Set in the pristine Southern Karoo against a backdrop of dramatic mountains, Aquila Private Game Reserve offers an exciting taste of real Africa, just two hours’ from Cape Town. Aquila is home to an enormous variety of game, including the Big 5 - offering safari’s in four-wheel-drive vehicles, quad bikes or on horseback. Dining takes place buffet style, where the chef presents a rich variety of authentic South African cuisine, together with a superb South African wine list. After dinner, gather around the telescope and be taken on a journey of the southern skies. 4-star accommodation is offered in Afro-chic lodge rooms or rock, thatch and wood cottages with alfresco showers. All accommodation has air-conditioning. Aquila welcomes children, providing activities to keep them entertained in the children’s play area. A visit to Aquila would also not be complete without a tour of the Eco Synergy systems: an award-winning project developed to reduce Aquila’s carbon footprint.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to TGCSA - Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Luxury
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans
Location
R46, Touwsrivier 6880 South Africa
Aquila Private Game Reserve
1,001 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Aquila Private Game Reserve offers a spa with a tranquil vibe that guests appreciate, although the management's demeanor has drawn some criticism. While the reserve's staff and guides are often lauded for their friendliness and knowledge, service inconsistencies and communication issues have been a point of contention for some visitors. The hotel's value proposition is debated among travelers, with additional charges for essentials like water and concerns over the quality of facilities and services.
Cleanliness stands as a mixed bag—numerous guests commend the tidy rooms, yet there are notable calls for improved housekeeping. Amenities receive a nod for the reserve itself, but the extra costs and the mediocre food quality for the price paid leave guests with mixed feelings. Room experiences vary, with accolades for the cleanliness and views but grievances about dated decor, noise, and occasional uncleanliness.
Atmosphere
Unwelcoming
Rooms
Dated
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Underwhelming
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Two couple's in our 50’s booked the afternoon safari, an overnight stay and the morning safari for a visit in March.
The place has great potential but missed the mark in so many respects.
On arrival we expected to be offered a welcome drink as part of our package. We saw the drinks and we saw the people who were supposed to serve them, but they just ignored us - totally.
Our greeting at check in was also non existent. It was very efficient and we were given our ‘instructions’, but no smile, no welcome and it was then that we started to feel like we were on something of a conveyor belt.
We were disappointed and surprised to find on arrival that the cottage for four that we had booked only had one room, with 2 single beds on a mezzanine floor really only suitable for children. To be fair when we raised this as an issue the duty manager immediately offered us a 2nd ‘cottage’ (bedroom) at no extra charge.
The rooms were also quite dark, dated and dismal. (Although gain to be fair I think there are more modern rooms available). The attached photo shows the blind in our bathroom that was simply filthy.
We went straight to lunch in the dining room. The food was self service, very basic, and we didn’t eat a great deal of it. However the actual room and the upstairs bar are really nice spaces with great views and with a little effort could have been great, but generally the place just felt unloved and very poorly managed.
After lunch we set off on the first ‘safari’. Yes we saw elephants, lions, giraffes and more but the whole thing just felt a little stage managed. We were driven to differently parts of the estate to ‘stumble across’ really docile animals. We decided that one trip was enough and skipped the experience the following morning.
In the evening the food was equally as dire. We bulked up on cheese and crackers and headed upstairs to the bar. This is a modern, appealing space with amazing views over the pool and surrounding countryside. The barman was also great. But he was the only good thing about the experience.
Again it all just felt unloved and under managed. The mop shown in the photograph was left by us for 2/3 hours in the bar area.
To be honest we were glad to leave. They really need to up their game in terms of customer care and welcome and manage the place as a resort, not a motel stop over with a few animals thrown in.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from AquilaCollection, Social Media Manager at Aquila Private Game Reserve
Responded 16 Mar 2020
Thank you for your review.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed three nights at Aquila - prior to children we have stayed at Botlierskop on our trips to South Africa but chose Aquila as they allow children under 6 years of age. The game drive itself was great, we managed to see 4 or the Big 5 over a couple of hours. The accomodation is rustic but full of character with an open fire and outdoor shower, food and beverage was basic, alcohol overpriced, and although child minding available - no separate restaurant or experience for an adults only meal. I had a nice facial at the Spa but some waxing removed a skin tag (at no extra cost) and I experienced a massage that rates in my top 5 worst experiences. Expensive for an average experience - day visits available for game drive which could be a better option.
