Cowgirls in the Karoo

Their overall review? You just have to go and do it! The Karoo setting is mind-blowing, staff is so friendly, the rangers are knowledgeable and fun. Aquila is even unique for locals – and a must do for everyone who visits Cape Town from overseas (and doesn’t have the time to venture up into the Kruger).

I have never been on a horse in my life

Getting up at 4 o’clock in the morning was more than well worth it for what lay ahead for Silke and me today. I have never been on a horse in my life, but seasoned Silke was more than up for the adventure that was awaiting us at Aquila Private Game Reserve. Not knowing what I would be in for and being quite wary of horses, it turned out to be an unbelievably exciting thing to do. After a really lovely warm welcome at Aquila at eight in the morning (I had some bubbly to calm myself down) we had a delicious breakfast ranging from apricot muffins to zesty fruit juices.

Ranger Andre swings me into the saddle

Our ranger Andre introduced himself to us and our horses. While giving us a quick rundown as to what to expect on our horse-back safari, we strapped on our helmets and swung ourselves into our saddles. Once on top, we realized how busy the lodge had become – there was a hustling and bustling around the safari vehicles which were busy getting packed with day safari visitors and Aquila overnighters.

This must be the real safari!

And yet, it was only Silke and I on mounts. Was it really safe, since we were the only ones? I started to feel a tiny bit nervous. But there was no time to hesitate as we were already on our way. Andre ahead, then Silke, the experienced horse rider and I was at the back… still I was not sure if I really wanted to do this. However, ten minutes into the ride I started to relax and concentrated on my horse (Gillious). We looked like brawny cowgirls in the vastness of the prairie. What a mind-blowing thing to do. We passed a hippo yawning in a dam. Andre had something fascinating to say about every single shrub and animal we encountered. He loves his job as a ranger and we clearly heard a healthy pride in his voice when telling us about the Karoo. We passed a Jeep loaded with tourists and felt so privileged to be on horseback rather than being within the constraints of a vehicle. We felt like we were the ones doing the real safari! And we definitely felt the passengers’ envious looks piercing our backs…

We encounter elephants and horses in pajamas

On we trotted across rocky land with two elephants in the distance to our left, a herd of springbok, zebras and wildebeasts. Andre was eager to show us the grazing spot of their white rhinos but I didn’t feel brave enough to get up close and personal with them on horseback. So we left it for later. Sitting in the saddle as an inexperienced rider was an amazing feeling. While we were riding on I thought of my favourite western movies and how easy it all looked on screen. But it must have been pretty tough for the cowboys in those olden days. I started aching after one hour already and we still had miles to go!

After an hour’s ride we reached a lookout place where we were waited upon with refreshments: snacks, bubbly, juice and the most amazing views into the valley. Revitalized, we made our way back to the lodge slowly, with more wildlife along the way.

And for the rhinos?

Well, Andre had us swap our horses for a sturdy Jeep and off we went to find the rhinos grazing far away from where we were riding earlier. Thank you Andre for respecting my fear of encountering them on horseback! They are unbelievably big and I felt much safer observing them from an open vehicle.

Even Simba is at Aquila

We then made our way towards the lions which are kept separate from the rest of the animals at Aquila. We saw three inquisitive lion cubs – the big ones were lazing in the shade and out of the Karoo sun. On our way down to the Bushman paintings, we came across some graceful giraffes and a few Eland and bumped into our rhinos again who were on their way to get some water. The sun was high up and Andre had packed us with so much information that we were more than ready for a nice lunch at the lodge’s restaurant. We indulged in a salad buffet, cheeses, crackers, warm food like chicken, red meats, potatoes etc. Afterwards coffee and cake. There was so much on offer, it was an absolute feast to both eye and palate.

Never play games with a cheetah

Before heading home, Andre had a surprise up his sleeve: He was waiting for us to have a look at their two young cheetahs. You can actually go into the cage and have your photos taken with them. But as we happened to get them in their lunch break we simply resigned to watching them eat for a while. After an informative chat with Patrick Lane, the new Reserve Manager on how Aquila is gearing itself up more for the family, too - inclusive of kids activities and child care and a big pool currently being built - we headed back to Cape Town through the invigorating Karoo and the Hex River Mountains. What an amazing day. It was so filled with new exiting things that it felt as if we had spent days at Aquila. And next time we might just…

Book your holiday at Aquila and have fun in the Karoo - a few highlights:

Guided Horse-back Safari
No experience is required. Minimum age: 15 years. Duration: 2 hours. Maximum of 9 people per safari.

Quad Bike and Game Drives
Guided Game Drives: Morning and evening in open 4x4 vehicles. Duration: 2-3 hrs incl. of snacks, juice and sparkling wine
Guided Quad Bike Safari: Minimum age 17 years. Max. of 10 people per safari. Duration: 2 hours

Conference and Family
The Conference Centre, Boma Restaurant & Cigar Bar can comfortably accommodate 40-80 delegates for a myriad of function formats. Aquila will offer kiddies entertainment, a big pool and even more family accommodation in 2008.