Accommodation at Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Eastern Cape, South

Safari Lodges and Accommodation in South Africa

Accommodation at Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa

KWANDWE PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

Three exclusive safari lodges
Exceptional Big Five game viewing
Malaria-free African wilderness
Day and night safaris
Specialist Historic Safari
Sweeping views of the Great Fish River
Commitment to conservation
Member of Relais & Chateaux

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve lies in the heart of South Africa’s malaria-free Eastern Cape near Grahamstown, and is a natural conclusion to a journey along the world-famous Garden Route. A victory for far-sighted conservation, 20 000 hectares (49 000 acres) of farmland in the Great Fish River region were restored and restocked with African wildlife. Today, thousands of animals including lion, black and white rhino, buffalo and elephant roam this diverse and fascinating reserve.

Operated by CC Africa, Kwandwe aptly means “Place of the Blue Crane” in Xhosa (South Africa’s highly endangered national bird) and is home to a population of these rare birds. It offers an exceptional safari experience in a region steeped in history and culture. The Great Fish River was a hotly contested border during the Frontier Wars of 1779 to 1878 between the Xhosa nation, Dutch farmers and the 1820 Settlers from England. Kwandwe’s reception building is a Frontier War-era fortified homestead, and the Reserve boasts its own intimate chapel.

GAME VIEWING:

African Big Game: Ensuring superlative game viewing opportunities, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve comprises five distinct habitats which are host to a remarkable array of Big Five game.
* Lion, cheetah, hyena and leopard
* Black and white rhino
* Fascinating nocturnal wildlife are regularly encountered
* Breeding site for threatened blue crane
* Scenic Great Fish River
* Great birdwatching - 238 bird species
* Interpretive game drives led by expert rangers

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve Wildlife Habitats:
Kwandwe is a biodiversity ‘hotspot’ with six of South Africa’s seven biomes converging in this region of the Eastern Cape. The bushclump savanna-thicket dominates on flat terrain and north-facing slopes with euphorbia, euclea, schotia, carissa and three species of tall aloe abundant. Tall succulent-thicket grows on steeper south-facing slopes with tall river euphorbia, honey euphorbia and Cape candelabra growing alongside sneezewood and other trees. Riverine thicket forms a narrow band along the Great Fish River, with Cape bushwillow, karee and sweet thorn dominant trees. Grassy dwarf-shrubland is an open habitat of sparse tussock grasses and stunted shrubs. The level of the Great Fish River fluctuates markedly, such that broad sand bars are exposed or covered. From June to August, the Reserve boasts a spectacular display of winter flowering aloes.

Mammals at Kwandwe Private Game Reserve:
Kwandwe is a victory for far-sighted conservation with the successful reintroduction of over 7000 larger mammals taking place prior to the Reserve opening in 2001. Today, herds of elephant and buffalo frequently drink and mud-bathe at waterholes, and cheetah and lion are regularly encountered in open habitats. The home ranges of both black and white rhino are well known and these bulky herbivores are often seen, whilst hippo move between the Great Fish River and larger waterholes. Springbok are the most abundant antelope, with good populations of greater kudu, oryx (gemsbok), red hartebeest and eland. Bushbuck and Cape grysbok keep to dense thickets. Abundant termites provide food for the nocturnal aardwolf, aardvark and bat-eared fox. Black-backed jackal, Cape fox and caracal are commonly encountered smaller predators. Family parties of suricate (meerkat) provide entertaining viewing. Rock hyrax, red rock-rabbit and elephant-shrew live in rocky terrain.

Birds at Kwandwe Private Game Reserve:
There are 238 species recorded to date at Kwandwe. Ostrich, secretary bird, blue crane, Stanley’s bustard and crowned lapwing are conspicuous in open habitats. Raptors include jackal buzzard, martial eagle, Verreaux’s (black) eagle and pale chanting goshawk. African fish-eagle hunt along the Great Fish River, where giant kingfisher, reed cormorant and green-backed heron also fish. Malachite, amethyst and greater double-collared sunbirds feed on the nectar of aloe blooms, and the strident calls of bokmakierie, Karoo robin and acacia pied barbet ring out across the plains and valleys.

Other African Wildlife:
Tent, angulate and parrot-beaked tortoises occur alongside the more widespread leopard tortoise. Dwarf chameleon, southern rock agama and rough-scaled lizard are other interesting reptiles found in the Great Fish River. The giant bullfrog is among 16 species of frog which emerge after rainfall. Abundant termites provide a food source for many animals and their conical mounds are seen all over. Colourful lichens cloak tree trunks, stems, boulders and rocks.

