Discover the Karoo

Exploring the Karoo through Samara Game Reserve, Mount Camdeboo, and the Valley of Desolation promises an unforgettable journey through South Africa’s rugged Eastern Cape beauty.

These unique destinations provide a deeper understanding of South Africa’s natural heritage and offers an escape into the vast semi-arid wilderness. Whether it’s encountering wildlife on a game drive, hiking amidst ancient rock formations, or witnessing the striking beauty of the Valley of Desolation, the Karoo promises an adventure that will leave a lasting impression.

Samara Karoo Reserve:
Award-winning Samara Karoo Reserve is a conservation journey on 67,000 acres of born-again wilderness in South Africa’s heart-stoppingly beautiful Great Karoo region. Founded in 1997, Samara has pioneered the rewilding of this semi-arid yet uniquely biodiverse landscape, catalysing an ambitious vision to expand the conservation estate to a 3-million-acre footprint in a Global Biodiversity Hotspot.

Today the reserve is one of South Africa’s most diverse safari destinations, comprising five vegetation biomes across strikingly varied topography, home to over 60 mammal species including the Big Five and cheetah, as well as 225 bird species. Three intimate lodges welcome just 40 guests at a time for slow, meaningful and exceptional safari encounters.

In staying at Samara, every guest plays a role in safeguarding the landscape in perpetuity. Yet for those who visit, Samara’s magic extends beyond its conservation importance. To immerse oneself in this soulful landscape of infinite horizons is to experience a recalibration of the frantic modern mindset, a deep reconnection with Nature and a heart-lifting vision of hope for the future.

Eastern Cape:
As South Africa’s ‘wild’ province, the Eastern Cape features magnificent stretches of untouched beach, peaceful river estuaries, lush forests, breathtaking mountain vistas, and the arid Karoo Desert landscape. Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth) serves as the province’s primary commercial and industrial centre as well as a gateway to the popular Garden Route where visitors can enjoy ancient forest walks, surfing in the world-renowned surf spot of Jeffrey’s Bay, and even bungee jumping from the world’s highest bridge bungee above the Bloukrans River. Beyond the Garden route lie some spectacular malaria-free wildlife reserves including the remarkable Addo Elephant National Park, now the only place in South Africa where you can see the Big Seven – elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo, leopard, whale and shark. Further east, don’t miss the Wild Coast region, which offers visitors a glimpse of rural African village life as it is far less developed than the rest of South Africa.

Graaff-Reinet:
Located in the heart of the remote and mysterious Great Karoo, Graaff-Reinet is surrounded by the rolling plains and rising mountains of Camdeboo National Park. This is a wonderful place to escape from reality and revel in the solitude, silence and clear, star-studded nights that this secluded town provides. Graaff-Reinet, as the fourth oldest town in the country, has a very rich history and features ancient fossils, wonderful examples of Cape Dutch architecture, and over 220 local heritage sites. Visitors can look forward to an array of lovely activities including: soaking up the breathtaking views of the ‘Valley of Desolation’ in the Camdeboo National Park, enjoying a night under the African stars at a local guest farm, and sample the area’s renowned Karoo lamb.

Karoo Lodge at Samara

Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve

Drostdy Hotel