Cape Town Sunset Game Drive
The Cape Town sunset game drive and the other times of day: why the pickup is at 11:00, when the drive starts, the afternoon and morning safaris, and getting back.
Most of the Cape Town day safaris on this site are sunset game drives, and that sets the shape of the day: a late-morning pickup, two and a half hours on the road, time at the lodge, then the drive itself in the late afternoon, when the animals move to water after a hot day in the Karoo. Mathew transport and tours’ sunset safari, in the calendar below, starts at 11:00 AM, runs about 9 hours and is from US$165 per person (checked November 2026). If you would rather be back in daylight, the afternoon and morning safaris are the other choice.
Why an 11:00 pickup for a sunset drive?
Because the reserve is far. The car ride is about two and a half hours each way, and the packages build in time at the lodge: a welcome drink, tea, coffee and snacks before the drive, the pool or the bar after it. Zizo legacy tours and transport's Aquila safari is the clearest about the timing: pickup starts at 11:00 and the safari truck boards between 16:00 and 18:30. One reviewer of Mathew transport and tours’ safari on 19 October 2026 had the game drive start at 16:00 and last about two and a half hours.
So a Cape Town game drive at sunset means a late return. The day is about 9 hours from pickup; with an 11:00 AM start, plan to be back in the evening and to eat late, since lunch is not on that safari’s include list.
Check dates for the sunset game drive
The other times of day
Aquila Private Game Reserve, the reserve most Cape Town day trips go to, sells its own safaris at three times of day (November 2026):
| Aquila’s safari | Times | Food | Transport from Cape Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Morning Safari | 07h00 to 11h45 | Welcome drinks, lunch and refreshments | Your own |
| Afternoon Safari | 12h00 to 16h30 | Welcome drinks, lunch and refreshments | Available at extra cost |
| Sunset Safari | 15h00 to 19h00 | Welcome drinks, sundowners and safari snacks | Your own |
The early morning safari is the hardest to reach from Cape Town: a 07h00 start at a reserve about 175 km away, by Aquila’s own figure, means leaving in the dark or staying nearby the night before, and no package on this site does it. The afternoon safari includes lunch and finishes at 16h30, so you are back before the evening.
Among the Cape Town tours, the one that runs earlier is Beyond Africa Safaris - Gray Line South Africa's Aquila day: a 9:00 AM start, a buffet lunch at the reserve, then a 3-hour game drive, 8 hours in all, from US$300 per person (checked November 2026).
Sunset or lunch first?
From Cape Town: Safari Big 5 Game Reserve Sunset Game Drive
An 11:00 AM pickup in Cape Town, Sea Point or Camps Bay, snacks at the lodge and a 2-3 hour drive as the sun goes down. About 9 hours; no lunch on the list.
Check dates →From Cape Town: Aquila Game Reserve Safari Tour with Lunch
A 9:00 AM start, a buffet lunch at Aquila Game Reserve and a 3-hour game drive, 8 hours in all. Aquila's entry fee is included.
See the safari →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026). Operators price by date, option and group size, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
What to bring
A warm layer for the open truck once the sun drops; one reviewer in June 2026 found the day cold outside. Swimwear if you want the pool: a reviewer on 11 November 2026 had an hour at the pool and had not been told to bring any. Sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen and a camera cover the rest.
The Sunset Game Drive from Cape Town
Mathew transport and tours: hotel pickup, the round trip, the reserve's entry fee and a 2-3 hour sunset game drive with a ranger.
Check dates