ACCOMMODATION:

KWANDWE MAIN LODGE:
Malaria-free safari accommodation set along the steep banks of the Great Fish River in the scenic Eastern Cape, this extraordinary safari lodge affords spectacular views of the wild yet gentle African landscape.

* Nine air-conditioned suites
* En suite bathrooms, indoor and outdoor showers
* Private plunge pools
* Expansive game viewing decks
* African gift gallery
* Reception in historical fort
* Member of Relais & Chateaux

Kwandwe Main Lodge is stylishly furnished in Frontier Settler style, integrating local African culture with colonial settler history. Elegant thatched stone and glass suites feature floor-to-ceiling doors which fold back to reveal uninterrupted wilderness vistas. Guest areas have a large fireplace with massive stone chimney, and a soaring thatched roof with imposing chandeliers.

Sophisticated, glass-fronted sitting and dining areas boast expansive viewing decks with breathtaking river views. Delicious Pan-African cuisine is served on the private decks, in the candlelit dining room, or enjoyed in the boma (outdoor dining area). Kwandwe is renowned for its spectacular bush banqueting in surprise settings.

Heatherton Towers is the main reception building, which is situated 40 minutes from the Lodge. It is, in fact, a Frontier War-era fortified homestead, complete with dramatic gun turrets and private chapel.

ACTIVITIES:

Twice-daily game-drives:
Experienced CC Africa rangers and Xhosa trackers will lead you on interpretive, twice-daily game-drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles, bringing you close to Africa’s Big Five. Fascinating nocturnal animals such as aardvark, aardwolf, porcupine, Cape fox, bat-eared fox and springhare are regularly encountered on exciting night drives.

Guided river walking/hiking or fishing:
Guided bush walks in Kwandwe’s pristine wilderness bring you face-to-face with wild Africa at its best. Hiking along the river is especially rewarding for those interested in birds, vegetation and folklore, and fishing is available for enthusiasts (Kwandwe supports ‘tag and release’ procedures).

Canoeing:
Catch sight of some of Kwandwe’s incredible birdlife while paddling along the Great Fish River in a sturdy canoe.

Rhino tracking:
Experience the thrill of tracking rhino on foot under the guidance of an experienced ranger and tracker – an unforgettable safari adventure.

Golf and polo:
It is possible to organise golf and polo tours in the vicinity of Kwandwe.

Whale watching air safari:
The Port Alfred Flying Club offers breathtaking whale watching flights over the bay. This adventure is seasonal – June to November.

UPLANDS HOMESTEAD:
Your private safari villa – This intimate lodge is a sensitively restored 1905 farmhouse set in a remote and tranquil valley, offering the ultimate personal safari in Kwandwe’s extraordinary African wilderness.
* Three air-conditioned, spacious bedrooms
* En suite bathrooms and private terraces
* Exclusive use of 4x4 safari vehicle
* Private butler, ranger and chef
* Large swimming pool and gazebo
* Member of Relais & Chateaux

Perfect for the sole use of a group or family of up to six guests, Uplands Homestead is situated half an hour from Heatherton Towers (Kwandwe’s reception building) and 45 minutes from Main Lodge. Antiques and memorabilia reminiscent of an 1820s Settler home elegantly blend with comfortable, modern finishes. The sitting and dining areas feature high ceilings, wooden floors and beautiful fireplaces. A deep and shady veranda leads out to the large swimming pool and gazebo.

In the modernised farm kitchen, Uplands Homestead’s private chef prepares delicious Pan-African cuisine and local specialities. Nothing beats a true CC Africa bush banquet in a surprise setting under the magical African sky.

KWANDWE ECCA LODGE:

Innovative safari accommodation Set in spectacular African wilderness surrounds, this unique safari lodge boasts a revolutionary design – stone-and-mesh gabion walls, sliding glass, timber and gauze doors and corrugated iron roofing. Exquisite guest areas overlook spekboom valleys with a backdrop of the distant cliff-faces of ecca shale.
* Ideal for family safaris
* Six intimate suites
* Air-conditioning and en suite bathrooms
* Spacious sitting areas
* Gorgeous rim-flow lap pool
* Interactive kitchen
* Unique interpretive centre

Ecca Lodge is fun, flamboyant and fabulous, with a “funk-meets-futuristic-farmhouse” ambience. Nestled into a gently sloping, densely vegetated hillside, the Lodge is airy and open with barely a barrier between indoors and the African bushveld.

Each suite features an en suite bathroom with spacious, plate glass-enclosed shower, bath, private w.c and twin hand-basins, as well as a sitting area which can comfortably convert into accommodation for children 11 years and younger. Overlooking rolling spekboom valleys, guest areas comprise a spacious sitting room with fireplace, dining room and bar area and deep veranda with expansive viewing decks. Delicious fresh farm cuisine is prepared in the modern, open-plan kitchen and an interpretive centre provides hours of entertainment for children of all ages.

