Safari experts & storytellers. Since 1991
Trust us to find you the rarest animals, the most spectacular wildlife events, the remotest landscapes and deeply meaningful cultural encounters!
Why visit Kwandwe Private Game Reserve?
Regenerative tourism: Kwandwe is one of South Africa's rewilding success stories, a born-again wilderness in the scenically stunning and biodiverse Great Fish River area of the Eastern Cape.
Malaria-free, Big 5 game reserve with excellent game drives, bush walks, bush meals and sundowners
Conservation activities such as visiting the Mgcamabele Community Centre, rhino monitoring and planting spekboom to reduce your carbon footprint
Easily combined with your Cape Town and Garden Route holiday
Greater Addo region
The Greater Addo region comprises many protected areas and private game reserves, including Kwandwe and Addo Elephant National Park (AENP). The Greater Addo region encompasses:
Addo Elephant National Park
The Addo Elephant National Park Marine Protected Area, including Bird Island and St Croix Island
The Woody Cape section (AENP), encompassing the Alexandria dune fields and forest
Zuurberg section (AENP), including fynbos and forest
Darlington section (AENP), encompassing Darlington Dam
Shamwari, Kariega, Amakhala and Kwandwe Game Reserves, amongst others
Kwandwe quick facts
30,000 hectares of rewilded Great Fish River bushveld
5 establishments made up of traditional lodges and exclusive-use villas
Kwandwe features seven of South Africa's nine major vegetation types (biomes)
Kwandwe hosts the Big Five and is a partner of the WWF South Africa Black Rhino Range Expansion Project
"Kwandwe" means "Place of the blue crane" in isiXhosa
What wildlife can I expect to see at Kwandwe?
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve hosts the Big Five (black & white rhino, elephant, lion, buffalo and leopard), cheetah, brown hyena, hippopotamus, kudu, springbok, eland, red hartebeest, giraffe, black wildebeest and gemsbok. Nocturnal species such as aardwolf, aardvark, caracal, bat-eared fox and porcupine are regularly seen.
Kwandwe has a bird list of over 300 species, including blue crane, crowned eagle, martial eagle, Knysna woodpecker, African finfoot, narina trogon, dark-backed weaver and kori bustards.
We are trusted by thousands of satisfied travellers
✔️ 4.9 Star Trustpilot Rating ✔️ 5,000+ Safari Trips Completed
✔️ 34+ Years of Experience ✔️ 2025 Condé Nast Travel Specialist Award Winner
Kwandwe FAQs
The best time to visit Kwandwe is during South Africa’s warmer, drier months, from September to April, when the Eastern Cape’s landscapes are lush, wildlife is active, and conditions are comfortable for family safaris.
Spring and autumn offer particularly pleasant temperatures and clear skies, making them ideal for both game drives and relaxation. These months also avoid the mid-winter chill, ensuring an enjoyable and immersive safari experience in the region’s malaria-free reserves.
Peak season bookings require 12–18 months advance planning. Trips outside of peak season can be arranged 6–9 months ahead, with better rates and availability.
Safaris to lodges in private reserves typically cost from US$1,000 per person, per night, depending on the level of accommodation and activities. Our packages offer excellent value with transparent pricing.
Our safari prices typically include accommodation, all meals and described activities, park fees, experienced guides, airport transfers and 24/7 support from our team. Specific inclusions vary by package – contact us for detailed itineraries.
You only make your first payment when you book your holiday. Your second (last) payment is about 90 days before you travel.
We have been handcrafting experiential safaris since 1991. Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?
Booking through a respected tour operator with many years of experience means that all you need to focus on is helping us design your safari and then having a superb vacation. The rest - all the nitty-gritty detail and admin is done while you relax. Our 24/7 concierges take care of problems such as flight changes and missed flights, last-minute road transfer and lodge changes due to unexpected events, and itinerary changes requested by you.
Remember that you will not save money by attempting to book and manage your own safari, but you will inherit mistakes and problems that arise.
Yes, your money is safe. Your payments go into a third-party TRUST ACCOUNT - protecting them in the unlikely event of a financial setback on our part. Also, we are members of SATSA who attest to our integrity, legal compliance and financial stability. See what travellers say about us.
YES, by booking your safari with Africa Geographic, you make a significant difference because:
We donate a portion of every safari sold to selected conservation efforts at ground level
Your safari supports our conservation publishing efforts, which educate the world about Africa's incredible biodiversity and the local people who protect it
Our chosen lodges support local community initiatives, ensuring that tourism benefits the nearby villages directly. They also adhere to strict environmental practices, such as limited vehicle numbers and sustainable camp operations, which help protect the ecosystem
YOUR safari choice does make a difference - thank you!
Start planning your Kwandwe holiday
Our travel experts will craft a no-obligation itinerary just for you. We have crafted over 5,000 safaris since 1991. Your personal details are protected; we only use this information to contact you.
Why choose us to craft your safari?
Handcrafted experiential safaris since 1991.
Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?
Trust & Safety
Guest payments go into a third-party TRUST ACCOUNT - protecting them in the unlikely event of a financial setback on our part. Also, we are members of SATSA who attest to our integrity, legal compliance and financial stability.
Make a difference
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level.
YOUR safari choice does make a difference - thank you!