There are some places that instantly connect with your soul and hold a special spot in your heart long after the trip has ended. The Rooikat Safari Collection on The West Coast Private Game Reserve is one of those places. West Coast Safaris has created a little piece of heaven on earth, and the best part is, if you’re looking for safari accommodation near Cape Town, this gem is only an hour’s drive from Cape Town.
West Coast Private Game Reserve was established in November 2024 with a vision of rewilding an overlooked area of the Cape West Coast and turning it into an environment where you can connect with both nature and wildlife. This also made it the perfect location for Capetonians and tourists looking for day safaris near Cape Town! And what’s even better, if you’d like to extend your West Coast safari experience, The Salt Mine – Rooikat Safari Collection accommodation is the perfect place.
We recently stayed at The Salt Mine and we’re happy to present to you another family friendly Western Cape safari option.
The Salt Mine – Rooikat Safari Collection Accommodation at West Coast Private Game Reserve
This luxury Cape West Coast self-catering safari accommodation offers two secluded houses situated along the salt pans in the center of the game reserve and we stayed in the Porcupine house. I especially loved the privacy of the two houses because even though they’re opposite each other, the indigenous vegetation does an excellent job of keeping it secluded.
Upon our arrival, the first thing I noticed was how seamlessly the house flows into the bushveld environment, courtesy of the large glass sliding doors. We unpacked and had afternoon drinks and snacks on the patio while the zebras showed off for us right on our doorstep.
We got into the hot tub just as the sun was setting and were spoiled with a sighting of Springboks that were on their way to the watering hole. West Coast Private Game Reserve has truly done an amazing job of blending the marvel of nature and wildlife with the accommodation. The hot tub and fire pit are also ideally placed for stargazing, and we wondered at the twinkling stars before heading back inside the cozy house.
The open plan layout of the accommodation is ideal for families; my son and I played board games in the lounge while dad prepared the meat for braai in the kitchen but could still give input into our next moves! The Khoisan artwork in the lounge also deserves a special mention and we were enlightened by the Rock Paintings of South Africa coffee table book.
Even though the house’s power is run entirely on a solar system, we could all enjoy warm showers and leisurely baths without running out of hot water. The Fynbos teas, herbs and soaps throughout the house were also a nice local touch. As you can imagine, it was very hard to check-out of this house!
An Authentic West Coast Game Drive with West Coast Safaris
There are many Western Cape safaris to choose from, but if you’re looking for an authentic Cape West Coast experience, the West Coast Private Game Reserve covers more than 1700ha of dunes and coastal fynbos, allowing for a varied habitat. It’s also ideal for a Cape Town safari day trip because at under an hour’s drive, it’s the closest game reserve near Cape Town!
Game drives depart from the Weskus Padstal, which is also the perfect place to have lunch at as the game drive lasts for approximately 2.5 – 3 hours. The game reserve is home to Giraffe, Zebra, Buffalo, Wildebeest, Springbok, Eland, Kudu, Red Hartebeest, Waterbuck, Steenbok, Duiker, Porcupine and Caracal. Andre is an incredibly knowledgeable guide as he hails from the Kalahari, and we learned many a fun fact from him. We really appreciated the intimate feeling of the game drive as it’s done in a 9-seater safari vehicle making it a wonderful family friendly Western Cape safari experience. The safari includes a coffee/tea stop where we also heard from Andre that the reserve will be introducing Hippos in the near future!
Game drives depart daily at either 9am or 2pm – rates: adult (12 and older) – R750 | Children (3-11 years old) – R300 | Private use of vehicle in the reserve – R4500 | Infants (under 3) are welcome to join if you book private use of a vehicle.
West Coast Safaris also offers a range of other experiences such as safari horse rides, whale watching/sea safari as well as Safari & San heritage tours which includes private transportation from Cape Town. Visit their website for more information.
