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Samara
Eastern Cape

Spot cheetah, black and white rhino, giraffe, and great herds of antelope at luxury game reserve Samara. Located in the vast heartland of Karoo and encircled by a natural amphitheatre of mountains, this 70,000-acre five-star camp is committed to conservation.

Up to 30 guests stay in two lodges: Karoo Lodge, a renovated farmstead and The Manor, an exclusive-use fully-staffed villa. Cool linens and a 21-metre infinity pool are sophisticated touches – this land once belonged to aristocratic pioneer, Lord Charles Somerset. Two of the rooms are named after Sibella, the camp’s famous cheetah. Private covered patios with outdoor seating provide the perfect location for morning coffee or a starlit nightcap. All the rooms have an internal-use telephone except for the Sibella Suites, where, joyously, a radio is provided instead.

We recommend the night safari for a chance to glimpse the famously shy and elusive Aardvark, as well as a trip to visit the ancient Khoisan cave paintings. There are 220 species of birds recorded on Samara Private Game Reserve, so this is a bird-watcher’s paradise. Special mention goes to the reserve’s rare Cape Mountain Zebra, a wedding anniversary gift to the owner, Sarah Tompkins. 

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We had a wonderful holiday - everything was perfect. Thank you for helping us to make a thoughtful plan to enjoy and make most out of our trip. The places we visited, the guides, the transportation and driver, the hotels selected... Everything was great!
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So many highlights to choose from! The hotels were amazing but Maya Villa was a highlight… I loved just hanging out in the hammock reading my book and watching the peacocks chase the cows!
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