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South Africa · The Malaria-Free Frontier

The Eastern Cape

South Africa's Malaria-Free Big Five Wilderness

The Eastern Cape is South Africa's great malaria-free safari frontier — where the Big Five roam ancient valley bushveld and Karoo plains, luxury lodges hide in 25,000-hectare reserves, and elephants, lions, rhinos and cheetahs share a landscape that runs from the game-rich interior all the way to a wild, whale-rich coastline.

Best timeMay – September (dry season)WildlifeMalaria-free Big Five & Big SevenThe reservesMultiple 10,000–67,000 ha reservesSafaris from$692 pp
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Our Luxury Safaris

Multi-Day Eastern Cape Safaris

Fully private, unhurried and all-inclusive — from a malaria-free five-day Big Five escape to the grand nine-day pairing of Garden Route coast and game-rich bush. Every safari is crafted entirely around you.

Ultra-Luxury
6 Days · 5 Nights

Ultimate Eastern Cape Big Five Safari

Malaria-Free Big Five Across Two Legendary Private Reserves

From$4,200ppView Details
High-End Luxury
9 Days · 8 Nights

Bush & Beach — Eastern Cape & Garden Route

Big Five, Ancient Forests & Wild Coast — The Perfect Pairing

From$3,600ppView Details
Luxury
7 Days · 6 Nights

Addo Elephant & Garden Route Safari

Big Five Bush and Garden Route Coast in One Journey

From$2,950ppView Details
Value Luxury
5 Days · 4 Nights

Malaria-Free Big Five — Eastern Cape

The Big Five Without the Bite — Safe, Wild & World-Class

From$1,650ppView Details
The Beyond Africa Difference

The Big Five, without the malaria pills — and without the crowds.

The Eastern Cape is South Africa's most underrated safari treasure — a vast, malaria-free province where the Big Five roam free within easy reach of Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and the Garden Route. This is 'the Adventure Province': five biomes collide here, from the succulent-studded Karoo and dense valley thicket to grassland, forest and a rugged Indian Ocean coastline. At its heart is Addo Elephant National Park, born in 1931 from just eleven surviving elephants and now home to more than 600 — the only reserve on Earth that can claim the 'Big Seven', adding the southern right whale and great white shark to the traditional Big Five. Around Addo, a constellation of private game reserves — Shamwari, Kwandwe, Amakhala, Kariega, Lalibela, Pumba, Samara, Kwantu and Sibuya — deliver world-class, owner-managed luxury safaris with expert rangers, open-vehicle game drives, cheetah tracking on foot and conservation with real teeth. Because the whole region is malaria-free, it is the safest, most family-friendly and most honeymoon-perfect Big Five destination in Africa, and it pairs beautifully with the Garden Route and Cape Town for the ultimate South African journey.

Malaria-Free Big FiveFamily-Friendly SafariCheetah on FootBush, Karoo & Wild Coast
Destination overview

Why Visit the Eastern Cape

South Africa's great malaria-free safari province — where the Big Five roam ancient valley bushveld and Karoo plains, private reserves run to tens of thousands of hectares, and the game-rich interior gives way to a wild, whale-rich coast. Here is what makes it the easiest Big Five country in the land.

  • Malaria-free Big Five — the safest, most family-friendly safari region in Africa
  • Addo Elephant National Park: 600+ elephants and the world's only 'Big Seven' reserve
  • Kwandwe, Shamwari, Amakhala, Kariega, Lalibela, Pumba & Samara — luxury private reserves
  • Cheetah tracking on foot across the Karoo plains at Samara and Kwandwe
  • Free-roaming white lions at Pumba and horseback safaris at Botlierskop
  • Effortless pairing with the Garden Route and Cape Town — fly into Gqeberha (PLZ)
The wildlife

Wildlife You'll Encounter

Big Five

African Elephant

600+ roam Addo — the park was founded to save the last eleven in 1931

Big Five

Lion

Reintroduced across the private reserves; rare white lions roam free at Pumba

Big Five

Black & White Rhino

Both species thrive under celebrated Eastern Cape conservation programmes

Big Five

Cape Buffalo

Addo protects one of the last disease-free herds in South Africa

Big Five

Leopard

Elusive and secretive, found in the rugged valley bushveld reserves

Cheetah

Tracked on foot across the open Karoo plains of Samara and Kwandwe

Southern Right Whale

Completes Addo's unique 'Big Seven' along the marine reserve coastline

Flightless Dung Beetle

A rare Addo endemic — the park's smallest and most beloved resident

The Signature Collection

The Experiences That Define the Eastern Cape

Where the Eastern Cape story begins. A Big Five game drive at first light, cheetah tracked on foot across the plains, a rhino conservation encounter and a honeymoon hidden deep in the bush — each one built into your itinerary by your private concierge.

