Can I Go on Safari Near Cape Town?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions we receive from clients planning a Cape Town or Garden Route itinerary. While Cape Town itself is not a traditional safari destination, there are a few nearby game reserves that offer a quick glimpse of African wildlife. However, it's important to know what to expect — and what your best options really are.

Within a two- to three-hour drive of Cape Town, you'll find several private game reserves such as Aquila and Inverdoorn. These reserves offer guided game drives and claim Big Five sightings, but the experience is limited. In most cases, animals are kept in smaller, fenced-off areas. Lions, for example, are often confined to separate enclosures for safety and management purposes. While convenient, these experiences feel more like wildlife parks than true safaris.

The Garden Route is celebrated for its scenery and coastline, not its wildlife. That said, there are a few safari-style options along the way — such as Gondwana, Botlierskop, Garden Route Game Lodge, and Buffelsdrift. Some do offer Big Five game drives, but animals are not always free-roaming, and the overall scale is modest. These can be fun for a family outing or as a first introduction to African animals, but they shouldn't be mistaken for a proper safari.

If you're short on time but still want a more authentic safari experience, we recommend heading to the Eastern Cape. A short 1-hour 20-minute flight from Cape Town to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) gets you within easy reach of malaria-free Big Five reserves like Amakhala, Shamwari, Kariega, Pumba, Lalibela and Kwandwe. These private reserves range from 6,000 to over 20,000 hectares and offer much better game-viewing experiences in natural, unfenced environments.

While the Eastern Cape is a solid safari option for those combining Cape Town or the Garden Route, the Kruger region remains our top recommendation. A direct flight from Cape Town to Skukuza Airport in Greater Kruger takes only around 2 hours and 25 minutes — not much longer than flying to Gqeberha. The difference in experience is significant: the Greater Kruger offers large, unfenced wilderness areas, a much higher concentration of wildlife, and the chance to enjoy a truly immersive safari.

While Cape Town and the Garden Route are not true safari destinations, it's easy to include a more rewarding wildlife experience in your trip.

For a decent, malaria-free safari experience, we recommend flying to the Eastern Cape, where private game reserves in Greater Addo offer Big Five game viewing and pair well with a Garden Route itinerary.

For an authentic, world-class safari, nothing compares to Greater Kruger. A direct flight from Cape Town to Skukuza puts you in the heart of Big Five territory, with unmatched biodiversity, expert guiding, and vast, unfenced wilderness.

Let us know your travel wishlist, and we'll help you choose the right destination for your ideal safari experience.

We'd be happy to help you plan the safari that fits your schedule and expectations. Contact us to chat through your wishlist — whether it's a quick wildlife stop in Addo Elephant National Park, or a full safari adventure in Kruger.