Aquila Private Game Reserve

Aquila Private Game Reserve in Klein Karoo is the best Safari to visit in the Cape Region as it is conveniently located only two hours away from Cape Town.

Monkeys were running freely on the highway

We had already seen enough wild life on the road, but I was so excited to go on my first ever safari! 


Of course there was still the important matter of satisfying our tummy's needs. We can't go on another adventure with an empty stomach so we headed straight to the restaurant to hit the buffet and it was GOOD.

The dining area was beautiful, with a high ceiling and a very rustic feel. I just knew that the rest of the grounds would be as nice and I had to go around and explore!

The Dining Area

Beautiful chalets and cottages for tourists who would like to spend the night and experience nature at its best. You won't exactly be "roughing it" the rooms are BEAUTIFUL.

Pool by the entrance

Pool  by the Dining Area

Our ride was already waiting for us outside by the time I finished taking pictures.

And the adventure soon began! I'm not one to get excited over animals, but this was amazing. Zebras, Lions, Rhinos-- You name it, we saw it!

Springboks

Zebras

Wildebeests

Rhinos

Hippos

And then came the main event, the Lion's Den. The entire area was surrounded by electric fences and a huge, sturdy gate that reminded me of the movie Jurassic park.

There's the guide locking the gate behind us. No more turning back!

We were told not to make sudden movements, to keep quiet, and to make sure that we didn't make any eye contact with the lions. Doing so might make the lion feel threatened and they MIGHT attack the group. AAAAAHHH! 



They all looked up the moment we entered the den. What an intimidating bunch!  Err.. Don't kill me please!

There's the daddy Lion :D

We were able to leave the den unscathed. I seriously had my doubts because the group was so noisy.

It was finally time for a celebratory drink! We're still aliiiiive! haha 

Stellenbosch and the Winelands

I enjoyed this part of the trip a lot. And for someone who would probably pass out after a sip of wine, that says a lot. 

The route was very picturesque, with stops for wine tasting, a feast of authentic South African food, and a bit of shopping in the quaint town of Stellenbosch.

Most would say that starting the tour with the wine tasting would be perfect. I couldn't agree any less. And so while the group started the wine tasting, I lagged behind and took pictures outside.

But then I saw the guide and discovered a new found interest in wine. hahaha. The guide KIND OF looks like Tom Cruise in person, the photo doesn't do him any justice. 

Ok, so the first part of my post is useless. I really don't like wine. haha

And here's a place that I truly loved. Moyo, Stellenbosch.

It allowed me to get a taste of the African Culture and a taste of their delicious cuisine. I also got a feel of how warm these people can be. To top it off, we got to experience all this amidst a beautiful African landscape.

This is the sight that greeted us the moment we stepped out of the car. Isn't it beautiful? 


And then we were met by one of the hosts of Moyo. He's a REALLY tall guy, I don't remember his name. Hmm... But he's as tall as the tree house behind him (exag). haha

We then headed to the dining area where our hands were washed at the table. 

Each of our faces were painted with beautiful patterns. 

Then it was finally time to eat. To say that it was a feast would be an understatement. 

There were several stalls such as this, with pots and pots of African dishes. Oh I ate so much, each bite would fill your mouth with a burst of flavor that would leave you asking for more.  


The experience doesn't end there. As we ate, the people of Moyo continued to entertain and educate us as they danced and played wonderful music on the stage.

After the eating and the dancing, we headed out to check the tree house. If you're with a small group, you can actually opt to eat there. 

Our time at Moyo was about to end, but the day was far from over. There was still so much more of Stellenbosch to see.

It was finally time to explore the Stellenbosch City Center. Our guide kept telling us that he would only give us 30 minutes to explore and do a little bit of shopping. Of course this was impossible.

There I am, already carrying mom's big purchase for the day, an ostrich leather hand bag in a beautiful shade of turquoise.

Words to live by. Yes?

I completely fell in love with this place and I would have loved to stay longer to see what's beyond this street. 

But it was time to head back to lovely Cape Town, our home for the past 7 days and I couldn't be any happier. It had been a long and beautiful day, but I couldn't wait to get some much needed rest!

I hope to see you again someday, Stellenbosch!

On Top of Table Mountain!

One tourist spot that Cape Town is best known for is Table Mountain, a flat topped mountain overlooking the entire city. Tourists would have to ride a cable car in order to get to the top, however they would always stop the cable car operation if it's  too foggy. 

We all had our fingers crossed, and thank god we were lucky because the cable cars were fully operational! Yay!

My excitement was short lived because as soon as we reached the mountain and the door opened, I felt a blast of freezing cold air. Brrrr. Hahaha I was wearing a summer dress, sandals and mom's leather coat (my life saver). 

I looked so stupid. I asked the guide what the temperature was, and he told me it was 9 degrees. Ha-Ha. After this trip, I learned never to leave the country without checking the weather forecast.

Oh dear Sun, please stay and keep me warm.

And it did... for about 5 minutes! 

We spotted a cafe on top of the mountain and decided to get a hot cup of coffee inside, as well as a little snack to keep our stomachs full. We still had a long day ahead!

You won't believe how good it felt to get inside a heated room with a hot cup of coffee and the smell of warm, freshly baked bread after nearly freezing outside. 

But then it was time to go! Next stop, the tour of Stellenbosch and the Winelands!

The Peninsula and Cape of Good Hope

We spent our next day touring the Cape Peninsula.

First stop was Hout Bay, a seaside village located a few minutes away from the central business district of Cape Town. 

That's Hout Bay Harbour. I have no idea what they feed their dogs, this one looks like a bear!!! haha

Tourists who visit Hout Bay also get to treat themselves to a little souvenir shopping. 

Everyone headed straight to the stall selling Ostrich Eggs. Each Ostrich Egg is beautifully hand painted with images that would best represent South Africa. 

Stalls and booths selling small trinkets, accessories and all types of wooden figurines may also be seen right beside the harbour.  

It was a very windy day, and I wasn't prepared for the weather.

There I am in my sun dress and sandals while everyone else was bundled up in layers and layers of clothing (I borrowed the jacket from my mom). I looked so cold and out of place that our guide asked me if I would want him to get me a pair of pants. Haha

The sun started shining again as we made our way to Cape of Good Hope. We thought we saw a whale as the car passed by the ocean, so we  decided to stop for a few minutes to take some photos and catch some sun.

And then the day just started to get colder and colder. OH NO!!! 

Cape of Good Hope is said to be the south-western tip of the African Continent. 

We decided to have lunch first before proceeding with the rest of our Cape of Good Hope tour.

The prawns in South Africa are the freshest, juiciest and sweetest tasting prawns that I've 

ever tried. During our 7-day stay in Cape Town, I would always check the menu for prawns and order it immediately. I was never disappointed!

That's Dane. He's a taxi driver in South Africa, and he volunteered to tour our entire group for one whole week. He's AMAZING!!! He made sure that everyone's sightseeing request was fulfilled, AND he made sure that we ate at the restaurants that are favored by the locals.

 

This baboon sat on the road to bid us goodbye as we headed to our next destination...

 BOULDERS BEACH to see the Penguin Colony! I never imagined them to be so tiny!

South Africa is DEFINITELY amazing.