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We stayed for two nights over Christmas, the setting of the Reserve is beautiful the staff friendly, helpful and hard working. Always with a smile nothing was too much for them. The number of animals is not large but enough to be properly cared for given the size of the place, the work they do in rescuing and caring for animals is admirable and long may it continue. The room we had was well equipped and in a lovely quiet setting ensuring a great nights sleep. The game drives were interesting with the guides very informative, I preferred the afternoon drives to the early morning ones where little was awake! For me the disappointment was the food, there was a good selection but given the amount of people (day visitors and guests) eating in a cafeteria fashion the method of ensuring the food stayed hot was not effective. The cost of staying in the Reserve I think warrants guests eating separately to day visitors, it was very hectic at breakfast and lunch. I could see some work was happening around the Reserve including a new Restaurant which hopefully will respond to my concerns. I understand the cost of maintaining such a place and animals is high and I note many are happy with the dining arrangements sorry I was a little disappointed with that element of our stay.
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Date of stay: December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from AquilaSafari, Social Media Manager at Aquila Private Game Reserve
Responded 05 Jan 2020
Thank you for your review. Best wishes, Aquila Safari
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A tragic zoo that parades as a safari. This not a safari but rather a large zoo that has one lonely sick elephant with a cyst. Not one tree in sight for 3 giraffes who are fed from a platform. Elephant sleeps in an elephant house where he is fed butternut and pumpkin or he would starve. There are very very few animals and from what i can tell they were probably bought cheaply at-an auction because the majority seemed to have a health issue. The rhino herd was impressive in numbers and well cared for in this zoo. The “safari”vehicles are super uncomfortable and i got bruised and bleeding from a loose seat not to mention the unsafe bolts on vehicle 4. We didnt even bother to take the second “safari” ride it’s such a waste of time. The gift shop ladies were extremely rude and went out of their way to ignore and not acknowledge me at all. The staff were friendly and room was very average…The most overpriced 2 night getaway in south africa. No value for money here. Yes meals are included and are not bad, desserts can be heavenly, breakfast buffet always cold.
There were painted over exposed wires where a light fitting used to be above the mirror in our bathroom. I must admit that when i complained that we were greeted with a reception desks full of files, they did respond by apologizing and offering-a free bottle of wine and access to the spa… ( which i avoided as if the standard was anything to go by in the resort …then i certainly wasn’t going to visit the spa).
I regret being deceived that this was a legitimate game reserve and i regret paying far too much money for very little. Will never be back… ever. I dont support zoo’s.
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Dont go there if you are interested in game. The swimming pool is very nice.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sitting here in my room at 02.15am, having been woken for the second time during the night with the fire alarm going off! Needless to say it was a false alarm for the third time in the past 17 hours - you would have thought that someone might have fixed it by now, especially when we are supposed to be up at 05.30am for a game drive?
The game drive the previous day was a bit “stage managed”, with plenty of animals there, but the lions were in a separate enclosure, away from the rest of the animals - they were all fed by hand, with no chance of a real kill!
The food in the buffet was ordinary to say the very least, the one plus side was that the staff were very friendly and accommodating.
We are a family of seven, with myself, my wife and our Son in Law, daughter and three grand children, aged 12, 10 and 5 and we paid the best part of £1600.00 to come here from our holiday base in Cape Town to experience a game drive, predominantly for our grand children’s benefit. Needless to say, we are unimpressed!!
One wonders whether or not we will be woken again before the night is out?
