Looking for the best Safari South Africa Cape Town has to offer, but short on time and/or budget?
These are the best short and affordable Cape Town safari tours we know of, and as locals with a passion for safaris, we know our stuff.
All of the Cape Town safari options in this post take you on safari near Cape Town rather than in Cape Town, because there are no sizeable or Big 5 game reserves in the city.
The only one-day safari near Cape Town we list on African Budget Safaris is the 1-Day Cape Town Safari to Aquila Game Reserve. This one-day Aquila Safari starts and ends in Cape Town and costs about $192 per person sharing.
Why is this the only day safari we list?
The private Aquila Game Reserve is the closest Big 5 safari destination to Cape Town at 177 km (110 miles), just over 2 hours away. Drive any further and the travel time makes for a rushed and underwhelming Cape Town safari experience. It is also the most budget-friendly option.
TOP SAFARI TIP: Book in advance. Aquila safaris are hugely popular so you need to book well ahead.
Below are our top two 2-day Cape Town safari tours, based on time and budget.
AQUILA: The most affordable overnight safari near Cape Town, the 2-Day Big 5 Cape Town Safari to Aquila Game Reserve. Our overnight Aquila Safari from Cape Town costs about $256 per person sharing a room. The safari package includes transport from your accommodation in Cape Town to Aquila Private Game Reserve (return), meals, one night of accommodation at Aquila Safari Lodge and two 4x4 game drives with a professional guide.
One of the perks of this Aquila Safari option is you can do a horseback safari (at extra cost) instead of one of the 4x4 game drives. Aquila Game Reserve has a spa so you can squeeze in a massage or soak in the various pools and unwind in the sauna (at extra cost).
INVERDOORN: The second cheapest two-day Big 5 safari in South Africa Cape Town is our 2-Day Cape Town Safari to Inverdoorn Game Reserve. This overnight safari near Cape Town is a bit further from the city at 203 km (126 miles), under a 3-hour drive. The overnight Inverdoorn Safari costs about $302 per person sharing a charming Tankwa chalet.
The main advantage of choosing Inverdoorn over Aquila is the more exclusive Cape Town safari the former offers. Another major drawcard is the cheetah run experience (included for guests staying in the Ambassador suites or chalets).
FAMILY SAFARI NOTE: Aquila is ideal for a Cape Town safari with children. Inverdoorn only allows kids over the age of 4 on game drives while Aquila welcomes kids of all ages, offers child-minding services and has indoor and outdoor children's play areas.
SANBONA: Our top choice for a three-day safari from Cape Town is the 3-Day Cape Town Safari to Sanbona Wildlife Reserve. This two-night safari near Cape Town costs about $894 per person sharing. Sanbona Wildlife Reserve is about a 3-hour drive from Cape Town at around 232 km (144 miles) and is a much larger game reserve (than Aquila or Inverdoorn) covering about 58,000 hectares.
This is one of our more upmarket Cape Town safari tours ideal for couples (think honeymoon safari) and friends or families celebrating a special occasion and ready to splurge a little. Our 3-Day Sanbona Safari includes luxury lodge accommodation (choice of 3 lodges), guided 4x4 game drives and bush walks, all meals, a limited selection of house beers and wines, snacks and drinks on the game drives and more.
The main benefits of choosing Sanbona for your Cape Town safari are the added exclusivity and the larger size of the game reserve. Another major perk of Sanbona safaris is their dedication to wildlife conservation and environmental sustainability. The game rangers and staff are passionate about African wildlife and habitats. Yet another drawcard is the informative rock art walks and guided nature walks, stargazing, guided nature walks, boat safaris, luxurious spa facilities, and activities for children.
FAMILY SAFARI NOTE: Children under 12 are only allowed at the Gondwana Family Lodge where complimentary childminding services are available in the kids' play area during game drives and the daytime. Sanbona even has a special children's safari program, providing a safe and educational safari adventure. Families travelling with minors will save with the discounts Sanbona offers for kids, with children up to the age of four years staying for free.
The downside is the extra cost of visiting Sanbona for your Safari South Africa Cape Town. If you are on a tight budget, consider doing the shorter 2-Day Sanbona Safari Cape Town so you don't miss out on the authentic Sanbona safari experience.
WILDLIFE SAFARI NOTE: The Sanbona Safari near Cape Town is all about conservation and immersing yourself in the South African wilderness. If seeing the Big 5 animals (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo) and plenty of big mammals is super important to you, then Aquila (budget/families with kids) and Inverdoorn (mid-range/more exclusive) are better options for you.
