will re-consider the "tourist trap" description.
Luca_A, Jan 2026
My mom had an excellent experience!! Mike Klerck was super knowledgable, attentive, assertive and kind. The whole experience was absolutely amazing and could have not been better. The Reserve was beautiful and she could see all Big 5. The location itself is beautiful with a nice lunch buffet as well.
Thank you, Mike, for this amazing experience!!!
Sarah_B, Jan 2026
Mike was a terrific tour guide - gave us options for scenic vs. faster driving route to/from Aquila and shared lots of info about the area, Aquila, and South African / Cape Town culture/history. He was great about keeping track of time without making us feel rushed. He also knew all of the game drive guides and was able to track down an especially good one for us! None of us had done a "real safari," and with only 3 days in Cape Town, this was a great way to get a taste for it. Highly recommend splurging on the private vehicle if you can - it's smaller, you can go more at your own pace, and best of all we could go into areas that the larger vehicles couldn't, which got us super close to the elephants at one point of the game drive!
Yasmina_S, Jan 2026
It was a wonderful a wonderful experience starting off with our guide Chesney. He gave us a history lesson and his storytelling was great. Kept us entertained and took really good care of us. Helped us with all of our transitions. I was glad we didn’t have a big group-a group of 4. I would definitely recommend him.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Yasmin
Thank you for you review and the 5 stars! We appreciate your feedback and are so happy to hear that you had a wonderful day with Chesney
Laura_W, Jan 2026
An amazing experience we had today. It started when we were collect at our hotel by Chesney, who was an exceptional time keeper, he arrived exactly when he said in a text that I receive the evening before. Along the way he explained the landscape, how to keep safe and we had good fun along the way aswell.
The park it's self was incredible, the food was delicious. Our driver explained in great detail the wildlife and preservation.
The animals did not fail to impress. There for all to see.
I would highly recommend Viator as a company. Michelle was available to answer all our questions in impressive quick response. The whole experience was very professional and exceeded my expectations.
Laura
Ireland
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Laura,
Thank you so much for your detailed review. Chesney and I greatly appreciate your kind feedback.
Best regards Michelle
Fadi_A, Jan 2026
It was a lot of fun although there wasn’t many lions or elephants. But all in all it is quiet a nice tour to do.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Fadi
Thank you so much for the review, we are happy to hear you had a fun day with Werner!
Nicholas_B, Jan 2026
A great day out - the guide Verner was excellent in his knowledge and driving us there and back.
The Safari was mind blowing - I loved every minute of it. As a solo traveler trips can sometimes be quite daunting but Verner & the other guests made it a great day.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Nicholas
Thank you so much for your 10/10 rating! we rare so happy to hear that you were comfortable and enjoyed your day with Werner!
Cynthia_G, Dec 2025
Chesney was our driver and he was fantastic!! He was prompt for arrival in. Cape Town and entertained us with knowledge and stories during our three hour ride to the reserve. Stopping off to the vineyard for a tasting and break midway there was a welcome addition, as were the buffet luncheon and Zulu drummers during the lunch hour. I’m so glad we didn’t forego this one. It’s the perfect way to build in a pleasant safari while in Cape Town should you have a day. The reserve offers private vehicle drives for an extra fee. I highly recommend it. Ade, our private guide, was excellent!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Cynthia
Thank you for your review we are so happy to hear that you have an enjoyable day with Chesney!
Steven_L, Dec 2025
This was a fantastic experience! I, normally, like indoor and high class experiences due to being in my 60s, so I was pleasantly surprised with this one! Mike picked us up in a Mercedes car and drove us through the mountains and countryside which provided very scenic views on our way to Aquila. He was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He guided us through the check in process at the safari location and stayed with us until we departed on the safari. Our guide, Josiah, was extremely knowledgeable about all of the animals. We saw four of the big five in one day! The leopard was probably sleeping since we were there during the day. We got close to the lions. We even saw baby zebras and a baby giraffe. The safari truck was covered, so I didn’t need a hat. Josiah made sure that we stopped so that we could take high quality photos and videos. This was a fantastic day that was well worth the time and money.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Steven
We are so happy to hear you had a wonderful day with Mike
Thank you fort he 5 stars
Jeff_E, Dec 2025
Melody was a wonderfully skilled guide. She taught us so much about this beautiful country. She felt like family by the time we were done.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Melodie, the tour de force, deserves all the accolades - thank you !
Dennis_L, Dec 2025
Beautiful drive to the game reserve and our driver Melodie was very knowledgeable and entertaining. If I had to do it again I would stay overnight at the game reserve as the animals were very docile in the afternoon.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for the five star review and good to hear that you had a great time.
Isabel_S, Dec 2025
Absolutely incredible. Mike was so friendly and went above and beyond to make every detail perfect. Aquila park itself was beautiful and again the staff were incredible. Absolutely recommend
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Wow! Thank you! We will let Mike know that he has received high praise again.
ROBERT_D, Dec 2025
The guide was excellent and very attentive, anticipating all of our needs. We also did wine tasting which was excellent.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for the five stars - much appreciated !
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