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from AquilaSafari, Social Media Manager at Aquila Private Game Reserve
Responded 05 Jan 2020
We do apologise profusely for the alarm. Best wishes, Aquila Safari
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With limited time and hosting overseas guests who wanted to see the big five, we decided to make use of the special rates and booked a weekend at Aquila. It was still, at the discounted price, very expensive and our expectations were high. We were utterly disappointed and felt that we received very little value for our money and this is why: The lodge is situated next to a secondary tar road and the noise from trucks and cars passing can be heard all the time. Our accommodation was pedestrian to say the least. The rooms are dark and cave-like, very dated and uninviting. Actually quite awful, keeping in mind that one pays nearly R3500 per night for the room with meals. The safari trip to view the animals can not be described as a safari -- it was more of a game drive on 2 dirt roads, maybe 4 km in total. From the lodge to the lion camp and back and to the feeding spot of the rhinos and back.What a joke! The lions are totally overfed and it sad to see them like this. The rhinos were great to see and it seems there are only 1 or maybe 2 elephants. Do not be deceived by the stunning wildlife photos on the website. It is a pity that tourists visiting Aquila would think this is what a safari is all about. The driver and/guide did his best to share his knowledge of the animals with us and we appreciated this. The game drive lasted maybe an hour and a half, but most of it was stationary watching the few animals and listening to the guide. Meals at the restaurant were ok with many options. Unfortunately, not all dishes were tasty and after 2 sittings of basically the same variations of dishes on offer, our appetite diminished quite a bit. The swimming pools are lovely and on a nice sunny day, one could sit there enjoy the surroundings. We enjoyed the stargazing as the guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable.The staff were friendly and tried their best . In conclusion, it is our opinion that Aquila gives very little value for your money, whether it is Rand or Euros . It is pricy and can not compare with similar reserves. U
Meals at the r
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Date of stay: May 2021
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Aquila Safari, General Manager at Aquila Private Game Reserve
Responded 01 Jun 2021
Good day. Please note that the current lockdown budget room specials are in fact R4999 for a weekend for two people fully inclusive of meals and safaris (an afternoon and morning safari of 2 to 3 hours). Herewith our email response previously sent: Thank you for writing to us and supporting us in an effort to restart our tourism businesses during a very trying time. We are currently open at heavily reduced rates in an effort to support our Karoo teams with wages. These staff currently go over and beyond duty to service guests and provide a fantastic safari stay to secure business and an income. Please note that at the onset we would like to make a statement that we have most certainly not misled you or any other guest. All of the services and facilities advertised - as well as all of our marketing collateral - are photographed and produced at the property. Based on your correspondence below, it is clear that you have not been informed about the conservation efforts of Aquila, the history, the landscape and surrounds and the wildlife on our 10 000 hectare conservancy. Our property history, conservation work, awards and wildlife background is clearly available on our website: https://www.aquilasafari.com/about-us/ https://www.aquilasafari.com/conservation/ https://www.aquilasafari.com/wildlife-and-conservation/ https://aquilacollection.com/awards/ We are saddened when guests feel that they have not had an enjoyable time at Aquila during their brief safari visit. Regarding your observation and statement of “not seeing enough animals”, we hope that your ranger would have explained that all the animals are wild and that there are no guarantees on animal sightings. Even though the conservancy spans 10 000-hectares, we do our absolute best to offer our guests the best possible viewing during their 2 to 3 hour game drive. We trust that you understand the nature of game-viewing and that you will appreciate the sightings you did have. We further would like to note that our correspondence with the reserve management indicates that room upgrades were offered but these were declined. Once again, the room offering and inclusions are clearly displayed on our website at all times and our confirmation letter also request that guests familiarise themselves with the offerings they choose at the time of booking and payment. As you rightly mention, the staff are exceptional and they are currently in a very damning situation due to the ongoing pandemic and throttling of tourism services. We pride ourselves on the very friendly smiles and service of our reserve teams and we are sure that they would have serviced you with utmost respect and professionalism should they have had the opportunity to do so should you have stayed for the weekend. Dinner and all other food services were prepared for you and a ranger and other staff were also allocated to your stay – incurring mobilisation costs to the property to welcome guests like yourself. We thank you for the kind comments regarding the staff and will most certainly pass them on to the hardworking team at Aquila. In closing, we’d like to highlight that we can ill afford refunds based on expectations and our terms also clearly state that we do not offer refunds for unused services or early check-out. These terms are made available throughout our websites, booking platforms and the booking confirmation. We once again thank you for choosing Aquila Private Game Reserve during the tourism recovery period.
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After a family wedding in the vacinity we spent 2 days / nights at the Aquila game reserve staying in one of the cottages on their standard safari packages.
Initial impressions were really great and positive, staff friendly and helpful, checked in all good, got changed went to the pool and enjoyed drinks by the pool and saw elephants walking across the game park, pretty amazing. All the animals in the park are rescued from some sort of danger or chequered history so they are really doing a great conservation service.