3 hours (dawn & dusk)

Big Five Open-Vehicle Game Drive

Track elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino across malaria-free valley bushveld with an expert ranger and tracker in an open 4x4. Morning and evening drives are timed for golden light and peak animal activity, ending with sundowners on the plains as the sky turns to fire. The Eastern Cape's varied terrain means every drive delivers something different — from Addo's dense thicket to Kwandwe's Great Fish River valley.

  • Expert ranger & tracker
  • Open 4x4 vehicle
  • Sundowner drinks in the bush
  • Twice-daily drives
Enquire with a Concierge
Half-day

Cheetah Tracking on Foot

One of Africa's most thrilling wildlife encounters: follow a ranger with a telemetry receiver across the open Karoo plains of Samara or Kwandwe to find free-ranging cheetah on foot. Approaching these graceful predators at ground level — hearts pounding, cameras ready — is a profound, humbling experience found in very few places on the continent. This is conservation-led tourism at its most intimate.

  • Specialist guide
  • Telemetry tracking
  • Small-group walking
  • Refreshments
Enquire with a Concierge
Half-day

Rhino & Conservation Encounter

Get behind the scenes of Africa's front-line conservation story. Eastern Cape reserves are sanctuaries for both black and white rhino, and many run rhino notching, anti-poaching and wildlife-monitoring experiences alongside their vets and ecologists. At Shamwari's Born Free big cat sanctuary and Kwandwe's celebrated black rhino programme, guests witness — and directly fund — the protection of endangered species.

  • Conservation guide
  • Rhino monitoring insight
  • Anti-poaching briefing
  • Direct conservation contribution
Enquire with a Concierge
3–5 nights

Honeymoon & Bush Romance Escape

Private plunge pools, candlelit bush dinners under a blanket of southern stars, couples' spa treatments and utterly exclusive suites make the Eastern Cape the most romantic Big Five destination in South Africa. Reserves such as Kwandwe, Shamwari's Eagles Crag and Samara offer sole-use villas and honeymoon suites where newlyweds can trade the game vehicle for a private deck and each other's company.

  • Luxury suite or private villa
  • Private bush dining
  • Couples' spa treatment
  • Champagne sundowners
Enquire with a Concierge
Ready to Book · Coast & Safari Journeys

Garden Route & Addo Safari Journeys

The most natural pairing in South Africa — the forests and lagoons of the Garden Route flowing straight into the malaria-free Big Five of Addo. Each of these is a complete, guided journey with your own vehicle and expert ranger, from a three-day taster to the full five-day coast-to-bush grand tour.

Best Seller

3-Day Garden Route Tour with Big 5 Game Drive

3 daysFrom$692pp
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Best Seller

4-Day Garden Route Adventure & Safari (Addo)

4 daysFrom$968pp
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5-Day Garden Route (Addo · Tsitsikamma · Oudtshoorn)

5 daysFrom$765pp
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Instant-Book Day Experiences

Explore Our Complete Day Tour Catalog

Looking for more Eastern Cape and Garden Route day tours? Visit Gray Line South Africa — our sister company — for our full catalog of instant-book experiences, from Addo game drives to coastal adventures. Live availability and instant confirmation.

Browse Gray Line South Africa
No malaria pills · Big Five year-round

The Malaria-Free Big Five

The Eastern Cape is the safari you can take with children, with a newborn, or without ever swallowing a prophylactic. Lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino roam vast private reserves in a malaria-free zone — and along the coast the Big Five become the Big Seven, with southern right whales and great whites offshore. All the drama of the bush, none of the compromise.

