Cape Town’s closest land and sea safaris

Plus horseback rides, whale-watching, eco-boat & San cultural tours

Last updated: Thursday, 13 November 2025

Where else can you spot whales in the morning and giraffes in the afternoon? Just an hour from Cape Town, West Coast Private Game Reserve is where giraffes stoop to nibble on acacias, springboks graze by salt pans, buffalos stand proud, and the sight of the ocean shimmers in the distance (only 10 minutes from Yzerfontein beach). Extend your stay and spend the night in sustainable solar-powered private houses with hot tubs.

One of the few reserves where the bush meets the beach. Image: West Coast Safaris

REAL, UNCROWDED SAFARI EXPERIENCE

West Coast Safaris (which borders the West Coast National Park), operates on West Coast Private Game Reserve.

Animals roam freely here, with no fences between species. That means eland walk beside zebras, ostriches race off into the horizon and waterbuck graze cautiously yet curious. Lucky guests may spot a new addition to the family, a rare golden wildebeest. Nothing here is staged or fed for tourists; it’s a healthy, natural balanced ecosystem.

The landscape itself is alive with wildflowers. Sheltered by dunes and fed by coastal mists, they flourish here in sandy, mineral-rich soil alongside proteas and wild sage, making it as much a floral biodiversity hub as it is a wildlife experience.

The game drives are intentionally intimate, led by guides who weave stories of the land, the wildlife and Bushman knowledge into the drive. Open-air Land Rovers carry seven to nine people, compared to the safari vehicles of commercial reserves, which can fit more than 20.

Kids under three years old are allowed if you book the entire vehicle. Image: West Coast Safaris

GAME DRIVES & HORSEBACK SAFARIS

Daily game drives happen at 9am and 2pm, lasting up to three hours. The route meanders through plains, dunes and along the edges of salt pans. During flower season (August to September), bursts of vygies and daisies turn the veld into a living canvas.

Midway through, there’s a tea or coffee and rusk stop in the bush, before returning to Weskus Padstal, a charming farmstall with a restaurant and play area that doubles as your start and end point.

If you want to explore the reserve differently, experienced riders can do a horse safari which can also be combined with a ride on Yzerfontein beach. Many animals are more comfortable around horses than cars, so this is a unique opportunity to get even closer to the wildlife.

Insider tip: Book a private vehicle safari and have the car and guide all to yourself.

The reserve is home to a wide variety of wildlife suited to the West Coast habitat. Image: West Coast Safaris

SAFARI BY THE SEA

During whale season (November to April), the coastline transforms as migrating humpbacks pass through the bay.

In contrast to the winter whale season around Hermanus, where small groups of southern right whales can be seen, the West Coast hosts summer gatherings of humpback whale “supergroups". These impressive congregations can number more than 100 individuals during the peak months of November to January. You might also spot dolphins, seals, penguins and sunfish.

For the full experience, the Whale & Game Drive Package, aka the ‘Surf & Turf Safari’ combines it all; a private game drive & a whale-watching or eco-boat tour with a three-night stay at Rooikat Safari Collection.

It’s truly a West Coast wilderness escape. Image: West Coast Safaris

DAY TRIP IDEA: !KHWA TTU

If you want to add a culture stop to your day, there’s also the option of a game drive combined with a visit to !Khwa ttu, the renowned San heritage centre.

You’ll be collected from Cape Town & driven to West Coast Private Game Reserve for a three-hour safari through the reserve. After your game drive, a 15-minute transfer brings you to !Khwa ttu, a remarkable living heritage centre where San guides share stories, skills and spirit of the First People.

Enjoy a three-course lunch, before choosing from two of their guided tours. Either tracing ancient food trails, tasting medicinal teas, learning how the San read the land long before field guides did, learning about cultures colliding or the way of the San spirit, hunting and gathering when you book the Safari and San Heritage Experience.

The San people are one of the world's oldest continuous cultures. Image: !Khwa ttu

SAFARI ACCOMMODATION CAPE TOWN

With so much to see and do, staying overnight makes sense. The Salt Mine has two self-catering houses which form part of the Rooikat Safari Collection. They sit right in the middle of the reserve - sustainable, solar-powered and overlooking the salt pans that inspired their name.

Thoughtfully designed with a nod to old miners’ homes, they sit 100 metres apart; private enough for solitude but close enough for friends and families travelling together. Read more about Rooikat Safari Accommodation at West Coast Private Game Reserve.

From cast iron fireplaces to wood-fired hot tubs, The Salt Mine offers a stay that feels both grounded in nature and comfortably elevated. Image: West Coast Safaris

HOW TO GET THERE

You will find the reservations office (and starting point of the game drives) at Weskus Padstal, located on the corner of the R27 and the R315 to Yzerfontein. If you’re staying over, here’s how to get to The Salt Mine.

Whether you come for a day or a week, West Coast Safaris reminds you that the wild isn’t far away; it’s just a short drive up the West Coast.

The horeseback safaris last between two to three hours. Image: West Coast Safaris

FIND WEST COAST SAFARIS

Bookings: Book your safari
West Coast Safaris is open: Daily, 8am to 5pm
Find it: West Coast Safaris Bookings Office | Weskus Padstal, Corner of R27 & R315, Yzerfontein
Website: westcoastsafaris.co.za
Contact on: 066 525 1994, info@westcoastsafaris.co.za

By Khadeeja Adams

---

MORE ADVENTURES IN THE WESTERN CAPE

Here are more hidden gems in the Western Cape.

Did you know there’s a real fossil dig site at West Coast Fossil Park?

You can pick flowers and fruit all year long. 

Check out 7+ things to do this week(end).

---

Loved discovering this? Make sure you get our popular weekly newsletter. Follow and like us on Twitter ❤ Facebook ❤ LinkedIn ❤ Instagram ❤ Pinterest for updates.