This region checks all the boxes. A short flight to Port Elizabeth from Cape Town or Johannesburg. Alternatively, turn it into a journey and drive from Cape Town. Incorporate the magical Garden Route, passing by towns such as Swellendam, Oudtshoorn, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay.
The private safari lodges are 1-3 hours drive from Port Elizabeth. The safari lodges in this region offer an exceptional Big Five experience yet are malaria-free and suitable for all ages.
Recommended minimum night stay: 3 nights
UNMISSABLE EXPERIENCES:
- Rhino Conservations Safari
A recommended three-night, four-day safari offers you the opportunity to participate in Kwandwe’s exciting rhino-darting and notching programme. Under the supervision of experts, the rhino is darted in order to plant microchips into the horns and perform ear-notching for future identification – an essential task to ensure the preservation of this endangered species. The best time is generally 1 May – 30 September due to cooler weather conditions, however it can be done all year. The procedure is always subject to the availability of the wildlife management team as well as the availability of rhinos that need to be notched for conservation purposes. Not suitable for children under the age of 16 years old. - 2- night walking safari
This once-in-a-lifetime experience takes guests on a guided walking safari of the surrounding land, allowing you to get up close and personal with nature. The Camp is discreetly fenced for safety reasons but retains true explorer ambiance. The tents are placed in close proximity without encroaching on the other tents’ privacy, while the camp is located on a plateau set among the only basalt and granite extrusions on Shamwari – a truly magical setting.
*Activity available from October - Tracking Cheetah on foot
One of the highlights of a stay at Samara is the opportunity to track wild cheetah on foot. Thanks to a number of calm individuals, starting with our famous Sibella, we have been able to offer unrivalled wild cheetah viewing to many years of Samara guests.Several cheetahs at the reserve have radio collars so that they can be tracked. This is essential given the type of terrain they live in – from hunting in the thicket adjoining the rivers to giving birth on steep mountain slopes. Depending on the vegetation, your guide will also point out the signs of a cheetah’s presence – from tracks to dung to scratch marks on a tree trunk.The Tracker Academy, based at the reserve, is the first of its kind in South Africa. 16 young people are hand-picked to enrol on the programme, learning the dying art of tracking as well as valuable skills to help them gain employment in the ecotourism industry.
