Shamwari Private Game Reserve
Overview
South Africa Parks
Philip lives in South Africa and has authored many guidebooks to African destinations, including ‘The Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa’.
Shamwari is the best-known of the Eastern Cape’s private reserves. It offers excellent wildlife viewing with a good variety of animals including all the Big Five. The very exclusive experience includes open-vehicle game drives with high-quality guiding and luxury accommodation with first-rate food and service. Some lodges in Shamwari are family-friendly and run a 'Kids on Safari' program
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
Shamwari is the oldest private wildlife reserve in the Cape. Sightings of four of the Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino) are almost as certain as in the private wildlife reserves in the Greater Kruger area. Leopard sightings are more unusual. The white rhino is common in the grassier southern half of the reserve, while shy black rhino is quite often spotted in the more thicketed and sloping north.
Scenery
Shamwari’s main feature is the Bushman’s River, which flows through the reserve. It has a very diverse ecosystem, with five of South Africa’s eight biomes (main vegetation regions) represented: subtropical thicket, fynbos (fine-leaved plants), grassland, Nama Karoo (low rainfall area of shrubland) and savanna). The area is rich with endemic plant species.
Weather & Climate
Shamwari Game Reserve is gently washed by rain throughout the year. The only noticeable peaks in precipitation are in October and March. These months are basically the bookends of summer (October to April) when sunshine and pleasant temperatures predominate despite the rain. In winter (May to September), the warmth gives way to cool days and occasionally freezing nights.
Best Time To Visit
Game viewing is pretty consistent all year through. Like other reserves in the Eastern Cape, the relatively temperate climate makes it a good alternative to more tropical parks such as Kruger in summer (October to April). The winter months (May to September) are fine too, and slightly dryer, but can get very chilly in the late afternoon and early morning. Accommodation is discounted in winter, as this is the area’s low season.
