Set in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, Shamwari Private Game Reserve has sublime scenery as a backdrop to each game sighting. The Bushman’s River flows through the Reserve, providing a riparian zone for waterbirds, hippos and a profusion of plant species. With five separate biomes, the panoramic ecosystem - ever-changing on a game drive or bush walk - displays a variety of trees, bushes, succulents and grasslands where an abundance of flowers peep through, adding splashes of colour. The Brunsvigia bosmaniae burst out of their bulbs into flower in Autumn, in a spectacular display. When the umbel of flowers dries out, it efficiently spreads its seed in the wind like a tumbleweed.
A Black rhino - a critically endangered species - looks out at us, partially hidden by Rhenosterbos - a grey leaved evergreen shrub. A dominant male, his horns have been cut off, as he was too aggressive with other male Back rhinos, injuring some of them.
Heavily protected from poachers, most of the reserve’s White and Black rhinos have not had their horns cut off, so are an impressive sighting, unusual in South Africa nowadays. Spotting them on open plain areas, allows for a detailed view of the underside of their feet. My ranger Samantha Snodgrass - a tracking expert - shows me signs of a mother and calf White rhino that recently lay down on our sand road, before they walked off into the bush. We also hop off the vehicle to look at Water mongoose tracks indented in dried mud.
At a rhino midden, Samantha teaches me that Black rhino has lighter coloured dung, with twigs and short sticks bitten off at a 45* angle by slanted molars, as they browse on shrubbery. White rhino has dark coloured dung with bits of grass, as it is a grazer. The middens have furrows made by the rhino’s back feet, so he can distribute his scent, to proclaim his dominance in a territory, to provide details of his age, sex, general health, and reproductive status. With Samantha, I’m becoming an expert in scatology!
An old male lion, 15 years old, has lost two females from his pride to a handsome nomadic male. One female has remained with him as she has four cubs, but she is likely to defect to the interloper’s new pride when the young become independent. We find the old male on a rise, gazing across a valley and calling out valiantly for his remaining female and his cubs. Leaving him, we locate the cubs near to a waterhole, gnawing on bones from a buffalo calf carcass.
At sunset, an elephant bull - irritable as he is in musth, when his testosterone rages - chases the lone nomadic male lion. In the open game vehicle we are able to closely approach sightings, to get to know animal behaviour, not just to identify them.
An African Buffalo herd that roams this wilderness is resting in short grass, as they chew the cud. Despite standing at up to 1,7 m tall, these bovids almost appear small under the immense skies of Shamwari Private Game Reserve. As they like to roll around in the mud to get rid of ticks and parasites that latch onto their skin, some have mud on their legs and flanks. Small birds such as Red-billed oxpecker hop around on them feeding on the parasites insects. Quite different from the typical savannah of game parks in other areas of Southern Africa - that have abundant thorn trees and tawny brown grasses - Shamwari has lush rolling hills, dense and impenetrable
Albany Thicket with evergreen shrub-land, dominated by spiny succulent trees, shrubs and vines.
Occasional tracks in the hills show the presence of African leopard, but they are stealthy and secretive, so seldom seen. By way of compensation, we do spot several Leopard tortoises, which have have claws on their feet.
On this safari, it is difficult to believe that Shamwari Private Game Reserve was once denuded and degraded farmland, where game was hunted and poached out and land deployed for agricultural crops or domestic animal husbandry. “The Shamwari project began in 1992, when a dedicated conservation team started buying up land, taking down fences and reintroducing indigenous animals.” Now, as well as the Big Five, mammals include cheetah, brown hyena and serval; lesser known aardvark and aardwolf; plus rare species like Parrot-beaked tortoise, Albany puff adder and a flightless dung beetle. It’s a notable rewilding success story and an ongoing project. Ecologists are planning to release a pack wild dogs onto this conservation area, in 2027.
One of six lodges and an adventurous Explorer Camp found in the reserve, Sindile comprises nine freestanding tents, each with its own heated plunge pool, looking out over the Bushman’s River and beyond to the hills. My elevated tent faces a permanent waterhole that teems with game throughout the day. The tent interior is sophisticated, in natural tones, with decor made from locally sourced rattan, beadwork and wood. Amenities include pleasantly fragranced bath salts and bath oil.
Ensconced on the deck of my luxurious tent, I choose Beaumont Chenin Blanc 2024, a highly rated cool climate South African wine that is unwooded, with a tropical aroma, slightly citrusy. With fruity palate and pleasing balance, this chilled wine pairs well with my preferred light lunch of deconstructed green salad, baguette straight from the oven and Portuguese style prawns, served by my personal butler. I select homemade mint chocolate ice-cream from the dessert menu, which I savour while standing in my private rim pool, as I watch Vervet monkeys playing and scampering. There is no shortage of treats in my tent, with surprises including cookies, home-made salted crisps, chocolate coated almonds and Rooibos fudge.
The communal area at Sindile comprises three separate tents, joined by a wooden deck with sensational views. An indoor dining room sports a harvest table laden with food and wine selections. The reception space is a congenial spot with couches, plus a clothing and souvenir boutique. An intimate lounge and bar area is the meeting point for activities, where glass jars of sweets like Wedgewood nougat are permanently filled and pre-drive snacks are available. In front of the lounge are recliners and down a few steps is a fire pit and deck chairs. There are plenty nooks for chilling on one’s own, or to chat to fellow guests.
For turndown at night, I ask my housekeeper to leave the mosquito nets tied up - as Shamwari is malaria free - plus to leave my curtains remain open at night, for me to muse on the stars and waxing moon. Fiery-necked nightjars call persistently, the resident bushbuck barks a warning call and Black-backed jackals howl and wail.
https://www.shamwari.com/
Getting There
Information Snippets
* The 2018 Netflix series Shamwari Untamed was filmed at the reserve.
Volunteer programmes for gap-students
Restoration, Rehabilitation & Alien Plant Control
Camera Traps & Telemetry Tracking
Vulpro @ Shamwari (Saving rapidly declining Vulture populations)
Community Projects
Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
Born Free saving abused and captive lions, to release into a sizeable fenced area.
For more information: https://www.shamwari.com/conservation/
Text: Gillian McLaren (@Jetset_Gillian) Images: Gillian McLaren
