Hello there! Are you planning a trip to Cape Town and/or South Africa in general and are wondering how to integrate a safari experience into your trip? Then you have come to the right place! Planning a safari in or around Cape Town can be a little bit tricky. That’s because there is a little discrepancy there. Cape Town and the surrounding areas are densely populated, which is the actual opposite of what you need for a safari to actually feel like a safari.
My two weeks in South Africa were the first time of me setting foot on African soil, and going on a safari has been a lifelong dream of mine. However, very quickly into my researched that planning a safari in South Africa can be a little bit tricky if you have as many restrictions as we had. But let me elaborate further!
Problem 1 – getting out of Cape Town is a must
It is quite clear that for that authentic safari feeling of being close to nature and animals, you will need to drive out of Cape Town. Any parks located too close to the city have a reputation of feeling more like a zoo than an actual safari. Because when you want to really go on an actual safari, you want it to feel like one too. You will want to spend your time actually looking for the animals
Problem 2 – How to squeeze Cape Town, the Garden Route and Kruger National Park into two weeks?
Of course, the first place you think of when planning a safari in South Africa would be Kruger National Park. However, when you want to see Cape Town, drive the Garden Route AND have to fly to Kruger National Park, that does add a lot to your itinerary.
The Solution: Combining a Road Trip down the Garden Route with a Private Game Reserve
The compromise when you don’t want to fly to Kruger or drive too far through the country is to combine your time in Cape Town with a road trip down the iconic Garden Route and planning a stop at one of the Safari Lodges along the way. Of course, the Garden Route itself is worth a very long road trip. The scenic route is among the road trips that you „have to do once in your lifetime“. But along the garden route you can also find private game reserves, where you can stay for either a day safari or overnight and enjoy as many game drives as you can squeeze in.
And while people might debate, that a safari in a private game reserve cannot compare to going on Safari in an „acutal“ national park, I have to strongly disagree. As far as my own personal experience goes, both parks that I have visited are heavily invested in reclaiming and recultivating former farmland, so that native plants might return. The animals that are on display can roam freely and engage in natural behaviours (such as hunting for the carnivores among them).
My favourite Private Game Reserves in South Africa
If you want to go on Safari in Cape Town & South Africa (again, the term „safari in Cape Town“ is used quite loosely here.) I can recommend two places that I have visited personally and would go back to any day. Both places are located quite close to one another and also share a common owner. Both places are roughly a 4,5 – 5 hours drive away from Cape Town. As recommended in my Two-Weeks South Africa Itinerary, make sure to have a stop in Hermanus on the way, for a night in a lovely coastal town and many whale sightings (depending on the season, of course). As we couldn’t get enough
Botlierskop
The first Game Reserve that I want to tell you about is Botlierskop. With more than 6.000 hectares, you are sure to see almost all the animals here that you want to see. With Elephants, Girrafes, Rhinos, Lions, buffalo, and many more species, you are sure to have a plentiful safari with many sightings. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about all the animals and so much fun to be around!
You can visit Botlierskop either for a day or plan a longer stay in their accommodation. We stayed in their adults-only Tented Lodge for two nights and honestly? I can’t imagine a more stylish way to go on Safari. The food we had was incredibly delicious, and every single facility from the Spa to the pool was planned and crafted to perfection. The whole experience was just as I wanted my first safari to be, and that’s why I can’t recommend it enough!
The only downside that I would like to mention: When I was there, Botlierskop is smaller in comparison with Gondwana. So although it spans quite an area, the animals sometimes can feel crowded. You will see a lot of game in a short amount of time, which is not the average safari experience. However, when I was there (October 2024), our guide mentioned plans for Botlierskop and Gondwana to combine their lands, so that might well has already changed a lot!
Gondwana
The second Game Reserve that I can’t recommend enough is Gondwana. Located quite close to Botlierskop, Gondwana is just as magnificent but also larger in size. Meaning that right here, you will see the animals more spaced out throughout the area, creating a more „safari-like“ experience. You will have to actually go off-road and look for the lions and cheetahs, instead of them being out in the open. Without a bit of luck and spotting, you are going to miss out on them, which is exactly what a safari must be like.
During our two nights in Gondwana, we stayed in one of their Kwena Villas, which is ideal for groups of 4 – 6 people. Although it is a bit outside the main lodge, we found the villa to be exceptionally wonderful for the added privacy. The Kwena Lodge is the main place, where you will also find the pool and the enclosed restaurant where you have your meals. Just as it was in Botlierskop, there is not a single thing amiss in Gondwana and every detail, from the interior design of the rooms to the menu and the hand soap, is finely tuned to match the safari theme of your stay.
Conclusion: How to go on Safari in Cape Town and South Africa – escape down the Garden Route!
So, to sum this up here, let me give you my final conclusion for planning your perfect time in South Africa. In my opinion, going on a safari is one of the most incredible and breathtaking experiences. It does come with a hefty price tag, but I believe that if you are going to spend a lot of money on it, then you should also opt for the best option possible, even when it means, digging even deeper into your pockets. That’s why I believe a stay at either Botlierskop or Gondwana will be well worth your money.
