About the Eastern Cape’s Game Reserves
The Eastern Cape region is 16,896,600 hectares (168,966 km²) making it the second largest province in South Africa, after Northern Cape. The landscape within the Eastern Cape region is some of the most diverse in South Africa, ranging from completely arid in the West to well-watered in the East.
Located on the South East coast of South Africa, the Eastern Cape is a slightly different safari destination to those that most people are more familiar with – and is completely unique. The Eastern Cape region contains five different ecological zones, ranging from rugged mountains to dry savannah to lush evergreen forests.
The 6 different reserves has a huge variety of flora and fauna, including the Big Five that people travel from across the globe to see, and is situated on the stunning Sunshine Coast which offers kilometers of beautiful beaches, making this the perfect safari destination for anyone.
The Eastern Cape consists of six private game reserves; Amakhala Game Reserve, Kariega Game Reserve, Lalibela Game Reserve, Shamwari Game Reserve, Kwandwe Game Reserve and Kwantu Game Reserve. Each of these private game reserves offers something for everyone; at Kwandwe guests can embark on a four-day safari participating in a rhino-darting and microchipping program.
How to get to the Eastern Cape’s Game Reserves
Depending on your individual travel needs you can get to the Game Reserves of the Eastern Cape in a variety of ways. Most people choose a scheduled flight to Port Elizabeth or shuttle flight to the reserve (where available). Or you can choose the scenic route and travel by rental car – access is easy.
Wildlife
The game Reserves of the Eastern Cape are abundant with a huge variety of wildlife including elephants, giraffes, hippos and the elusive cheetah. At Shamwari Game Reserve elephants, lions, giraffe, and hippos are all common sightings but cheetahs and leopards are rare here.
In Kwandwe and Amakhala the elephant sightings are less common but cheetah and leopard sightings are more common in these locations. It is suggested that you research which animals are commonly sighted in each area to help you decide which game reserve within the Eastern Cape region you wish to visit for a once in a lifetime safari adventure.
Bird-watching
Eastern Cape Game Reserves also offers a colossal variety of birdlife which will awe even the most experienced bird watcher. With over 300 species of bird residing in the area year round, it is not uncommon to lose hours of your day in awe of these beautiful creatures. The Blue Crane, Cape Vulture and Martial Eagle are all common birds to spot during your safari in the Eastern Cape.
In order to optimize your bird watching experience (although bird watching is generally good year-round within the Eastern Cape Region), plan your trip from November to April, when the migratory birds of northern Africa and Europe have arrived for their summer holiday, escaping the often harsh European winters.
Accommodation
The reserves offer a wild array of choices with every type of accommodation to suit the needs and budget of every guest. You can choose to stay in the luxury of a lodge that caters to all of your creature comforts or you can stay in a rustic lodge with the African wildlife right on your doorstep. Whether it is a romantic getaway or camping under the stars, the Eastern Cape has it all and the choice is entirely yours.
Safari Options
The Eastern Cape is a huge ecosystem and home to one of the most diverse collections of wild animals in the world. You can participate in a wide variety of safari experiences including game drives, river cruises or bush walks. There are even safari options available for children, making the Eastern Cape the perfect safari holiday for anyone! Whatever you want to achieve from a safari holiday you are almost guaranteed to find it in the Eastern Cape.
When Is The Best Time To Visit?
The ideal time of year to visit the Eastern Cape is during the warmer summer months from October until April due to the temperatures being more comfortable for humans and animals alike. This is also the dry season, with less rain meaning that animal sightings are easier because the animals will usually gather by a predictable water source, and also the roads are a lot easier to drive on.
The Eastern Cape Game Reserves enjoys a subtropical climate with mild winters (May to September) and warm summers (October to April). The climate is very moderate throughout the year. The presence of the Big Five combined with a year-round pleasant climate makes Eastern Cape the perfect safari destination for everyone.
About African Safari Group
Eastern Cape Game Reserves e is proudly presented and recommended to you on this website by African Safari Group, a Premier Inbound Travel Agent, and an accredited and contracted reservations office for premier game reserves and game lodges across South Africa. ASG is not affiliated with Eastern Cape Game Reserves. Read more about African Safari Group…
AFRICAN SAFARI GROUP TOURISM ACCREDITATIONS
South African Tourism Association (SATSA)
SATSA is South Africa’s most well-known tourism authority. Membership means that we adhere to strict policies and regulations regarding our conduct and, should you be unhappy with any aspect of our business, you have these organisations to approach for recourse.
African Travel & Tourism Association (ATTA)
Atta is a European based tourism association. ATTA member companies are the most experienced and conscientious in the services they provide to visitors and pride themselves upon the standards which are maintained regardless of changing circumstances.
Cape Town Tourism Association
Tourism Board Members are partners which are recognized as trustworthy associates of an official tourism body in the city which provides peace of mind to visitors.
Supplier Default Insurance
The accommodation, transport and activity suppliers that we recommend meet strict quality controls but should any supplier become insolvent and fail to provide the accommodation, transport or activity we booked for you, our supplier default insurance protects the money you paid for that service.
This financial protection extends to every aspect of your safari that you booked through us. This is one of the important advantages of working with independent experts, like African Safari Group.
Payment Security
All our credit card payments are made though MyGate using 3D-Secure authentication. The 3D-Secure authentication is an additional fraud prevention scheme created by MasterCard and Visa to process transactions online securely.
It allows shoppers to create and assign a password to their card that is then verified whenever a transaction is processed through a site that supports the use of the scheme. The addition of password protection allows extra security on transactions that are processed online. This gives our clients a single, seamless online payment process that is easy to use, super secure and convenient.
Payment Options
We Accept all three major credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. You can use any of these cards through our secure online payment gateway portal, anytime day or night.