LionElephantRhinoBuffaloLeopardCheetah
Plan a Malaria-Free Safari
Photo gallery

The Eastern Cape in Pictures

Elephant herd grazing at sunrise in Addo Elephant National Park
Addo's elephants on the golden plains
Male lion resting in the Eastern Cape bushveld
Big Five country
Guests on an open safari vehicle watching two giraffes at Kariega Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape
Giraffe encounter on a Kariega game drive
Cape buffalo herd at dusk under a pink Eastern Cape sky
Buffalo at dusk
Aerial view of a luxury safari lodge pool in the Eastern Cape
Luxury in the wild
A Romantic Escape

Safari, Sunsets & Bush Romance

For couples, the Eastern Cape is South Africa's most romantic Big Five destination — and, crucially, completely malaria-free, so there are no prophylactics between you and the wild. Trade the game vehicle for a private plunge pool, share a candlelit dinner under a blanket of Karoo stars, and wake to the call of a jackal drifting across the plains. From the exclusive suites of Kwandwe and Samara to the honeymoon retreats of Shamwari, this is where a safari becomes a love story.

Big Five Game Drive

Track elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino with a ranger in an open 4x4, ending with sundowners on the plains.

Cheetah Tracking on Foot

Follow a ranger across the Karoo to find free-ranging cheetah on foot—a moment you'll relive forever.

Rhino & Conservation Encounter

Join rhino-notching work alongside the vets—a meaningful moment that turns a honeymoon into a legacy.

Honeymoon & Bush Romance

Private plunge pools, star-bed sleep-outs and candlelit dinners under Karoo stars at Kwandwe, Shamwari and Samara.

Plan an Eastern Cape Safari Honeymoon
The perfect two-centre journey

Pair the Eastern Cape with the Coast & the Cape

A malaria-free Big Five finale is the ideal end to a great South African journey. Arrive along the Garden Route, start in Cape Town and fly east, or compare the Cape with the classic Lowveld — we'll weave it into one seamless itinerary.

The Garden Route

The Garden Route ends on the Eastern Cape's doorstep — the most natural coast-to-safari pairing in South Africa.

Cape Town

Start with the Mother City, then fly 1.5 hours to Gqeberha for a malaria-free Big Five finale.

Kruger National Park

Compare South Africa's two great safari regions — the classic Lowveld and the malaria-free Cape.

Eastern Cape vs Other Destinations

Why Choose Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape stands apart — here's how it compares to other destinations.

FeatureEastern CapeOther Destinations
Big FiveYes — all five roam hereVaries
Signature experienceMalaria-free Big FiveLimited
WildlifeMalaria-free Big Five & Big SevenFewer
Birdlife470+ recorded speciesFewer
Standout appealAddo Elephant National ParkLess distinctive
OverallSouth Africa's Malaria-Free Big Five WildernessMore generic
Plan your timing

When to Visit the Eastern Cape

Dry Winter (Best for Big Five)

May – Sep
★★★★★

Sparse vegetation and animals gathering at waterholes make this the prime game-viewing season; cool, clear and malaria-free

8–22°C, dry & sunny days

Spring Shoulder

Oct – Nov
★★★★★

Newborn animals, migrant birds and warm, comfortable days — a sweet spot of green landscapes and excellent sightings

14–26°C, mild & pleasant

Green Summer (Romantic)

Dec – Feb
★★★★☆

Lush, photogenic scenery and long days; warmer temperatures make this ideal for honeymoons and coastal add-ons

17–30°C, warm & green

Autumn

Mar – Apr
★★★★☆

The bush begins to thin and temperatures ease — a quieter, beautiful shoulder season with strong value

13–27°C, comfortable

Month-by-Month Guide

Good to know

Useful Eastern Cape Travel Tips

The practical details that make a malaria-free safari effortless — gathered from years of crafting private Eastern Cape journeys for our guests.

Malaria-free means easy

No prophylactics needed anywhere in the region — perfect for young children, pregnant travellers and anyone who wants a fuss-free Big Five safari.

Fly into Gqeberha (PLZ)

Short 1.5-hour flights from Johannesburg or Cape Town land you within 90 minutes of the Addo cluster of reserves.

Pack for chilly drives

Winter mornings on an open vehicle are cold. Bring warm layers, a beanie and gloves for dawn drives, even when afternoons are mild.

Pair it with the Garden Route

Drive the scenic coast from Cape Town and finish with a safari — or do it in reverse. It's the classic South African self-drive-and-safari combo.

Two nights minimum

Give yourself at least two nights per reserve so you have four game drives — the surest way to complete the Big Five.

