The private Amakhala Game Reserve is a relatively affordable, family-friendly safari destination in the Eastern Cape. Although it’s fairly small and fully fenced, four of the are quite easily seen (the exception being leopard, though they’re present). Activities for overnight and day visitors include guided , and (water level permitting) boat cruises on Bushman’s River.
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Best Time To Go
- January to December (All year)
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High Season
- October to April (The reserve gets crowded)
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Size
- 90km² / 35mi²
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Altitude
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180-403m /591-1,322ft
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Pros & Cons
- Excellent wildlife viewing includes all the (leopards are rare)
- Very accessible and easily combined with the popular Garden Route
- Guided , and (seasonal) river cruises
- A good variety of privately owned lodges and
- Half- and full-day safaris offered to day visitors
- Malaria-free
- Small and lacking wilderness appeal
- No visits
- Bisected by a busy main public road
Wildlife
Amakhala is a small but well-stocked private reserve offering good viewing of many iconic safari animals. Lion, elephant, , buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and are all quite often seen, along with antelope such as , and the . Lucky visitors might see , and possibly even leopard. species such as and are sometimes spotted after dark.
More about Amakhala’s wildlifeScenery
Amakhala lies in the Indian Ocean coastal belt and the main wildlife-viewing circuit is overlooked by a horseshoe of sandstone mountains. The main vegetation types are interspersed with open grassland, but there are also tracts of and . The scenic Bushman’s River meanders through the reserve and can be enjoyed by boat when water levels permit.
Activities
The main activity is guided in open 4x4 vehicles. Late morning and afternoon drives are included in overnight lodge and camp packages. Drives for day visitors run in the midmorning and after lunch, so they don’t clash with drives for overnight visitors. Optional activities include guided and Bushman’s River cruises, the latter being dependent on water levels. Horseback safaris operate on a neighboring farm stocked with non-dangerous wildlife.
Weather & Climate
The climate of Amakhala sees the reserve receive a modest amount of rain throughout the year. The wettest months are March and October, which both fall within summer (October to April), when temperatures rarely climb beyond a comfortable 28°C/82°F. Rainfall is lowest in the winter (May to September), when visitors are blessed with clear skies but should expect some very cold nights.
More about the weather and climateBest Time To Visit
Due to the small size of Amakhala, wildlife viewing is good throughout the year. The low-season winter months (May to September) are ideal for viewing wildlife, but it can be very cold at night. The landscape dries out at this time, and the animals gather at the remaining pools of water. Visitor numbers are also lower than they are in the summer (October to April), which coincides with the high season.
More about the best time to visit