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Write a User ReviewBlack rhinos in Kwandwe Game Reserve
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blue crane. Winter is a good time to see some of the nocturnal species such as aardvark and aardwolf as they tend to leave their burrows earlier in the evening. I even saw a porcupine in broad daylight. There are only two lodges and three private villas on Kwandwe (26 beds in total), which makes the experience very exclusive – I did several game drives without seeing another vehicle. It goes without saying that the lodges, the food and general service are outstanding.The Eastern Cape’s last wilderness
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such as eland, greater kudu, red hartebeest, black wildebeest, gemsbok, springbok and steenbok are conspicuous, as are large grassland birds such as ostrich, blue crane and Kori bustard. Two unexpected highlights were a porcupine grazing in full daylight in the open grassland opposite the lodge, and a flock of dashing white-fronted bee-eaters (reputedly this lovely species is a recent arrival that now nests on the river’s muddy banks).Best Safari Experience in the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape game reserves have long been considered ‘soft safari options’ by many, but in recent times the Eastern Cape has finally evolved into a genuine safari destination, boasting top quality, malaria-free, wildlife-viewing without the crowds. And Kwandwe, a member of Relais & Châteaux, is undoubtedly the pick of the Eastern Cape safari experiences. Of the four camps on this private reserve, Great Fish River Lodge – Kwandwe’s flagship safari lodge – is surely the pick of the bunch. The Kwandwe guides are steadfastly dedicated to the task of tracking down the Big Five, but, for me, it is the high quality rhino viewing that inevitably steals the show at Kwandwe. With five-star accommodations, elaborate menus, impeccable service and top quality wildlife-viewing in scenic surrounds, there is no disputing that Kwandwe has plenty to offer first-timer safari goers and old-hands alike.
Eastern Cape’s Best Big Five Safari Location…With Its Share of Special Sightings
This 220km2/85mi2 Big Five reserve is also world-class cat country, yet populations are small enough that you get that feeling of ‘intimacy’ that comes from
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a growing understanding of the complex social interactions of the various predators. Highlights of my trip included some experiences that surpassed those in some of Africa’s most famous wilderness areas: a sighting of eight cheetahs in one huddled spot (a mother and five cubs, plus a roving male and his adult son); frequent sightings of a shrewdly hunting young lioness (and her two frustratingly clumsy brothers); a male leopard who we saw hunting (primarily, it seemed, for the neighboring female) for two days in a row. One evening our sundowners were interrupted when a big male leopard wandered curiously within 5m/16ft of our makeshift ‘bar’.Kwandwe’s bush-cookery course – under the expert tutelage of executive chef Xander Barnardt – boosted my braai (grill) skills spectacularly. The same can’t be said for my fishing prowess, however: our boating trip on Kwandwe dam was interrupted by rhino sightings, hippos with newborn babies (the tiniest I’ve ever seen), and a family of clawless otters frolicking constantly around our boat. In the thick of all these sightings we never even made a cast.
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve is a world-class safari destination. Just don’t expect to do much fishing!