We Tried It: A $200 Safari with Uber in South Africa

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Mackenzie Schmidt

Mackenzie Schmidt

What It Is:Uber’s just-launched safari day trip from Cape Town, South Africa. Theexcursion is bookablein the Uber app starting Oct. 2 and includes transportation to and from Cape Town, a welcome drink and lunch at Aquila Private Game Reserve, and a nearly 3 hour game drive in the 24,000-acre nature conservancy, where guests will seek out Africa’s “big five” — elephants, lions, rhinos, African buffalo, and leopards.

The Experience:I’ve been lucky enough to go on safari once before and did the full-tilt version: traveling hours off-road into the wilderness, staying over in a remote resort, waking up at dawn each day for game drives. It was a spectacular, once-in-a lifetime trip, and honestly, I thought there was no way this could compare. And I was wrong.

The first major consideration with any trip to South Africa is the often lengthy process of getting there. For me, that meant a 15-hour flight from New York. On this trip, I was grateful to be able to fly United’s Polaris product direct from Newark to Cape Town. United reintroduced a direct flight on this route six days a week in 2019 (most airlines fly into Johannesburg, requiring another hop to the southern city) and added a new D.C. to Cape Town flight in 2022.Any lie-flat seat is a game-changer for long-haul flights, so you can arrive rested, but I discovered a few more perks on this one, including the “relax mode” on the entertainment screen, where flyers can select from a variety of serene scenes to view while listening to nature sounds or ambient music before dozing off.

You’ll need to commit a full day to the safari experience. When booking in the app, up to 90 days in advance, you choose your pick up (9:30 a.m.)anddrop off locations, which can be anywhere in Cape Town. The day of, we set out in an Uber Safari branded luxury SUV for the approximately 2.5 hour drive east into the Karoo region. It’s a haul for sure, especially considering you’ll have to do it again that evening, but the arid mountain and semi-desert landscapes you pass through are both beautiful and almost alien.

Upon arrival at Aquila Private Game Reserve, I was greeted with a glass of champagne and a welcome from a guide before an al fresco lunch that felt especially elevated considering the very remote location. After lunch, we climbed into our safari trucks (open-air, all-terrain vehicles that hold 6-9 guests each) to drive out into the 24,000-acre reserve.

While the media preview of Uber Safari included an overnight stay and another game drive in the morning, we could very likely have glimpsed all the animals we did in one outing, as we revisited some on our dawn drive to see them in a different part of their day.

The goal for most safaris is to spot the infamous “big five,” and we found all but a leopard, checking off three (lions, rhinos and buffalo) in the evening, and one more (elephants) in the morning. Elephant lovers, fear not, the guides basically always know the big guys' whereabouts even in this vast setting.

Our truck pulled up within a few yards of the more mellow animals and still startlingly close to the potentially more ferocious ones, leaving a few safari-goers gripping their seats while snapping photos. (A bonus of a late afternoon game drive is incredible magic hour light for pictures.)

My visit in September was particularly chilly as it was before the real safari season kicks off in October, but our truck was equipped with fleece blankets and all the bouncing around does something to keep the blood flowing. Even in high season, which runs through February (South African summer), it’s important to remember temperatures drop dramatically in the desert in the evening, so definitely bring some layers. Toward the end of our game drive, we stopped for warm drinks at a small, permanent hut with views of the remarkable landscape and watched the sun set over the mountains.

While we stayed over, a typical Uber Safari excursion would then return to camp, where guests would transfer back to standard vehicles and make the drive back to Cape Town for the night — a long but extraordinary day.

Who’s It Best For:Uber Safari is ideal for anyone planning a trip to Cape Town, who wants to squeeze in a variety of experiences: exploring the vibrant city, maybe spending a day vineyard hopping in the Cape Winelands,andgetting in some face time with the famous wildlife. It allows visitors to get the full safari experience without committing more than a day of their trip.

This is also an incredible option for budget-conscious travelers. Multi-day safari experiences at remote tented camps or luxury resorts can easily come with a price tag in the thousands. An Uber Safari is an almost shockingly affordable alternative: $200 all in for up to four guests. With three friends on board, that’s $50 per person (aka less than a ride to the airport in New York City).

courtesy Uber

If you’re planning a city- or wine-focused trip to Cape Town but feeling that safari fomo, this is a perfect way to have the bucket list experience without adding days to your vacation or busting your travel budget.

Uber Safariis available to book in the Uber app starting Oct. 2 for Friday and Saturday trips starting Oct. 4 and running through January 25, 2025

source: people.com