SANBONA: Our best four-day Safari in South Africa Cape Town, is the 4-Day Cape Town Safari to Sanbona Wildlife Reserve. At about $1342 per person sharing this exclusive Cape Town safari provides excellent value for money. Of the Cape Town game reserves we recommend Sanbona is big enough to offer enough variety and depth for a rewarding three-night stay. The fact that the game rangers are experienced, highly qualified and passionate and the well-trained lodge staff provides friendly personalized service makes a longer stay At Sanbona all the more appealing.
If budget is a deal-breaker, the good news is if you're doing a Cape Town Safari in South Africa from the USA, Canada, the UK or other strong economies the exchange rate will be in your favour. You may be surprised at what you can afford and be able to enjoy a more luxurious safari at excellent prices.
MONT ECO: If you're feeling flush or celebrating a special occasion, you may even be able to stretch your budget to our 4-Day Cape Town Safari to Mont Eco Game Reserve (about $1430 per person sharing) or the 3-Day Mont Eco Safari (about $953 per person sharing) for a luxury eco-safari near Cape Town.
For an in-depth comparison of these Cape Town safari parks see The best Big 5 game reserves near Cape Town (on a budget)
This action-packed Cape Town Tour delivers an exciting mix of a wildlife safari, sightseeing, city life and picturesque wine lands to keep everyone entertained. It includes a one-day Cape Town Safari in Aquila Game Reserve and a full-day Cape Winelands and Cape Peninsula Tour (including Cape Point & wine tasting). This Cape Town Tour costs about $545 per person sharing and includes accommodation at the V&A Waterfront Signature Lux Hotel in Cape Town.
For those who are not massively into the bush and safaris (or going on safari for the first time), this 4-Day Cape Town Tour & Safari is a fantastic option because the Aquila Safari is just one element of the trip giving you a taste of the Africa safari experience.
When it comes to a Safari South Africa Cape Town offers endless options for all budgets and tastes. Our travel experts are experienced locals (living in Cape Town) so contact African Budget Safaris for advice and help planning your Cape Town safaris and tours.
Our team specializes in customizing African safaris and tours for clients to suit their specific needs (and budgets). This means you can add extra days to your Cape Town safari tours, bring other destinations into the mix or combine the game reserves mentioned above into a mixed safari itinerary visiting multiple parks. You can also combine your Cape Town safari with shark cage diving in Gansbaai, whale watching in Hermanus, exploring Cape Town city, visiting the Cape Winelands or venturing out on Garden Route trips.
If the smaller game reserves of the Western Cape don't appeal to you or seeing leopards is on your bucket list then a Kruger National Park Safari and Cape Town Tour is the way to go.
We've created a few affordable Big 5 Kruger and Cape Town Safari Tours that include airport transfers, meals, 3 nights at a V&A Waterfront hotel in Cape Town and 3 nights at safari lodges in the Kruger area. All three tours stay at the V&A Waterfront Signature Lux Hotel in Cape Town, in combination with one of three safari lodges in different parts of the Kruger safari region.
Each of these Cape Town and Kruger Safaris includes a half-day Cape Town City Tour, a full-day Cape Peninsula and Cape Winelands Tour and a full-day guided Kruger Nationa Park Safari.
7-Day Cape Town and Kruger Safari to Panzi Lodge - from $1206 per person sharing
Includes guided 4x4 game drives & bush walks in Greater Kruger Park (Manyeleti Game Reserve) and Blue Canyon Conservancy. Stays at Panzi Lodge in a private nature reserve bordering Greater Kruger National Park.
7-Day Cape Town and Kruger Safari to Rukiya Camp - from $1370 per person sharing
Includes guided 4x4 game drives & bush walks in Greater Kruger Park and a Blyde River boat cruise. Stays at Rukiya Camp along the Blyde River inside a private nature reserve in the Greater Kruger Area.
7-Day Cape Town, Kruger & Sabi Sands Safari to Umkumbe Bush Lodge - from $1648 per person sharing
Includes guided 4x4 game drives and bush walks in Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Stays at Umkumbe Bush Lodge, a private safari camp in southern Sabi Sands Game Reserve.
You get it now - there are A LOT of Cape Town safari options. Ready to jump in and plan your safari Cape Town trip? Check out our Cape Town Safari Tours for affordable options or talk to one of our local experts.
Explore these destinations mentioned in this post.
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