Aquila - June 18th, 2019

June 18, 2019

Aquila - June 18th, 2019

Animal lovers this post is for you! Today we left the hotel early in the morning for Aquila, which is a game reserve outside of the heart of Cape Town. We drove for about two and half hours full of beautiful farmlands, vineyards and rolling hills. Upon arrival, we had a delicious lunch buffet with a variety of food such as roasted potatoes, barbecue chicken, and an array of desserts. Later we took in some sun by the pool and some of us enjoyed ice cream. From our rooms, we delighted in the beautiful views of the mountain range before us. A gorgeous view stretched behind large swaths of indigenous plants. After a couple of hours of down time in our cozy rooms, we filed into a jeep for our safari. The very first animal we saw were the hippos swimming together. (Fun fact: Hippos live for about 35 years.) Next, we saw the graceful springbok eating grass with other animals such as antelope and buffalo. Additionally, we saw a four-year old white rhino from afar. Later, we would also see baby rhinos with their mothers. (Fun Fact: female rhinos have longer horns than males to protect their young). There were many sights and sounds to take in on this tour. Halfway through the safari we landed at a rest stop where we had a few refreshments. Once we had refueled, we saw a group of wildebeests just before we saw a pride of magnificent lions. The sunset from the jeep we saw on the way back was almost as peaceful and elegant as the two elephants that we had seen earlier in the day. Once this amazing expedition came to an end, we spent time together until dinner. After a delicious evening meal complete with grilled ostrich, we had the opportunity to take advantage of skies clear of light pollution as we sat by a fire and watched the stars.

-Sydney