Can you see the Big Five near Cape Town?

Are there Big Five reserves near Cape Town?

Yes: Aquila, near Touws River, and Inverdoorn, in the Tankwa Karoo, both say they have the Big Five, and both are malaria-free.

Aquila is just under two hours from the city and Inverdoorn a little under two and a half, by their own figures. Aquila is the one most day tours visit. See Aquila vs Inverdoorn for how they differ.

Will you see all five in one day?

Probably not: four is the usual score, because the leopards are wild and rarely seen.

Guest reviews tell the same story again and again: four of the Big Five, with the leopard missing. One guest wrote that she saw everything except a leopard, "which isn't a part of the adventure". Treat a leopard as a bonus, not a promise.

Are the lions free to roam?

Reviewers say no: at Aquila the lions are kept in their own fenced section, so sightings are reliable but less wild.

Several reviewers mention it: lions "kept in a separate area", lounging "next to a security fence". By day they are usually asleep. If seeing lions hunt matters to you, this is not that safari.

How close do you get to the animals?

Often very close: the rangers know where the elephants, rhinos and hippos tend to be, and the open vehicles stop for photos.

Many guests say elephants were their highlight, and that they could hardly believe how close they got. Rhinos are frequent sightings too. Bring a zoom lens anyway for birds and distant herds.

Want a longer drive? This tour includes a three-hour game drive in an open 4x4.

★ 4.4 181 reviews · 8 hours · from $305

Explore the all-inclusive Aquila safari →

Is it a real safari or a zoo?

Somewhere in between: a large fenced reserve with managed animals, which some reviewers love and a few call zoo-like.

The guests who enjoy it most go in expecting an introduction to African wildlife in a beautiful Karoo setting. The guests who are disappointed expected Kruger-style wilderness. If you are going to Kruger or another big park later, you can skip this; if not, it is the easiest way to see these animals from Cape Town.

What other animals will you see?

Giraffe, hippo, zebra, springbok and other antelope, ostrich and baboons are common, plus plenty of birds.

Aquila lists over 170 bird species, including the black eagle the reserve is named after. Do not count on cheetahs at Aquila; if cheetahs matter, look at Inverdoorn, which runs a cheetah conservation project.

When are animals most active?

Early morning and late afternoon, when it is cooler; in the midday heat many animals rest.

Aquila runs early morning, afternoon and sunset day safaris as well as full days. An overnight stay gives you both dusk and dawn drives, which is the best way to raise your odds.

What if you want wild, unfenced animals?

Go to sea: the Marine Big 5 trip from Gansbaai looks for whales, sharks, seals, dolphins and penguins in the open ocean.

It is a similar length of day, rated 4.4 from 199 reviews, and nothing about it is fenced. Southern right whales are the stars in the cooler months.

Prefer wild animals? The Marine Big 5 trip goes looking for whales, sharks and penguins off Gansbaai.

★ 4.4 199 reviews · 10 hours · from $215

Explore the Marine Big 5 trip →

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