Ask about walking with cheetah

At Samara and Kwandwe you can track free-ranging cheetah on foot. Book this signature experience well in advance — spaces are limited.

Location & Access

Getting to the Eastern Cape

33.4833° S, 25.7500° E

Nearest Airports

  • Chief Dawid Stuurman Int'l, Gqeberha (PLZ)Addo: 70 km · reserves: 45–90 min — Daily flights from JNB & CPT
  • East London Airport (ELS)Northern reserves gateway — Daily flights from JNB & CPT

Driving Routes

  • Garden Route (Plettenberg Bay)220 km — 2.5-hour scenic drive
  • Cape Town750 km — 1.5-hour flight to PLZ
  • Johannesburg1,050 km — 1.5-hour flight to PLZ

Most safaris begin at Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth / PLZ), a short flight from Johannesburg or Cape Town. From there, the Addo cluster of reserves is under 90 minutes by road, making the Eastern Cape the easiest luxury Big Five region to combine with the Garden Route.

Where to stay

Our Hand-Picked Eastern Cape Lodges

From a colonial manor house on a private reserve to a family safari lodge with a waterhole at the deck — the finest addresses of the malaria-free bush, held for you by our concierge.

★★★★★$$$$

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

One of Africa's most exclusive private reserves — 30 km of river frontage and just a handful of guests across 22,000 hectares

The Eastern Cape's most exclusive address: 22,000 hectares of malaria-free wilderness laced by 30 km of the Great Fish River, with only a handful of guests at any time. Choose the flagship Great Fish River Lodge, contemporary Ecca Lodge, or take over sole-use Melton Manor or Fort House with family and friends. Relais & Châteaux membership and a National Geographic Unique Lodges accolade confirm what cheetah and black-rhino tracking on foot make unforgettable — this is safari at its most private and profound.

Relais & Châteaux, National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World

FromR 17,385per person, per night

★★★★★$$$$

Shamwari Private Game Reserve

The Eastern Cape's most awarded reserve — Eagles Crag, Bayethe Tented Lodge, Long Lee Manor and Riverdene family lodge across pristine wilderness

The Eastern Cape's most awarded reserve spans 25,000 hectares across five ecosystems, with seven distinct lodges from the cliff-top suites of Eagles Crag to the canvas romance of Bayethe Tented Lodge and family-focused Riverdene. Named the World's Leading Conservation Company and Safari Lodge many times over, Shamwari also shelters the Born Free big-cat sanctuary — a rare chance to pair Big Five game drives with a genuine conservation legacy, all malaria-free.

World's Leading Conservation Company & Safari Lodge (multiple years)

FromR 12,810per person, per night

★★★★★$$$

Amakhala Game Reserve

A collection of individually owned, characterful lodges just 45 minutes from Gqeberha — outstanding for families and first-time safari-goers

A collection of individually owned, characterful lodges just 45 minutes from Gqeberha, Amakhala is one of the finest choices for families and first-time safari-goers. Owner-managed and Fair Trade Tourism certified, it offers everything from Hlosi Family Lodge and elegant Bukela to the historic Leeuwenbosch Country House, plus gentle Bushman's River cruises — all Big Five, all malaria-free, and all delivered with warm, personal hospitality.

Fair Trade Tourism certified

FromR 8,784per person, per night

★★★★★$$$

Kariega Game Reserve

Malaria-free Big Five set between two rivers, with a rare blend of safari and water-based adventure just off the Garden Route

Set between two rivers just off the Garden Route, Kariega blends malaria-free Big Five safari with rare water-based adventure across 10,000-plus hectares and five ecosystems. Bed down in the tented luxury of Settlers Drift or the family comfort of Ukhozi and The Homestead, then swap the 4x4 for a river cruise or kayak. A Fair Trade Tourism and TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice reserve, it's safari and coast in one unforgettable stay.

Fair Trade Tourism & TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice

FromR 8,235per person, per night

★★★★$$$

Lalibela Game Reserve

An intimate, malaria-free Big Five reserve with three characterful lodges and superb value, ideal for a first African safari

Intimate, malaria-free and superb value, Lalibela is the ideal first African safari — 10,500 hectares of five biomes with no public roads, so exclusivity is total. Three characterful camps — Tree Tops, Mark's Camp and Lentaba — offer family and honeymoon suites alike, while daily Big Five game drives and Fair Trade Tourism certification make it as responsible as it is welcoming.

