Uber Safari: Experience South African Wildlife with a Tap on Your Phone
Staff Editor Uber Safari: A New Way to Experience South African Wildlife
In a unique collaboration between ride-sharing giant Uber and Aquila Private Game Reserve, tourists in Cape Town, South Africa, can now embark on a wildlife adventure with just a few taps on their smartphones. The new “Uber Safari” service, available from October 2024 to January, offers a flat-rate package for up to four people, including transportation, lunch, and a safari experience.
Sharon Waugh, a recent participant, shared her experience with the service. “For about $190, we got a full day of adventure,” Waugh said. The package includes a welcome drink, a buffet-style lunch, and a two-hour safari at Aquila Private Game Reserve, located approximately two hours from Cape Town.
The popularity of Uber Safari is evident, with bookings filled weeks in advance. Passengers are picked up in Cape Town at 9:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in luxury vehicles, such as the BMW X3, and travel in a convoy to Aquila.
Upon arrival at Aquila, guests are greeted with welcome drinks and required to sign indemnity forms and provide photo IDs. Waugh noted that the ID requirement was not mentioned in the Uber app, suggesting potential room for improved communication.
The buffet lunch at Aquila received high praise from Waugh. “The food was delicious and offered great variety, including vegetarian, seafood, and chicken options,” she commented.
The highlight of the experience is the two-hour safari through Aquila’s 10,000-hectare reserve. Guests can expect to see a diverse range of wildlife, including elephants, rhinos, buffalo, ostriches, hippos, and zebras roaming freely. Lions, rescued from the canned-hunting industry, are housed in a separate enclosure.
The entire experience, from pickup to drop-off, lasts approximately eight and a half hours. Waugh found the flat rate reasonable, considering the inclusions of transportation, lunch, and the safari. “It’s a great value and I would definitely recommend it to others,” she concluded.
As Uber continues to diversify its services, Uber Safari represents an innovative approach to combining transportation with tourism experiences. With its apparent success in Cape Town, it remains to be seen whether similar services will be introduced in other wildlife-rich destinations around the world.