Later that day we did a game drive, this was good and informative however was a little rushed and rough, once in the park seemed we were on a world rally stage to get back to the start, none of the animals seemed to blink at the the many trucks rampaging around the site, it felt it was just like being in a very large zoo enclosure.
The accommodation was great however what let it down was the cleanliness of the shower which was an open to elements shower and pigeons had done their business all over the floor of the shower, this was evident upon checking in and still there upon checking out after the cleaners had been in on second day. The pigeons were a pain and needed containing with an air rifle.
The restaurant was great and self service buffet was ideal considering all the residents are wanting to eat at the same time after returning from zoo drive. The service was inconsistent though , I tried on several attempts to dine outside on the terrace and the staff were rude and unhelpful in denying to book tables even though there were clearly reserved signs on some of the tables. On one occasion was told there was no tables outside but the next couple to come in after us were offered a table outside and no one had left the exterior dining area. The inside area is very hot and suffers no air con. The buffet area is also a hive of flies on the exposed food - very off putting.
On the whole I did enjoy the experience- 1 night would have been plenty - and it’s only small details that really detract and prevent from what could be an amazing place being amazing.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from AquilaCollection, Social Media Manager at Aquila Private Game Reserve
Responded 10 Feb 2020
Thank you for your review. Best wishes, Aquila Safari
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What a disappointment! I booked for a 3 night stay in one of the Karoo Cottages. We asked someone to clean our room on Saturday morning, as we were told we had to ask for someone to clean, as they do not automatically clean the rooms because of Covid. We told Reception that we were going out, and that they could send someone to clean our room. On our return, 2 hours later it had not been done. We asked again and we were told that they would send someone immediately. We waited until dinner time, but no-one came. After speaking to Reception in person, we were told to go for dinner and someone would clean our room. Our room was clean when we returned, but unfortunately we had to go to Reception again, as there was no water in the fridge and no toilet paper. The food is another problem. We arrived on Thursday and on Saturday the menu for lunch and dinner was repeated. Surely the food can be repeated every 3 days. What do people do if they stay for a week? Eat the same food every second day? Unfortunately there was not much choice for me, as I am lactose intolerant. Even the muesli had cow's milk in it. For the amount of money that we paid, we were very disappointed with our stay.
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Date of stay: June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The hotel has an amazing location. The buffet food was OK, with lunch being far better than Breakfast or Dinner. We stayed in a standard room which was fine and I don't think that paying more for other rooms is worth it. The best thing about this trip has to be the two safari game drives which were brilliant and made the whole stay worthwhile. Our guide was really informative and funny.
The restaurant has around 15-20 outside tables and if you don't get one of these, you have to eat inside which was uncomfortably warm when we were there. There also a lot of flies around the buffet because many of the plates of food were uncovered.
Checking in is a bit frustrating as it took a long time because of the queues of people who are all advised to arrive for 12:30
For around £250, bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner and two safari game drives make this a worthwhile trip for two.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from AquilaCollection, Social Media Manager at Aquila Private Game Reserve
Responded 02 Mar 2020
Thank you for your review.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
For people used to Krugerpark etc, this is an expensive option for basically a zoo type experience with limited game to explore. Nevertheless, the two hour drive from Cape Town makes it an attractive proposition for those who don't want to leave the Western Cape. The buffet at night and in the morning was disappointing certainly for those who like meat. The set up is beautiful though and the reception/restaurant/pool area magnificent but the chalets are dark inside and a bit too "rustic". We paid Euro 1,100 for one night in a rustic chalet with 2 drives and buffet food included which in local terms is pricey.
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Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from AquilaCollection, Social Media Manager at Aquila Private Game Reserve
Responded 02 Mar 2020
Thank you for your review.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
You can stay it has small pol and normal restaurant if you want to do the safari twice i think its the same experience they do not track the animals, if you are lucky enough you can see them if not they will skip it, if you are looking for good safari i recommend Kruger national park (google it), i was there in April and some days were really cold. Take thick clothes with you and jacket in back bag the weather is changeable during the day and night.
There are more places to choose from in the Touwsrivier area.
PRICE RANGE
R 4,494 - R 7,577 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaWestern CapeTouwsrivier
NUMBER OF ROOMS
77
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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