Fair Trade Tourism certified

FromR 7,686per person, per night

★★★★★$$$$

Samara Karoo Reserve

A landscape-scale rewilding triumph near Graaff-Reinet — endless Karoo plains, walking with cheetah and vast, star-filled skies

A landscape-scale rewilding triumph near Graaff-Reinet, Samara restores 27,000 hectares of endless Karoo plains across five biomes beneath vast, star-filled skies. Stay in the gracious Manor or classic Karoo Lodge and walk with free-ranging cheetah on foot — one of Africa's most intimate wildlife experiences. A National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World, Samara is safari at its most cinematic and soul-stirring.

National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World

FromR 16,470per person, per night

★★★★★$$$

Pumba Private Game Reserve

One of the only places on Earth to see free-roaming white lions in the wild, set around a shimmering lake

One of the only places on Earth to see free-roaming white lions in the wild, Pumba wraps its Big Five wilderness around a shimmering lake. Choose lakeside Water Lodge, bush-set Bush Lodge or the exclusive Msenge suites, and unwind at the Soul Spa between drives. A TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice reserve, malaria-free and endlessly photogenic, Pumba delivers a genuinely rare safari story.

TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice

FromR 9,516per person, per night

★★★★$$$

Sibuya Game Reserve

Reached only by boat down the Kariega River — a magical fusion of Big Five bush and unspoilt estuary at Kenton-on-Sea

Reached only by boat down the Kariega River, Sibuya is pure magic — a fusion of Big Five bush and unspoilt estuary at Kenton-on-Sea. Guests glide past the river's birdlife to reach Forest, River and Bush camps, where safari meets coast in a way found nowhere else. Fair Trade Tourism certified and malaria-free, it's an adventure that begins the moment you step aboard.

Fair Trade Tourism certified

FromR 6,954per person, per night

★★★★$$

Kwantu Private Game Reserve

Accessible, family-friendly malaria-free Big Five on the historic Sidbury Plains — a superb-value gateway to the safari dream

Accessible, family-friendly and superb value, Kwantu spreads across 6,000 hectares of the historic Sidbury Plains — a malaria-free gateway to the Big Five safari dream. Main Lodge and Lion Lodge welcome first-time safari-goers with easy game drives and warm hospitality, and a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence reflects just how much guests love their introduction to the wild here.

TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

FromR 4,758per person, per night

★★★★$$

Addo Elephant National Park

South Africa's third-largest national park — five biomes, the legendary flightless dung beetle and elephants at every turn

South Africa's third-largest national park is elephant country like nowhere else — over 600 free-roaming elephants across five biomes, plus the legendary flightless dung beetle and the world's only 'Big Seven' (Big Five with whales and great whites offshore). SANParks' Eastern Cape flagship offers everything from self-drive adventures to the private luxury of Gorah and Nguni camps, all malaria-free and endlessly rewarding.

SANParks flagship reserve

FromR 3,294per person, per night

★★★★★$$$

Botlierskop Private Game Reserve

The perfect Garden Route safari finale — luxury tented suites along the Moordkuil River, horseback safaris and Big Five country an hour from Mossel Bay

The perfect Garden Route safari finale, Botlierskop sets luxury tented suites along the Moordkuil River across 4,200 hectares of Big Five country just an hour from Mossel Bay. Ride out among giraffe, zebra and antelope on horseback, meet the reserve's elephants, then retreat to a riverside deck. A Lilizela Tourism Award winner, it's the ideal bridge between the Garden Route and the bush.

Lilizela Tourism Award winner

FromR 7,869per person, per night

Worth the premium

Why It Justifies the Price

The Eastern Cape is South Africa's great malaria-free safari frontier — where the Big Five roam ancient valley bushveld and Karoo plains, luxury lodges hide in 25,000-hectare reserves, and elephants, lions, rhinos and cheetahs share a landscape that runs from the game-rich interior all the way to a wild, whale-rich coastline.

Malaria-free Big Five

the safest, most family-friendly safari region in Africa

Addo Elephant National Park

600+ elephants and the world's only 'Big Seven' reserve

Kwandwe, Shamwari, Amakhala, Kariega, Lalibela, Pumba & Samara

luxury private reserves

Cheetah tracking on foot across

Cheetah tracking on foot across the Karoo plains at Samara and Kwandwe

Free-roaming white lions at Pumba

Free-roaming white lions at Pumba and horseback safaris at Botlierskop

Every journey is privately guided, fully bonded and backed by our 4.9/5 rating from more than 200,000 guests since 2008 — with a dedicated concierge from first enquiry to final farewell.

