Shamwari Private Game Reserve

Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape

5 stars

Home of two Born Free big cat sanctuaries, the Shamwari Private Game Reserve is a malaria-free private game reserve near Port Elizabeth, boasting just under 30,000 hectares of land, bursting with free roaming wild animals, birdlife and indigenous Flora and Fauna. Game drives depart twice a day and are included within your stay, travelling in open 4x4 vehicles with your experienced ranger, with sightings of the ‘Big Five’ plentiful. Guided walks are also a fantastic way to get to grips with your stunning surrounds and make sure you visit the brand new Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Accommodation is of the highest standard throughout the seven lodges with Eagles Crag lodge recommended for those who adore privacy and serenity. Families are also more than welcome at Riverdene Family Lodge, offering a range of child-friendly activities to take advantage of (kids aged 4 and over are welcome on family game-drives too). As well as the wildlife, there’s a swimming pool with shallow area just for them, a kids club and outdoor adventure centre. Long Lee Manor offers the feel of a bygone era and Bayethe tented lodge offers a wonderful ‘back to the bush’ experience never to be forgotten. Sarili Lodge offers an intimate experience with only five rooms, perfect for families, groups and friends with a large deck overlooking the Bushman’s River. Meals can be enjoyed in your lodge, the dining room or in the boma, feasting on traditional African dishes from the barbecue.

Amenities

Wheelchair access
Safari
Bar
Restaurant
Spa

Shamwari Private Game Reserve

Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape

5 stars

Amenities

Wheelchair access
Safari
Bar
Restaurant
Spa

“Wow!”

Dec 10, 2025TheWalkingTraveler

Lodging and food was absolutely perfect, but what makes this place stand out is the hospitality and perfectly balanced service. The wonderful Mr. Buja was always one step ahead of us as to what we could wish for. A man that made our stay extra memorable. Please forward this to him. Our Ranger had all the qualities one could wish for - knowledgeable about wild life, driving skills that put Verstapen to shame, funny and eager to make the game drives absolutely brilliant. And.. The entire staff, kitchen, housekeeping, front desk, and all the hard working people in the background made this into a dream visit. Susanne & Jonas

“An Unforgettable Experience which will stay with us forever ....”

Dec 08, 2025WildRover007

We’ve just returned from an amazing trip to Shamwari’s Private Game Reserve, staying at Eagles Crag Lodge for six nights. To say the experience surpassed our expectations would be an understatement. Shamwari owns around 74000 acres of land covering five of South Africa’s nine biomes. Conservation is a key focus and the ‘safari’ experience there is intimate and personalised. The luxury provided by the lodge was at a level we’ve never experienced before, anywhere in the world. Enormous suite room with private pool and large deck, lots of treats in the room and a well stocked mini-bar. Michelin quality food was served at all meals (far too much for us but ...hey... others will love the volume!) and our dietary needs were very well catered for with personalised menus at every meal. Bman was our butler; a fun chap with exceptional guest care skills, bundles of energy and a passion to please. The trip was to celebrate our retirement and forthcoming 30th wedding anniversary. One evening we returned to our suite to find a beautiful display in our room with heart shape leaves and rose petals, a bottle of pink champagne and gorgeous fruit and chocolate treats. What a wonderful gesture! We had the privilege of visiting the Born Free Foundation located on the reserve and the rehabilitation centre for orphaned or injured animals mostly brought into Shamwari from other locations. Being able to see the critically endangered black rhino whilst knowing that Shamwari’s anti-poaching system protects them as far as possible was brilliant. Observing big cats and their cubs in the wild was magnificent and being surrounded in the vehicle by a herd of 50 wild elephants is something we will never forget. ❤️❤️ Our personal ranger, Dom, was such a very knowledgeable man, great fun, very relatable, super passionate in his job, and going above and beyond to give us the best chance to see specific animals. We felt very safe and exceptionally well looked after in the vehicle. The game drives were thrilling and the bush walks particularly exciting, observing elephants, zebra and lions in close proximity, protected by at least two rangers at any one time. The whole trip was a great learning experience and that's a big thumbs up from us. Bravo Dom! You’re a credit to @shamwariprivategamereserve and you will go far in your career. We are already planning our next visit. Thanks again Shamwari and the Eagles Crag team. You are truly the best.

“Nature lover’s paradise, thanks Indian Ranger!”

Nov 19, 2025Spencer C

My family’s trip to South Africa lasted for 10 days and Shamwari was hands down my favourite part. I have been wanting to do an African safari ever since I was a boy, and this exceeded any expectations I had. Being an enormous continent, it is hard to decide which guide service to choose. Shamwari is not the biggest reserve (though they have been constantly buying land from neighboring farms), and it is not guaranteed to see everything on your outings (since they don’t fill the reserve with unhealthy levels of animals). Regardless, I still would highly recommend Shamwari for anyone undecided on where to go. While sightings are not guaranteed, my family was blessed to see almost all of the Big 5 on the first day, including really rare sightings of both cheetah and lion cubs from a very close but respectful distance (these animals are conditioned to the vehicles so they weren’t bothered). Neither this nor their 5-star food was what made me fall in love with Shamwari. Two things stand out about this reserve that make me consider coming back despite the absurdly long flight from Eastern United States (while my family just missed its opening, Shamwari now has a landing strip with connecting flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg). One is that they employ the best employee in the world. Our guide, Mino or “Uncle Mino” as we were permitted to call him, immediately made my family feel welcomed, respected, and even loved. This amazing human being’s love extends to all peoples and of course, animals. We learned an incredible amount about the reserve and its flora and fauna, the country of South Africa, and Mino through his captivating stories. Being a highly curious family, we all asked many questions. There was not one he could not answer. His expertise and familiarity with the reserve is what allowed us to have a true adventure. The second and most important highlight about Shamwari is their conservation efforts. They have the country’s best vets, biologists, and rangers to make sure the animals stay safe and can thrive. They also have an amazing rehabilitation center to, for example, help with the recovery of endangered species or with the rehabilitation of animals affected by poaching. Shamwari has a very robust anti-poaching unit, so we never felt unsafe or overly worried for the animals. The reserve does much other great work like affordable education for local youths to systematically combat poaching. There are many other great things to be said about Shamwari, their accommodations, and their staff, but I encourage others to learn through their own experiences.

Shamwari Private Game Reserve

Amenities

Hotel details

Facilities

Accessibility

Minimum Stay

Additional Information

Protection for your Package Holiday

Shamwari Private Game Reserve

Amenities

Hotel details

Facilities

Accessibility

Minimum Stay

Additional Information

Protection for your Package Holiday