You will be collected from Cape Town around 9am, by an official Aquila Game Reserve vehicle and transported to the reserve. The journey time is approximately two and half hours from Cape Town.

Arrive at Aquila Game Reserve to be greeted with a warm welcome and refreshing drinks. A member of staff will outline your itinerary as you settle in and get to know your fellow guests over a delicious buffet lunch.

After lunch, you’ll be able to check-in to your chosen accommodation and have some leisure time in the early afternoon to explore the lodge facilities. Take a dip in the pool, relax on the sun deck with a drink from the bar, or simply soak up the stunning Karoo views before your first adventure begins.

Your afternoon game drive will depart around 16:30, taking you deep into the reserve for up to three hours of wildlife tracking. Your expert guides will do their best to give you incredible photographic opportunities and the chance to spot the African ‘Big 5’, lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard, along with giraffe, zebra and abundant birdlife.

Return to the lodge for a buffet dinner, then gather round the boma for an unforgettable evening of stargazing. An expert guide will introduce you to the highlights of the southern skies. The perfect end to your first day in the African bush.

Your chosen lodge or cottage, Aquila Game Reserve

Lunch & dinner

Rise early this morning for a second game drive, catching the animals at their most active as the sun climbs over the Karoo horizon. There’s something magical about the bush in the soft morning light, and your guides will be eager to show you what’s been happening whilst you slept. After your game drive they will return you to the lodge for a well-deserved buffet breakfast.

The remainder of your morning is at your leisure, so you can return to the swimming pool, relax in the sun, visit the lodge shop, or book a treatment at the spa (payable locally).

After a buffet lunch you can prepare for your afternoon activity. You may choose to join another game drive, with an opportunity to tick-off the ‘Big 5’, or you may prefer to try a horseback safari or quadbike riding. Neither activity requires previous experience, as your expert guides will give you tuition and accompany around the game reserve.

After this evening’s buffet dinner you may like to join other guests around the traditional Boma, where you can toast marshmallows and share stories.

Your chosen lodge or cottage, Aquila Game Reserve

Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Your final morning begins with one last game drive (or other activity). Your last chance to spot any of the ‘Big 5’ you might have missed, or to say farewell to this remarkable landscape. The early morning light offers some of the best photographic conditions, so have your camera ready.

Return to the lodge for buffet breakfast before checking out at of your room. There will still be time to enjoy the views across the game reserve, before your departure.

Your official Aquila Game Reserve transportation will collect you from the lodge around midday and return you back to Cape Town.

Your chosen lodge or cottage, Aquila Game Reserve

Breakfast

The standard rooms at Aquila Game Lodge, provide simple but comfortable facilities, with either twin or double beds and ensuite shower rooms.

Aquila’s Premier Lodge rooms offer a spacious bedroom with a private balcony or patio that overlooks the game reserve. Bathrooms are equipped with both a shower and a bathtub.

Aquila’s Deluxe Safari Cottages are located on one of the Karoo’s rocky outcrops offering panoramic views across Aquila Game Reserve.

The spacious and private cottages come with a double bed, ensuite bathroom with shower and bathtub. The private deck also has a hot-tub from which you can view the wildlife.