We began our first full day in Cape Town with breakfast on our own. Some students chose to make breakfast in our accommodation’s kitchens, while others chose to explore local options in Observatory. We loaded up the bus around 9 am and had a two hour drive through the Western Cape, appreciating the beautiful mountains and vineyards. We arrived to the Aquila Private Game Reserve and were welcomed with cold drinks and lunch.
Aquila is a private game reserve that includes the Big 5 safari animals. The Big 5 includes buffaloes, rhinos, elephants, lions, and leopards. Since Aquila is a private game reserve, they are able to feed the animals and drive the safari vehicles closer than public areas. This left us all very eager to see what was in store for our 2.5 hour safari expedition. After finishing lunch, we all loaded onto a safari vehicle. Our safari guide, Mike, began driving down the winding roads of the 10-hectare reserve. Almost immediately, we spotted our first animal in the water. Two hippos were resting, and we were able to see their heads pop up from the water every few minutes. Mike informed us that hippos can easily bite with the force to kill, and that if we found ourselves in danger to run in a zig zag pattern. Around the other side of the water, we saw our first Big 5 creature. Three rhinos were standing together, all in opposite directions to cover their surroundings. Rhinos can live up to 50 years if they are not affected by poaching or drought.
On our way to the next Big 5 animal, we were able to spot some springboks in the distance. These beautiful creatures are the national animal of South Africa and can jump up to 1.5 meters off of the ground. We then made our way to the buffaloes, to check another Big 5 animal off of our list. There was a large herd of buffaloes, with all but one laying down. The one standing was the “watcher” of the group, who protects the group and uses noises to alert his herd.
After the buffaloes, our trek continued until we reached a large metal gate. We soon deduced that the next Big 5 creature on our list was going to be the lion, since we were told before that they were in a separate area from the other animals. Before entering, Mike provided us with some safety instructions. We were not to extend our arms beyond the reach of the safari vehicles, as that would have enticed a lion to think one of us would be a nice snack. Mike opened the gate and our adventure to the lions began. After a short drive, we encountered 2 lionesses sleeping under a rock. At first, we missed the male lion sleeping under a small bush, but he was quickly noticeable after Mike drove our vehicle within a few feet. We were all very excited, but cautious to take pictures from inside the vehicle in order to not disturb him. None of the lions woke up during our time in their area and all GLCM students left with arms intact.
Upon leaving the lion enclosure, we took a drive headed towards our break area. On the way, we encountered a pack of zebras, along with a springbok who Mike called the “loser” since he was an outcast from his own pack. We continued to drive, encountering our first elephant from far away. Once we made it to the break area, we enjoyed cold water and took photos with the beautiful scenery.
After a short break, Mike announced that the elephants were heading in our direction. We hurried back onto our safari vehicle and went on our way. As it turns out, Mike had encountered the feed car, and let him know to feed the elephants so that they would be in the perfect position for us to see them. None of us could have predicted just how close we would get. We stopped the truck in front of one elephant, enjoying some fruits. The others were soon to follow, and we were surprised at how fast they actually moved. Mike moved the truck to another spot, and what followed next was one of the most incredible sights we have seen. First, a small troop of baboons ran over to meet the elephants, and tried to eat some of their food.
A third elephant was quickly approaching our vehicle, and at this point two other excursions had caught up to us. With a small gap in between us and the next truck, we weren’t sure what direction the elephant was headed. The elephant was so determined to reach the food that he walked in between our truck and the next. He was within mere feet of students in the back seats of the truck, a moment that is sure to become a cherished memory for many.
While this moment was the highlight of the trip, we still had more to see on our way back to the entrance gate. This included giraffes, eland antelopes, and ostriches. One fun fact about eland antelopes is that their age can be determined by multiplying the number of spirals in one of their horns by three.
To finish our incredible day, some students explored the gift shop while others chose to take in the scenery and relax. The bus ride back to Observatory included seeing a feat of engineering when our bus traveled through a tunnel inside of a mountain. Overall, it was a once in a lifetime experience, with memories all of us will cherish forever.
Blog by Joie Gindorf