Uber Safari: The magic of South Africa is one ride away
When most of us think of Uber, we think of a trip to the mall, the airport or even a safe ride home after a night out on the town.
Well, lets flip the script… I see your Uber X and I raise you Uber Safari! Listen, let me paint a picture for you.
Think elephants, lions, mocktails (or cocktails) and an Uber Black. Yes, you read that right, I said Uber Black. It’s giving luxury, it’s giving ‘living my best life’, and it’s giving total convenience at the tip of your fingers.
This could be the perfect day out for you, your family, your friends and even your gogo, or even the perfect outing for a girls day out. So if you are in Cape Town, it is a must do adventure.
Uber Safari is an experience and forms a part of their ‘Go Anywhere’ series, but think Africa edition. They have had Uber Bubbles between Paris and Champagne, Uber Boat in Mykonos, and Uber Balloon in Cappadocia.
Uber East & South Africa General Manager, Imran Manji, said Uber Safari is a wildlife adventure offering travellers and locals alike effortless access to one of Africa’s most iconic experiences.
“We’ve designed our ‘Go Anywhere’ series to help our customers book bucket list adventures with the Uber convenience they know and love,” he said.
“With Uber Safari — one of our most wild offerings to date — our reserve technology makes it easier than ever to unlock an epic South African travel experience.”
Just imagine — a safari experience outside the Mother City, all at the tip of your fingers.
We got fetched at our starting point in Cape Town and enjoyed the comfort of Uber Black, which made the scenic route to Aquila Private Game Reserve more than enjoyable.
Our driver, Herbert made sure we were not only comfortable but also safe. And upon arrival we enjoyed an Aquila welcome and had some drinks, then a yummy lunch before the main attraction — the game drive.
We met our tour driver/game ranger, Trevor who was not only friendly but knowledgeable. He made sure we had ample time at each stop along our drive so we could ask questions and take enough pictures before moving onto the next stop.
It was incredible, we saw hippo, ostriches, rhino, lions, various buck, buffalo (from a safe distance) many zebra, and the most amazing and memorable elephant experience.
Trevor was more than happy to answer questions about the different animals we saw, the environment and what Aquila was doing on sustainable tourism.
The Uber-Aquila team took care of everything for us and all we had to do was show up, cameras or phones ready.
Three quarters into the drive, we had a pit-stop where we had refreshments and a comfort break after hours of endless excitement, adventure and picture taking, before heading back.
Available on the Uber app from October 1 to February 1, Manji said it was the perfect day trip for people in Cape Town looking to see the big five.
Before heading back to Cape Town, you can have a look around Aquila’s stunning grounds.
"We're excited to partner with Uber to extend our bucket list wildlife experiences to their customers,” Commercial Officer of Aquila Collection, Johan van Schalkwyk said.
“Uber Safari allows folks to book and enjoy an unforgettable day at Aquila, where they’ll get to experience the Big 5 in an easy and luxurious way,” he said.
“It’s the perfect combination of modern convenience and natural beauty, all while supporting wildlife conservation efforts that are vital to preserving South Africa’s biodiversity.”
Booking through the Uber app is so convenient, and you can make reservations from 24 hours to 90 days ahead of time. What about the cost, you ask? There is a flat fee of $200 (around R3,450) for up to four people and it is available on Fridays and Saturdays.
Many South Africans dream of a trip like this, but with Uber its all possible. Grab your bestie or make it a solo trip, and see the beauty that makes Mzanzi special.
Safari season is open so hop in your Uber and make sure you say hello to Simba when you get there.
Making your booking:
– Open the Uber app, and select the ‘Uber Safari’ icon from the home screen.
– Read about Uber Safari and then choose an available date.
– Set your pick-up and drop-off locations.
– Make sure everything looks right and click ‘Reserve Uber Safari.’ Once your email is confirmed, you will receive an email.
* Devereaux Morkel was invited by Uber.
IOL