Samara Karoo Reserve

Samara Karoo Reserve offers an unforgettable safari experience for discerning travelers. Set on 67,000 acres of heart-stoppingly beautiful restored wilderness, the award-winning malaria-free reserve encompasses 5 vegetation biomes, including the unique Samara Mara, and a diversity of wildlife, including the Big Five. Three intimate lodges lie nestled beneath an amphitheatre of mountains, offering guests the feeling of having this timeless landscape all to themselves. Encircled by a natural amphitheatre of mountains, Karoo Lodge, a lovingly restored farmhouse lies on the first property purchased by Samara’s founders in 1997. Combining modern day comforts with a rustic and welcoming feel, Karoo Lodge is the perfect place to relax and allow the tranquillity of the Karoo to envelop you – on the wide verandah in summer or by the cosy fire in winter. With 10 suites of varying sizes, Karoo Lodge caters for individual travellers, couples, families and small groups. The Manor is an elegant 4-suite villa, a striking oasis in the semi-desert landscape. Each suite comprises a bedroom and bathroom with shower and free-standing bath. A private patio with outdoor seating looks out over a mountain landscape. The Manor is small enough to feel intimate, yet large enough to give all guests a feeling of space and privacy. The villa opens up into two living areas and two smaller breakaway lounging alcoves. Unwind by the fireplace where a crackling fire burns in the winter months and the large glass doors to the patio are cast wide open in summer. An off-grid experience with spellbinding views, Plains Camp focuses on walking safaris and reconnecting with nature in elegant simplicity. No Wi-FI, no electricity, no high-tech distractions, just a grounding, humbling experience in nature. Four deluxe tents welcome guests for a unique explorer-style experience with a focus on the ultimate luxuries, time and space. Located in a remote part of the reserve with spellbinding views and abundant wildlife including the Big 5, this unpretentious eco-conscious camp lets the landscape do the talking, allowing guests to disconnect from their busy lives in soothing solitude. Samara combines magnificent landscapes and wildlife viewing with understated luxury and a greater conservation purpose, delivering a safari for the soul.

Samara Karoo Reserve comprises 67,000-acres of breathtaking Big 5 wilderness near Graaff-Reinet in South Africa’s malaria-free Eastern Cape province. The nearest national airport is in Port Elizabeth, 270 km from the reserve (2.5 hour drive to the reserve gate). Port Elizabeth is serviced with daily flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg. Guests can self-drive to Samara, book a road transfer or charter a plane directly onto Samara’s 1.5km gravel airstrip. Nearby Graaff-Reinet boasts a 1.5 km tarred runway with landing lights. Samara is a 40 minute drive from Graaff-Reinet

* Game drives * Guided walks * Wilderness picnics * Cheetah tracking on foot * Aardvark spotting (winter is best) * Birding * Hiking