EASTERN CAPE EXPLORER

Three crystal clear swimming pools – one main pool, one at the Ferreira Suites and another at the Kromm Cottages, invite guests to cool down or unwind.

Guests are welcome to make use of the sun loungers, umbrellas and towels provided. The pools light up at night, offering the opportunity for an atmospheric dip under the stars.

• Images

Complete relaxation awaits at this classic and sophisticated spa. Natural, eco-friendly products and a selection of rejuvenating treatments make the Africology experience an authentic delight.

• Images

South Africa is known for its excellent wines. The newly opened wine shop at the Drostdy Hotel proudly carries wines, among the country’s best, produced by the Rupert family’s estates and sells most of these at cellar door prices. Although contemporary, the shop complements the historic setting in which it is located.

• Images

The Camdeboo National Park almost completely surrounds the town of Graaff-Reinet, stretching from the south of the Sneeuberg mountain range to Pearston and Murraysburg. The word “Camdeboo” is derived from the Khoi language and means “green pool”. Appropriately, the reserve lives up to its name with its wonderful scenic beauty. It is home to a broad spectrum of wildlife and birdlife, including 43 mammal species and 250 bird species. Animals that are regularly sighted include the steenbok, springbok, blesbok and black wildebeest, among others. Interestingly, a number of fossils have been discovered in the area. The reserve is also well-known for its night skies which offer some of the best stargazing in the world.

• Images

The Valley of Desolation – 14 kilometres from Graaff-Reinet – is an exquisite geological phenomenon which is characterised by sheer cliffs and columns of dolerite that rise up to 120 metres from the valley floor. This is the result of many years of volcanic and erosive forces. This breathtaking attraction can be absorbed by car, during hikes along marked trails or at picnic sites.

• Images

One of the best ways to explore South Africa’s fourth oldest town, the daily guided walking tour allows visitors to explore the most fascinating highlights of Graaff-Reinet, including a number of national monuments, in an hour and a half. The tour commences at the Graaff-Reinet Tourism Office, situated in the Old Library Museum, on the corner of Church Street and Somerset Street. It offers excellent photo opportunities and the chance to gain insight from a knowledgeable guide.

• Images

Family-owned and family-run, Samara offers an adventure for all ages. The Samara Team is passionate about educating the next generation of eco-warriors and opening their eyes to the wonders of the wild.

Samara’s malaria-free Big Five wilderness offers an exciting new world just waiting to be discovered. Upon arrival, kids are enrolled in the Samara Cubs Programme, jam-packed with fun activities and inspiring educational experiences, for all ages from toddlers to teens. Parents can opt to relax and unwind or join in, creating opportunities for the whole family to reconnect – with Nature and with each other.

Experienced staff will engage kids in age-appropriate activities, including track identification, painting like the Khoi-San people, walking stick carving, storytelling, T-shirt painting, Spekboom planting, orienteering and navigating. Using the bush as an outdoor classroom, kids will learn about the multitude of other creatures they share the planet with – from bugs and beetles to the "Funny Five".

Children aged 8 and older are welcome on scheduled game drives at Karoo Lodge, and a private vehicle is provided for families staying in a Karoo Family Suite for a minimum of 3 nights, subject to availability. Other guests may book a private vehicle at additional cost, subject to availability. Shorter "bumble" game drives and/or bush walks can also be organised for little children once the scheduled game drive has returned to the lodge.

A dedicated children’s menu is available to cater for individual preferences, including firm favourites like spaghetti bolognese and fun options like DIY pizzas. The emphasis is on healthy, nutritious and comfort food lovingly prepared in our Karoo Kitchen. Mealtimes are flexible and high chairs are available.

• Images

Samara's star bed offers an unforgettable romantic wilderness experience. Located in total seclusion in a riverside location, the mosquito net covered four-poster bed sits atop a raised platform with panoramic views of mountain and sky, designed for tranquil nights absorbing the serenity of the Great Karoo landscape.

The star bed experience starts just before sunset with a picnic dinner and sundowner. Guests will take in the spectacular view across the mountain landscape and watch as local wildlife descends to the river to drink. As the night sky develops, the star bed is in a prime position to admire the canopy of constellations that gathers overhead.

