| The term ‘Big Five' originated among the | | | | Northern Cape and the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game |
| hunters of a bygone era to describe not the | | | | Park in Kwa-Zulu Natal. |
| largest of the animals that they hunted, but the | | | | Visitors who are confined to the Cape Town area |
| most dangerous. | | | | are often under the impression that they will be |
| These are lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and | | | | unable to view the Big Five. However there is a |
| rhinoceros. Every one of these animals has a | | | | reserve only 90 minutes from the centre of Cape |
| reputation for pursuing its attacker with intent to | | | | Town, Aquila, where one can view four of the Big |
| kill. Perhaps the most persistent is the buffalo, | | | | Five. Self-drive or guided drive tours are available |
| which will ceaselessly pursue his aggressor, making | | | | from Cape Town - even one day tours are |
| hunting a life-or-death experience for the hunted | | | | possible, although you may well wish to stay |
| and the hunter! | | | | overnight in the appealing accommodation set in |
| All of these mammals are to be found in South | | | | 4500 hectares of pristine Karoo landscape. The |
| Africa, making this country one of the most | | | | terrain is varied - from mountains and valleys to |
| popular locations for safari style holidays. | | | | wetlands - ideal for game viewing be it in a |
| Indeed, South Africa has embraced this rich | | | | 4×4 safari vehicle, on horseback or even by |
| wildlife heritage and welcomes visitors from all | | | | quad-bike. Aquila is home to four of the Big Five |
| around the world who come to experience close | | | | animals: lion, buffalo, rhino and the rare Mountain |
| encounters with the magnificent beasts. Many of | | | | Leopard. You may also spot and giraffe and hippo, |
| our game lodges offer the most luxurious | | | | not to mention herds of wildebeest, zebra, |
| accommodation and facilities available for | | | | springbok and other bucks, plus baboon, jackal |
| ‘bush' holidays in the world. | | | | and the bat-eared fox. |
| The Sabi Sands Game Reserve in the | | | | What with the wetlands, you can expect a wealth |
| Mpumalanga province, for example, is arguably the | | | | of bird-life viewing to complete your safari |
| most exclusive game reserve in the country. With | | | | experience - all so close to Cape Town! |
| no fences existing between the Kruger Park and | | | | Those who can travel as far as the Eastern Cape |
| Sabi Sands, the wildlife roams free between the | | | | - a pleasant day's drive along the beautiful Garden |
| two reserves. Leopards are the main attraction | | | | Route - can also view the Big Five and other |
| here, and these awesome creatures are so | | | | species of game at the excellent Addo Elephant |
| accustomed to humans that you can even follow | | | | Park and Shamwari Game Reserve - both |
| them while hunting, in an off-road vehicle. All of | | | | well-worth the visit for game lovers. |
| the Big Five can be viewed at Sabi Sands. | | | | A safari holiday to South Africa is often |
| Other well-known and excellent reserves around | | | | considered incomplete without sightings of the Big |
| the country where one can view the Big Five in | | | | Five. These days most people are content to |
| South Africa include the world-renowned Kruger | | | | take home photographs of the living animals |
| Park in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces, the | | | | rather than skins and hunting trophies. However |
| Pilansberg Game Reserve in the North Western | | | | there are legal hunting reserves for those who |
| Province, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the | | | | feel the need. |