Aquila Private Game Reserve & Spa | Cape Town, South Africa | Virgin Atlantic Holidays
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Aquila Private Game Reserve & Spa
Cape Town, South Africa
4 stars
Imagine days spent viewing the Big 5, and evenings whiled away socialising and stargazing around the fire pit - it's the stuff safari holiday dreams are made of, and that's what you'll get to enjoy when you stay here at Aquila. Just a two-hour drive from Cape Town, an irresistible mix of exhilarating game drives and reserve relaxation awaits you. Amenities include a large swimming pool, mezzanine bar with incredible views, and an Karoo style buffet restaurant serving up delicious cuisine. Be sure to bring your camera - there's going to be a lot to see, and you won't want to miss a thing.
Amenities
Safari
Bar
Internet Access
Restaurant
Safety Deposit Box
Spa
Swimming Pool
Explore the local area
Located between the Langeberg and Outeniqua Mountains in the Western Cape, a 2 hour drive from Cape Town.
Hotel Information
Room Information
Room Upgrade Information
Range of lodges and cottages, with coffee and tea making facilities, in-room safe, seating, USB charging points, fan and air conditioning, mini-fridge (with complimentary water only), and bathroom amenities. Please note that there are now in-room television or telephone services. Standard Lodge rooms offer a comfortable and basic overnight stay with en-suite shower. These rooms do not have a view of the reserve, and are conveniently located next to the restaurant and mezzanine bar with access by stairs and lift. These rooms feature twin beds, which can be made up to 1 queen-size bed.Full Board option: overnight stays include lunch, dinner and breakfast. Afternoon and morning safari. Complimentary eco-synergy project tour. Access to the overnight mezzanine level bar and lounge. Use of the exclusive overnight guest restaurant. Complimentary WiFi. Access to the communal pool and wet bar (with use of loungers and towels). Kids access to the children’s entertainment area. Access to the African curio shop. When staying 2 nights, guests may substitute one game drive with a complimentary horseback safari. When staying 3 nights, guests may substitute the game drive with a complimentary horseback adventure. All 2 and 3-night guests enjoy free spa access to make use of the communal services and facilities (treatments are optional and at an additional costs). All of the above mentioned inclusions are subject to availability.
Please note: Meal plan inclusions are defined by the hotel and are subject to change at any time without notice.
Full Board option: overnight stays include lunch, dinner and breakfast. Afternoon and morning safari. Complimentary eco-synergy project tour. Access to the overnight mezzanine level bar and lounge. Use of the exclusive overnight guest restaurant. Complimentary WiFi. Access to the communal pool and wet bar (with use of loungers and towels). Kids access to the children’s entertainment area. Access to the African curio shop. When staying 2 nights, guests may substitute one game drive with a complimentary horseback safari. When staying 3 nights, guests may substitute the game drive with a complimentary horseback safari. All 2 and 3-night guests enjoy free spa access to make use of the communal services and facilities (treatments are optional and at an additional costs). All of the above mentioned inclusions are subject to availability.
Hotel details
Dining
Restaurant. Mezzanine level bar and lounge.
Fun and Games
Pool. Tranquila Spa* with luxurious African treatments, indoor and outdoor pool, and sauna and steam rooms. Aquila Kids Club*. Junior Ranger programme*. Curio Shop. Eco-synergy tours*.
Additional Information
* Denotes local charge.
Trip advisor rating
3.6/5
1,099 reviews
Excellent
39%
Very Good
21%
Average
16%
Poor
10%
Terrible
13%
“Loved our stay”
Aug 31, 2026monwal
Let’s start by saying this is a private game reserve and not a national park so the experience is going to be different and your expectations needs to start there. We loved our stay. Room was great and waking up seeing elephants out the window of your bedroom is a treat. Food was great as well as the service. Loved the safaris and the knowledgeable guides. Overall a great experience.
“A fabulous 2 days at Aquila!”
Aug 22, 2026929robin
We must confess I had read some of the recent reviews of Aquila with a little trepidation before we got there. We realise that it is all a matter of opinion but we consider that many of the negative (sometimes very negative) reviews were in direct contrast to our own experience.
As many others have pointed out, this is NOT a safari experience like Kruger etc and anyone visiting must know that. However, there is no point visiting and then making that complaint!
We stayed 2 nights in one of the lodges and we were very happy with our accommodation. It was not massively palatial but it was very comfortable and pleasant and absolutely more than good enough for a safari reserve. You could actually see animals including elephants and antelope from right outside our lodge.
We did 3 safari game drives and they were all surprisingly different to each other. We saw all the big 5 bar leopards (which is suspect sight of is very rare) and got very close up to them. The suggestion by one of the reviewers that animals are somehow “encouraged” to come closer seems absurd to us. Halfway through the drive, you stop for a drink and for bathrooms and we saw the sunset at that point which was very nice. We also did the horse back safari which was a truly magical experience ending up being right next to a pack of zebras.
We were very fortunate that the weather was beautiful albeit very cold at night (but they will come and light your fire for you in your lodge). We see one recent complaint was that then outdoor pool was closed for renovations. It is mid-winter! We are Scottish and even for us the thought of getting in an unheated outdoor pool during the day was ludicrous!
Unlike some other reviewers, we thought all the staff were excellent and extremely friendly as were the game drivers who were obviously so knowledgeable and passionate about the animals. The food in the buffet was pretty good and varied a lot during our stay. There was emphasis on local cuisine which we thought was a nice touch.
There is an excellent spa facility and we had a massage there. It has a nice indoor heated pool.
Overall, we thought this was a really great stay. Yes, it is quite pricey and you need to know what you are signing up to. But if you are travelling round the Cape Town/Western Cape area and want to see animals in the wild, we strongly recommend it. Staying overnight once the day visitors have left is more magical including star gazing at night etc.
This is NOT a glorified zoo as others have claimed !! Yes the lions are in a fenced off area but that area is about 1,000 hectares in size and so hardly a zoo! The total area of the reserve is 10,000 hectares. We would really recommend it.
“Do it! If you're in or around Cape Town this is a must!”
Aug 16, 2026Connector58627521581
This was well worth the trip up from Cape Town for the night. We arrived around 2pm and got drinks by the pool, did an evening Safari, had a great dinner and more drinks into the night. Next day had a morning safari before we left. I would totally recommend this!
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