Samara Karoo Reserve

Samara is the Great Karoo's only Big 5 private reserve - and one of the very few places in Southern Africa where you can track cheetah on foot, spot the critically endangered desert-adapted black rhino subspecies, and watch lions roam a landscape that was bare farmland less than three decades ago. The scale of the rewilding, the quality of the guides and the intimacy of the guest experience set it apart from more conventional Big 5 reserves.

Yes. Samara is entirely malaria-free, making it an excellent choice for families with children of all ages, travellers who prefer not to take prophylactics, or anyone combining the reserve with Cape Town or the Garden Route as part of a broader South African itinerary.

Samara is open year-round and rewarding in every season. Winter (June–August) offers the best wildlife viewing: herds of zebra, springbok and buffalo converge on the plains, and the aardvark, usually nocturnal, can be spotted foraging in broad daylight. Summer (December–February) is ideal for the star bed, fly camping and spectacular storm photography. The transition months of spring and autumn bring mild temperatures, new wildlife births and blooming Karoo bossies.

The Great Karoo is a vast semi-desert covering roughly 40% of South Africa's land surface, spanning the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Free State and Western Cape provinces. Defined by its low rainfall, open plains, dolerite-capped mountains and extraordinary biodiversity, it is internationally renowned in palaeontological circles for its fossil-bearing beds - including fossil records from both the end-Permian and end-Triassic extinction events. It was also once the site of the largest land-based migration in Africa, when springbok traversed the plains in their millions.

Yes. All ages are welcome at both Karoo Lodge and The Manor. Samara offers a dedicated Kids Programme for children up to 12 years old. Plains Camp is recommended for older children and adults, given its focus on walking safaris and its off-grid, no-electricity setting.

Since 1997, Samara has systematically assembled eleven former livestock farms, removed internal fencing, cleared alien invasive plants and reintroduced species that had been locally extinct for generations. Key milestones include the first cheetah in the Karoo in 130 years (2004), desert-adapted black rhino (2013), the first elephant herd in 150 years (2017) and the founding lion pride (2019). Leopards have since returned naturally. The reserve now supports over 60 mammal species and is home to the Big Five.

The nearest major airport is Chief Dawid Stuurman International in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), served by daily commercial flights from Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. From Port Elizabeth, guests can reach Samara by hired car, road transfer (approximately 2h30) or private charter flight directly to Samara's on-site airstrip. Charter flights operate from Cape Town (approximately 1h35), Johannesburg (approximately 1h50), George (approximately 45 minutes) and Port Elizabeth (approximately 35 minutes). Samara also partners with Air Du Cap for air transfers from Port Elizabeth aboard the Beechcraft Baron 58.

We recommend at least four nights to experience the full breadth of what Samara offers — game drives across different terrain, a cheetah tracking session, bush walks, and an aardvark evening. Longer stays of six or seven nights let guests split their time between two lodges. For example, combining the sociable character of Karoo Lodge with the off-grid solitude of Plains Camp.

Samara has three lodges. Karoo Lodge is the original farmstead homestead with eight Karoo Suites and two Family Suites - the most sociable option. The Manor is a four-suite contemporary villa, booked exclusively for up to eight guests, with a 21-metre infinity pool and a private guide, chef and host. Plains Camp is an off-grid tented eco-camp in a remote part of the reserve, centred on walking safaris, with four deluxe tents and a plunge pool.

Samara is home to the Big Five - lion, elephant, leopard, white rhino and the desert-adapted black rhino subspecies- alongside buffalo. Cheetahs are regularly sighted and trackable on foot. Other residents include giraffe, eland, springbok, oryx, red hartebeest, black wildebeest, Cape mountain zebra and aardvark. Researchers have recorded 225 bird species, including blue crane, Cape vulture, and Ludwig's bustard, along with a suite of Karoo endemics.

Activities include morning and afternoon game drives across 27,000 hectares, cheetah tracking on foot, guided bush walks (particularly at Plains Camp), aardvark spotting in winter, hiking to ancient San rock art sites, wilderness picnics, birding, and the star bed experience (October to April). Children can participate in Samara's Kids Programme.

Every booking at Samara directly funds the reserve's ongoing rewilding programme — one of the most ambitious in southern Africa. By booking through Africa Geographic, guests additionally support conservation publishing and ground-level conservation projects funded through a portion of every safari sold. Samara is also a member of Pack for a Purpose, enabling travellers to bring supplies for supported community projects.

Samara safaris typically cost from R16,000 per person, per night, depending on the accommodation comfort level, time of year and activities. This price includes accommodation, all meals, game drives, experienced guides, and 24/7 support from our team.