SAMARA | SOUTH AFRICA - CHEETAH SAFARI

Samara Karoo Reserve is an award-winning conservation project located in South Africa’s Great Karoo region. The reserve covers an area of 67,000 acres and is home to over 60 mammal species, including the Big Five and cheetahs, as well as 225 bird species. Since its founding in 1997, Samara has been at the forefront of rewilding in this biodiverse, semi-arid landscape. The reserve has a bold vision to expand its conservation estate to a 3-million-acre footprint in the Global Biodiversity Hotspot.

Today, Samara is one of South Africa’s most diverse safari destinations, comprising five vegetation biomes across varying topography. Guests can stay in one of three intimate lodges to experience exceptional safari encounters that are meaningful and carefully considered. Plains Camp is one of these lodges and offers an off-grid experience with breathtaking views. Walking safaris are the main attraction here, allowing guests to reconnect with nature in an elegantly simple way.

Samara’s new ecotourism offering, Plains Camp, aims to provide guests with a grounding and humbling experience in nature. The camp features four deluxe tents that can accommodate up to 8 guests, allowing them to enjoy an explorer-style experience with a focus on the ultimate luxuries of time and space. Located in a remote part of the reserve, Plains Camp offers spellbinding views of the surrounding landscape, which is abundant with wildlife, including the Big Five. The camp is eco-conscious and unpretentious, allowing guests to disconnect from their busy lives and enjoy the soothing solitude of nature.

Plains Camp is situated against a low hill and offers sweeping views of the plains and dolerite-capped mountains. The camp blends seamlessly into its natural surroundings, providing a front-row view of the abundant wildlife. Guests can expect to see zebra, black wildebeest, springbok, and gemsbok grazing on the plains, along with giraffe, ostrich, and cheetah. The experience is further enhanced by the unmistakable call of the ground-dwelling korhaan bird.

This game reserve in the South African Karoo is a hidden gem that exceeded CNP Safaris’ expectations. 

By chance, we discovered Samara and were blown away by its stunning landscapes and the opportunity to track wildlife on foot with rangers and expert trackers. Following a wild mother cheetah and her five 8-month-old cubs on foot was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Lou Coetzer, who called it “the most profound wildlife photographic experience of my life.” Besides the cheetahs, Samara also offers many other photographic opportunities, such as the elusive Aardvark. The setting and accommodation are ideal for a memorable adventure with CNP Safaris.

• Encircled by a natural amphitheatre of mountains, the 5-star lodge sits in perfect harmony with its natural surrounds.
• The opportunity to walk with wild cheetahs in their natural habitat.
• Samara Karoo Reserve boasts breathtaking Karoo landscapes with unique and naturally occurring geological formations.
• An incredibly diverse mix of animals, including lions, rhinos and aardvarks.

Suggested travel from O.R. Tambo:

1 Hour, 45 min flight to Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (Port Elizabeth)

3 Hour drive per road on the R75 towards Graaff Reinet.