Conservation quest at Aquila Game Reserve

We travel to South Africa and Aquila Private Game Reserve, a private Big 5 conservation experience conveniently positioned just a few hours from Cape Town, to learn about conservation, and the difference kids can make.

As our jeep pulls quietly to a stop, the dull hum of the engine is replaced by an ominous rumbling sound. The source quickly becomes apparent as we spy two large male lions, just metres from our open vehicle, wrapped around a hefty slab of springbok carcass, and each other. Over the next ten minutes the rumbling grows louder and louder, interspersed with the occasional grunt, puff and snarl, as the two lions fight it out not only for dinner but dominance of the pride. 

Fighting it out © Aleney de Winter

With a sudden deafening roar the youngest tackles the older lion, his father, before donning his crown and strutting his stuff as the new king of Aquila Private Game Reserve. Or at least its pride of lions. The  kids are seriously awestruck to witness such an epic wildlife moment at such close range, but it’s just one of the eye-popping wildlife experiences Aquila delivers during our visit.  

The new king of Aquila © Aleney de Winter

Just two hours from Cape Town, the four-star Aquila Private Game Reserve is the closest game reserve to the city and offers visitors a worry free, family friendly Big 5 safari experience, without the hefty price tag.

While Aquila doesn’t pack quite as big a wildlife punch as the larger safari lodges in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, its easy access from the many delights of the Mother City, and  malaria-free environment, makes it ideal for young families.  

Elephant action at Aquila © Sherilea Gaspar/South African Tourism

The reserve, nestled between the Langeberg and Outeniqua Mountains, began with one man’s dream to re-introduce the Big 5 – elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, and rhino – to the Western Cape.  But over the years, the 10,000-hectare conservancy became an adopted home to numerous other species of rescued animals, which now roam freely on the reserve. The dream evolved to include award-winning community development and conservation programs. The reserve was recently awarded the Skal International Sustainable Tourism Award for a Major Tourist Attraction, due to projects and policies that balance tourism, conservation, and the community.

Raff and conservationist Divan © Sherilea Gaspar/South African Tourism

It is conservation, as much as the chance to spot Africa’s unique wildlife – that has brought us here. Sure, the kids’ smiles are enormous as they spot elephant, ostrich, hippo, Cape buffalo, curly horned antelope, springbok and those warring lions. But it is a too-cool crash of rhino that is the main attraction for my little conservationists in the making.

Planting a tree at Aquila © Sherilea Gaspar South African Tourism

Under the tutelage of Diana Award-winning young wildlife conservationist, Hunter Mitchell, his mentor, Divan Grobler, and Aquila ranger, Memory, the kids enjoy a crash course on all things rhino.

Turns out they are more than just chubby unicorns. The mega-herbivores consume large amounts of vegetation which helps to shape the African landscape. This makes their survival vital to the ecosystem and the other other animals and organisms that live within it.  

Kid conservationist Hunter Mitchell © Sherilea Gaspar/South African Tourism

The kids listen attentively as they’re taught about Aquila’s Saving Private Rhino initiative – an anti-poaching and education program, as well as Hunter’s international award-winning endeavours to protect the rhino, whose numbers have shrunk from more than a million to just 30,000, due to poaching and habitat loss.

It is Hunter and Divan’s passion, and combined knowledge, that sees our kids rewarded with the extraordinary experience of standing just 10 metres from a wild rhino and her calf, with nothing but a few tufts of grass as protection. It is a moment they will never forget. Truth be told, neither will I, because I’m absolutely terrified my offspring are about to become rhino shish kebabs.

Close encounters at Aquila Game Reserve © Aleney de Winter

It’s one of those crazy, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. But even more crazy, is that despite all the education surrounding rhino conservation, folks like Divan and Hunter still have to fight to save these creatures from poachers at all.

Heart in mouth and children safely back in jeep, Aquila has more curious surprises in store. As we explore on foot, by jeep and quad bike, my kids fondle dung beetles – another smaller but ecologically important critter – and play a raucous game of rhino poo football with Memory. They are also challenged by Hunter into a hilarious, though slightly nauseating, game of “bok-drolletjie– spoeg” (buck poop spitting). 

Football Aquila style © Aleney de Winter/BoyEatsWorld

Turns out Raff is a natural. Spitting his dung pellet the furthest, he is declared the winner, and rewarded with a large gulp of water and extra campfire bread. Me? I take a hard pass on that particular activity and instead sip on sundowners to a soundtrack of baboon song.

On our return to the lodge, Raff dives into the outdoor swimming pool with his new friends, while I take to the spa for a muscle melting massage and Sugarpuff gets her hair braided, African-style. At the end of the day, we’re all as happy as hippos in mud.  

Poolside at Aquila © Sherilea Gaspar/South African Tourism copy

After a buffet style dinner of South African favourites our day ends by the boma (fire pit) where we toast marshmallows and gaze reverentially at the celestial symphony of stars studding the Karoo night sky.  Then it is time to retreat to our cottage which, coming as it does with an outdoor rock shower and private patio overlooking the reserve, makes us feel like African royalty.

Just don’t tell our roaring lion friend. We wouldn’t want him to think there was a challenger to his new throne. 

Cape Town with a conscience

With the legendary Table Mountain overlooking its urban centre, sparkling harbour and bone white beaches, Cape Town is a truly pretty playground for tourists. But for those families keen to follow the responsible route, here are four other not-to-be-missed experiences we loved. 

SANCCOB (the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds)  provides a 24/7 rescue service for seabirds and offers visitors the chance to learn about sea bird conservation. The kids even had the chance to adopt an adorable Cape penguin under their care. 

The kids were in their happy, green place on a stroll along the Boomslang (tree snake) – a 130-metre long canopy walkway – at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. The low-impact raised walkway provides a window into South Africa’s incredible biodiversity and environmental preservation. 

My little drama llamas adored heading to Khayelitsha township to join the kids at arts training and performance space, KASI RC – Shack Art School & Theatre. Here they were entertained by the jaw-droppingly talented youth of Khayelitsha, and even got to join them on stage for drama games. The school is run by Uthando South Africa, a not for profit tour company that aids community development projects. 

While the Big 5 get the best press, the kids were just as happy searching for the “Tiny 5” at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, around two hours from Cape Town, where they joined the in-house entomologists on a safari to learn all about the importance of bugs to the world’s ecosystems.  

An award-winning travel writer and photographer, Aleney de Winter was fresh from school when she first set off to explore the far reaches of Australia with a two-man tent and a beaten-up Kingswood for company. Three decades, and two kids later, and she's still on the go, with her itchy-footed offspring in tow.