How to use Uber Safari in South Africa: cost, tips, review

When I call an Uber, I’m usually on my way home after a night in impractical shoes or heading to the airport. Recently, I found a much cooler use for the app: going on safari.

Travelers can book a day trip from Cape Town, South Africa to Aquila Private Game Reserve, a two-hour north wildlife reserve that is home to the “Big Five” (lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards and rhinos). The house hosted stars such as Rihanna, Paris Hilton and Mariah Carey.

While a safari typically requires the budget of a pop star (you could easily spend $1,000 a day, if not more), Uber Safari costs a fraction of that amount. The $200 flat rate includes a three-hour game drive, lunch and round-trip transportation from Cape Town for up to four people (total, not each). The limited edition offer is valid on Fridays and Saturdays from October 4, 2024 to January 25, 2025. This feature will be launched on October 2.

This tour is the latest in the Go Anywhere series available on the people transportation app. Previous tours have included the delightfully named Uber Bubbles (a one-day wine tasting tour from Paris to Champagne, France), the Uber Balloon in Cappadocia, Turkey (a hot air balloon ride to 3,000 feet), and the Uber Boat in Mykonos, Greece (awesome).

The largest cat I regularly see is my own 20-pound pet, so when Uber invited me to see real big cats, I jumped at the chance.

How to call Safari with Uber

Each car can be scheduled in the app 24 hours to 90 days in advance. The trip can only be booked within South Africa, so if you’re coming from another country, you can book your vehicle upon arrival by tapping “Uber Safari” on the home screen.

You can also do this in advance by searching in South Africa for:

1. Open Uber and click “Go” with the white car icon.
2. Click “Where”, scroll all the way down and click “Search in another city”.
3. Type “Cape Town” where it says “Enter City”.
4. After entering your pickup and drop-off locations (i.e. hotel and Aquila), you will be able to select the Uber Safari option.

Access to the Game Reserve

I flew 13,000 miles from New York/Newark straight to Cape Town on United, the only airline offering this route. The 14-hour hike was long, but the immediate redness in my eyes meant I could sleep.

Two days later, a BMW X3 picked me up at my Mount Nelson hotel, a historic property dressed in pale pink. The car was easy to spot; “Uber Safari” is printed on the side.

As a test for journalists, I visited the nearby Inverdoorn Game Reserve. Instead, Uber Safari riders will visit its nearby sister location, Aquila, one of the country’s most popular animal-watching spots.

The scenic drive from Cape Town included a stretch between soaring mountains that reminded me of the Coachella Valley, so the sightseeing began before I even got out of the car.

What’s happening in Uber Safari

Upon arrival, I was greeted with a welcome toast and lunch, and then boarded the all-terrain vehicle. As my group’s driver drove away from the lodge, he armed us with safety tips (rule number one: don’t get out of the car) and jokingly encouraged us to enjoy the “natural massage” of the bumpy ride.

I expected the desert to be more muted, but in late September – during the South African spring – the area was lush, covered with greenery and flowering bushes. I snuggled under a comfy blanket (the temperature was in the low 50s) and kept an eye out for creatures as we drove around the rocky terrain.

What riches! We spotted a 5-foot long-lashed giraffe grazing on a bush and its spindly, 6-week-old baby. There were three elephants, including one gentle giant that gracefully strolled alongside our truck, trunk swinging. We stopped at a safe viewing area behind a fence to see two magnificent cheetahs racing after a stuffed animal on a bait. Their speed was impressive, and the keepers rewarded them with whole chickens.

We discovered a pair of male and female lions lounging in the tall grass. When she started hugging him, he stood up with an irritated look and plopped down alone a few feet away. Then three white rhinos chased away a fourth one in an instant Mean girls-Esque “you can’t sit with us.” One furtive rabbit slipped through the bushes.

There were herds of springboks (antelopes native to the region, from which several South African sports teams are named), dozens of pink flamingos standing on one leg in a pond, and a hippopotamus bathing at the other end. We saw a herd of zebras, a clash of rhinos, several buffaloes and a flamboyant ostrich lurching along the road. And the vast plains and sloping mountains were as majestic as the animals.

When we returned to the cottage, our Uber Safari sedan was parked outside the house and ready to take us back to Cape Town.

Without this service, my transportation options would be limited to renting a car to drive on the left side of the road, which I couldn’t do safely remotely, booking a shuttle or tour group, or arriving by helicopter. Each of them would have been a headache in its own right – not something I needed after spending the previous day vineyard hopping through Stellenbosch. (PS There is an Uber code available for discounted rides from Cape Town to the nearby Cape Winelands. CAPEWINE24 gives travelers 30% off up to ZAR 100.)

If you’re thinking about planning your own trip, reservations are now available. The coming months – American autumn and winter, South African spring and summer – are associated with hot weather, green landscapes and lots of young animals. Ready to go?