• Images

One of the highlights of a stay at Samara is the opportunity to track wild cheetah on foot. Thanks to a number of habituated individuals, starting with the famous Sibella, Samara has been able to offer unrivalled wild cheetah viewing on foot to many years of Samara guests. Cheetah tracking usually forms part of the morning or afternoon game drive and allows guests to witness the intimate lives of these endangered Big Cats – whether at rest, at play or on the hunt.

• Images

Consisting of 67,000 acres of born-again wilderness covering 5 vegetation biomes and a variety of topographies, Samara offers a diverse safari, both from a landscape and wildlife perspective. Home to the "Big Five" (lion, elephant, black rhino, buffalo and leopard), Samara offers twice-daily game drives to spot these charismatic creatures, as well as the multitude of other species that call the reserve home.

These include cheetah, giraffe and white rhino, as well as lesser-known desert-adapted species such as aardvark, bat-eared fox, meerkat, red hartebeest and springbok. The herds of black wildebeest, Cape mountain zebra and eland on the 'Samara Mara' – vast plateau grasslands rivalling the Serengeti for splendour – thrive amidst the spectacular scenery.

Birders are also catered for with over 225 species at Samara, including flocks of up to 200 endangered Blue Cranes in the winter months.

• Images

Samara is one of few private game reserves where walking forms an integral part of the safari experience. With fragile ecosystems and a "tread lightly" policy, the preferred form of off-roading is on one's own two feet.

And what a way to explore the bush! Let Samara's experienced guides walk you through the five vegetation biomes, pointing out the signs of the wild invisible from the vehicle. Marvel at busy termites as they go about their daily business, listen out for the call of the Honeyguide leading you to wild honey and feel your senses heighten in every way as you navigate the sort of landscape our prehistoric ancestors dwelled in long ago.

Every tree, every rock and every track has a story to tell. Breathe in the silence and space so foreign to our everyday urban lives and feel yourself reconnecting to Nature. No one can fail to be moved by the sound of trickling water in a stream, the gentle whistling of the wind rustling the leaves, the sense of suspense and awe at walking to within metres of endangered cheetah and rhino.

If the conditions are right, you’ll get the opportunity to track these iconic animals on foot. What a privilege to enter their space and witness these animals living wild and free. An unforgettable and humbling experience awaits.

• Images

At Samara, the wealth of stunning landscapes positively begs to be the setting for a delicious meal, whether it be a well-earned breakfast buffet, light lunch in the shade of a shepherd tree or dinner under the stars. Aside from the beautiful locations, gourmet picnic food has a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that just epitomises holiday mode.

As well as dining on your lodge verandah or in the outdoors "boma" with a campfire at its centre, there are a myriad other dining options to enjoy at Samara. From a picnic lunch in the riverbed at the height of summer with cool water flowing past your toes, to the iconic mountain picnic experience on the Samara Mara, you’ll struggle to go back to dining in urban eateries.

• Images

Samara's fly camping experience is an immersive adventure encompassing a guided afternoon bush walk and a sleep-out in one of Africa's most exquisite landscapes.

In safari days of yore, explorers setting up camp in big game country had to make do with little more than a fly sheet to protect them from the elements and the wildlife. Fly camping takes its name from this tradition, and although today’s camps are typically more substantial, there’s an undeniable thrill to going back to basics. Samara’s fly camping excursion pays homage to these origins and takes full advantage of the reserve’s vastness and diversity, offering an experience that is simple yet spectacular.

• Images

Every Samara guest helps the reserve to achieve its conservation vision simply by staying in one of its lodges. For those who want to delve a little deeper, to understand how a game reserve truly operates behind the scenes, Samara offers hands-on conservation sessions and personalised tours of its rewilding projects.

The Conservation Journey is a 5-night experience offering a thoughtfully-crafted itinerary that enables participants to develop a meaningful understanding of Samara’s conservation efforts, without compromising on 5-star comforts.

Activities include daily hands-on conservation sessions, subject to reserve needs at the time. This can include wildlife monitoring, camera trapping, land rehabilitation, Spekboom planting, research assistance, ecosystem management and community projects.

• Images