Good to know

The Eastern Cape, Answered

Is the Eastern Cape malaria-free?

Yes. The entire Eastern Cape safari region — including Addo, Shamwari, Kwandwe, Amakhala, Kariega, Lalibela, Pumba, Samara and Kwantu — is completely malaria-free. No prophylactics are required, which makes it the safest and most popular Big Five choice for families with young children, pregnant travellers and anyone who prefers to skip anti-malarial medication.

Can you see the Big Five in the Eastern Cape?

Yes. Lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino are all present across the region's private reserves, and most reserves offer an excellent chance of seeing all five over a two- to three-night stay. Addo Elephant National Park is world-famous for its 600-plus elephants, while reserves like Shamwari and Kwandwe manage the full Big Five.

What is the best time to visit the Eastern Cape for safari?

The dry winter months of May to September offer the best Big Five game viewing, when thinner vegetation and waterhole gatherings make animals easier to spot. Spring (October–November) is a superb shoulder season with newborn animals and mild weather, while the green summer (December–February) is lush, warm and ideal for honeymoons and coastal add-ons.

How do I get to the Eastern Cape safari reserves?

Fly into Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth, airport code PLZ) — a short 1.5-hour flight from Johannesburg or Cape Town. The Addo cluster of reserves is under 90 minutes away by road. East London Airport (ELS) serves the northern reserves. Most lodges arrange road transfers or light-aircraft charters.

Is the Eastern Cape good for a family safari?

It is arguably the best family safari region in Africa. Because it is malaria-free, there is no need for anti-malarial medication, and reserves such as Shamwari's Riverdene, Amakhala's Hlosi and Kwantu run dedicated junior ranger programmes, family suites and kid-friendly game drives designed to keep young explorers engaged and safe.

Can I combine the Eastern Cape with the Garden Route?

Absolutely — it is the most popular pairing in South Africa. The Garden Route ends near Gqeberha, so travellers typically drive the scenic coast from Cape Town and finish with a Big Five safari in the Eastern Cape. Botlierskop near Mossel Bay even sits on the Garden Route itself, offering a safari without leaving the coastal route.

How many nights should I spend on an Eastern Cape safari?

Two to three nights at a private reserve is ideal to enjoy multiple game drives and a strong chance of the full Big Five. Many travellers combine three or four safari nights with a Garden Route self-drive and a few days in Cape Town for a complete week-to-ten-day South African journey.

What makes Addo Elephant National Park special?

Addo is South Africa's third-largest national park and the only reserve on Earth able to claim the 'Big Seven' — the Big Five plus the southern right whale and great white shark found along its protected coastline. Founded in 1931 to save just eleven elephants, it is now home to more than 600, alongside the rare flightless dung beetle found almost nowhere else.

Are there luxury lodges in the Eastern Cape?

Yes — the region offers some of South Africa's finest. Kwandwe and Samara are members of National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World, Shamwari is a multiple World's Leading Safari Lodge winner, and reserves such as Amakhala, Kariega and Pumba offer superb five-star suites, private villas, spas and exclusive-use retreats for honeymoons and families.

Where can I see white lions or track cheetah on foot?

Pumba Private Game Reserve is one of the only places in the world to see free-roaming white lions in the wild. For cheetah tracking on foot, Samara Karoo Reserve and Kwandwe are the standout choices, where expert guides use telemetry to lead small groups to free-ranging cheetah across the open Karoo plains.

Your safari, your way

Ready to start planning your Eastern Cape safari?

Tell us how you love to travel and we'll shape a private malaria-free Big Five experience around you — every game drive, every transfer, every detail taken care of. One dedicated concierge, start to finish.

  • 18+ Years of Excellence
  • 4.9/5 Guest Rated
  • 200,000+ Guests Since 2008
Plan My Eastern Cape SafariBrowse Every Eastern Cape Safari
As seen around the world

Don't Say We Didn't Tell You

The Eastern Cape is malaria-free Big Five country where the bush runs down to a wild coast. Let Trevor Noah frame it within the whole of South Africa.

Official South African Tourism campaign · featuring Trevor Noah

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