Welcome to the Eastern Cape Reserves

The Eastern Cape landscape ranges from coastal beaches and forests,

to the dramatic semi-desert reaches of the Karoo on the inner reaches

of the province. Undulating hills, euphorbia and bushy Cape scrub are

distinctive, along with brightly coloured Xhosa houses. Glorious fynbos

sweeps across fields which overlook pristine seas.

Within the Eastern Cape are a number of highly regarded game

reserves: private reserves, national reserves and private concessions,

ranging in size, accommodation, facilities and activities offered. One of

the most appealing factors is that these are malaria-free.

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The Eastern Cape Game Reserves

(National) Parks Full of

Wild Things

Named for the gentle giants which dominate the

reserve, Addo Elephant National Park is an ele

haven, and South Africa’s 3rd largest National Park.

It’s an acclaimed conservation success story, which

incorporates a diversity of biospheres, including the

Marine Protected Area around Bird, St Croix and

Seal Islands. Home to the world’s largest breeding

colony of Cape gannets, breeding colonies of Cape

fur seals, African penguins, rare terns and a variety

of water birds, the area also protects coastal dunes

and other marine resources.

The park has a main camp with an underground

viewing hide, bird hides, pool for overnight guests,

restaurant and curio shop, floodlit waterhole,

Highly successful conservation efforts in re-

establishing the game that originally populated this

area, have seen large tracts of land surrounding the

Addo Elephant National Park, converted to private

game reserves, resulted in strong numbers of lion,

elephant and rhino – including the rare black rhino

which thrives on the nutrient-rich spekboom in the

area. Cheetah, leopard and Cape buffalo are also

frequently spotted.

Earth & Sea

Visitors to the Greater Addo region have the

opportunity to view the Big 7 while here – by

searching both land and water. The southern

right whale and great white shark may be found

off the coast, and the Big 5 (leopard, rhino,

buffalo, lion, elephant) inhabit the land.

Close to the Karoo town of Cradock, lies the

Mountain Zebra National Park. Home to the rare

Cape Mountain Zebra it also supports buffalo,

cheetah and the smaller predators – genets, bat-

eared foxes, and jackals.

Camdeboo National Park’s breathtaking scenery

and unique landscape draw visitors to its premier

tourist destination, the Valley of Desolation. 14 kms

from the town of Graaff-Reinet, the reserve’s

animals include Cape Mountain Zebra, plains game,

Black Eagles and Kori Bustards. From well-situated

viewpoints, gaze out over timeless dolerite rock

formations, sheer cliffs and 120 metre high columns

created over millennia through volcanic forces.

Eastern Cape Karoo: Out of Time

Travelling inland and away from the lushness of

the coastal bushveld, the scenery changes. The

terrain becomes semi-desert scrubland with

breath-taking open plains, vast skies and

exquisite sunsets. Steeped in their pioneering

history are the Eastern Cape Karoo towns which

seem to have missed the passage of time. Graaff-

Reinet (near Camdeboo National Park) and

Cradock (near Addo Elephant National Park) are

good examples of charming frontier towns,

gateways into the Karoo.

Private Concessions

Private concessions within Addo, allow certain

lodges to operate independently of the national

park, providing private safaris within the reserve

itself. Gorah Elephant Camp and River Bend Lodge

are two such properties, where guests have the

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exclusivity of a private safari, whilst remaining

within the boundaries of the renowned Addo

Elephant National Park.

Size Matters

One of the major draws to the Eastern Cape

Reserves is the absence of malaria. So, although

the mozzies and bugs can be annoying – the

mosquitos won’t infect you with malaria. Staying

with all things small, the Flightless Dung Beatle

has the right of way! This species - unique to

Addo - is a recycling whizz. You’ll see it rolling

balls of elephant dung as it carries on with its

vital (but seemingly comical) business.

Private Game Reserves

A number of highly regarded private game reserves

and some hidden treasures are to be found set

amidst the coastal bushveld and the aloe,

spekboom and acacia-covered rolling hills and

valleys of the Eastern Cape. These include reclaimed

lands created through mergers of private farms,

exclusive hideaways and vast expanses located in

the heart of frontier territory. They offer a selection

of private safaris to suit the budget. Shamwari and

Kwandwe number amongst the largest, followed by

Amakhala and Lalibela.

Spekboom:

Environmental Warrior & Superfood

What’s 10 times more effective at reducing

carbon than tropical rainforest trees?

Spekboom, (or Elephant’s Food). The hardy,

unassuming shrub is native to the Eastern Cape

where conditions are ideal. Studies show the

succulent removes up to 4.2 tonnes of CO2 per

hectare per year – making this little hero, the

ultimate carbon busting plant. Highly nutritious

and edible to both humans and animals it is a

particular favourite of eles and black rhinos. Its

resilience during drought makes Spekboom good

eating when times are tough. In addition to

tackling carbon emissions, simply by existing, it is

also planted in overgrazed areas to prevent soil

erosion.

So…go plant a Spekboom tree, or two.