5 Big Five Game Drives in Garden Route to Build a Day Around

1.Botlierskop Guided Game Drive

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 589 reviews · from $40Our pick

Meet your English-speaking guide at Botlierskop Private Game Reserve for a three-hour open-vehicle drive through 4,200 hectares near Mossel Bay. Look for rhinos, lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, cheetahs, and more. Guides such as Chris, Neil, Rico, and Mandela are praised for sharp animal knowledge and good humor.

“Botlierskop is a wonderful, upmarket place for a game drive. Despite not seeing any lions (there had been lots the day before, we were told!), we had a great time and saw numerous other animals and birds, from giraffe to zebra to rhinos. We were confident that our driver/ranger wanted us to see as much as possible. And boy, did he work that bone-shaker four wheel drive to the max! Lunch was great too. Highly recommened and excellent value for three hours. Thank you.”

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2.Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve: 2-Hour Game Drive

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 267 reviews · 2 hours · from $55

Spend two hours in a 2,200-hectare reserve below the Tsitsikamma Mountains, riding with an English-speaking ranger in search of rhinos, leopards, giraffes, hippos, zebras, crocodiles, antelope, and birds. Bring a warm jacket and arrive 30 minutes early at the Safari Center.

“Excellent, saw lots of animals, elephants, giraffe, lion, buffalo, springbok, rhino & baby, crocs, tortoise, ostrich and more. Our guide was very good, very informative”

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3.Botlierskop Private Game Reserve: 3.5-Hour Sunset Game Drive

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 227 reviews · from $64Top rated

Spend 3.5 hours on a late-afternoon open-vehicle drive through Botlierskop Private Game Reserve near Mossel Bay. Your English-speaking guide looks for rhinos, lions, elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffalo, and birds, with a drinks and snacks stop included. Arrive early if you want lunch or time by the pool.

“Everything was great. Nice animals in almost their natural habitat, a knowledgeable and nice guide.”

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4.2-Hour Game Drive at the Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 58 reviews · from $57

Spend two hours in an open safari vehicle at Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve, watching elephants, rhinos, buffalo, giraffes, zebra, hippos, and crocodiles. A ranger such as Ted may explain the animals and their habits. Choose a morning or afternoon drive, and meet at Uplands Road in Wittedrift.

“The animals were of course amazing and the place was beautiful. Worthwhile doing to get up so close with the incredible elephants. However the guide was clearly bored, disinterested and just going through the motions. This was our third game drive on the garden route and paled in comparison to the others”

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5.2 Day Small Group Cape Town: Garden Route Big 5 Safari Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 6 reviews · 2 days · from $1,908

Travel from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn and Mossel Bay with an English-speaking guide and shared vehicle. Visit Cango Caves, Buffelsdrift and Botlierskop game reserves, meet giraffes, tour an ostrich farm, and spend one night at Chandelier Game Lodge. Expect long driving days and a late return.

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