WEDDING CEREMONY AT KWANDWE PRIVATE GAME RESERVE:

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve offers a choice of extraordinarily beautiful venues for the exchange of your vows.

CHAPEL AT HEATHERTON TOWERS:
Groom and guests await the bride's arrival at the chapel. After the signing of the register guests will move outside for celebratory drinks on the lawn.

VIEWING DECKS AT KWANDWE ECCA OR MAIN LODGE:
Please note that sole-use of the Lodge is required for this ceremony option. A ceremony can be hosted at any time of day.

BUSH SETTING:
For those who want to get married close to nature, the open space of the African bush is the ideal setting. Before sunset, guests and groom await the bride before they share their vows in a true untouched African landscape. Groom and guests are transported to the wedding venue in the bush, with the bride arriving later. After the ceremony and signing of register, guests celebrate with champagne cocktail sundowners.

WEDDING BANQUET AT KWANDWE PRIVATE GAME RESERVE:

WEDDING BUSH BANQUET:
A sumptuous feast for guests in the middle of the African Bush. Dining tables are adorned with lanterns and candles and attended to with first class service. This is a dramatic and elegant manner in which to entertain a wedding party or a quiet and romantic option for an intimate table for two.

KWANDWE MAIN LODGE DINING ROOM:
Bridal couples have a choice of hosting their wedding banquet in any of the surrounding areas of the Main Lodge. The Lodge offers a formal, grand dining area as a venue for an unforgettable wedding banquet. Kwandwe Main Lodge's candlelit dining room is stylishly furnished in Frontier Settler style, integrating local African culture with colonial settler history.

KWANDWE ECCA LODGE DINING ROOM:
The Lodge dining room overlooks rolling spekboom valleys. Ecca Lodge is fun, flamboyant and fabulous. Interiors reflect natural textures in bright hues of burnt aloe orange, rust and olive. Furnishings combine clean, contemporary sofas with venerable old collectables from the area. The dining room's glass doors open up 180 degrees, providing an indoor-outdoor dining experience.

UPLANDS HOMESTEAD:
The Homestead's sitting and dining areas feature high ceilings, wooden floors and beautiful fireplaces. A deep and shady veranda leads out to the large swimming pool and gazebo. In the modernised farm kitchen, Uplands Homestead's private chef prepares delicious Pan-African cuisine.

BOMA AT KWANDWE MAIN LODGE:
We can strongly recommend Kwandwe's outdoor Boma, being spacious yet cosy, with an unforgettable atmosphere at night created by dozens of lanterns and huge fires. Delicious cuisine is served at the fireside, under African skies. This option is only available for dinners.

PRIVATE DINNER FOR TWO TO SIX GUESTS:
A romantic dinner for an intimate wedding in the privacy of the couples' suite at any of the lodges at Kwandwe Private Game Reserve makes for a secluded and sentimental celebratory affair.

Please note: Outdoor wedding ceremonies and banquet settings are subject to weather and will be confirmed on the day. The weather in the Eastern Cape can be variable.

WEDDING ARRANGEMENTS AND FACILITIES AT KWANDWE PRIVATE GAME RESERVE:

A INTIMATE WEDDING
Between 2 to 6 Guests can comfortably be accommodated in 1 to 3 Suites of Kwandwe Main Lodge or Ecca Lodge. An intimate wedding comprising 6 Guests can be accommodated in the 3 Bedrooms of Kwandwe Uplands Homestead. This would afford the wedding party sole-use of the Homestead.

CLASSICAL WEDDING:
A classic wedding of 12 Guests can be accommodated in 6 Suites – affording the wedding party the sole-use of Kwandwe Ecca Lodge. 18 Guests can be hosted in 9 Suites at Kwandwe Main Lodge. The 6 to 15 Suites of both Kwandwe Main and Ecca Lodges will accommodate 12 to 30 Guests perfectly.

GRAHAMSTOWN:
The (British) ‘Settler City’ or ‘City of Saints’ - Grahamstown can easily claim to be a mixture of both. For although much has happened since 1820 when the first large numbers of immigrants arrived here from Britain, the town (and, indeed, the region) continues to conjure up images of rural England. For many South Africans - especially English-speakers - this city of Georgian buildings and stone cathedrals is a spiritual home - the place where new family trees first took root.

A hauntingly beautiful region - arguably the crucible of South African history - Frontier Country is a vibrant mix of all the best that Africa has to offer. One of the premier tourist routes in the Eastern Cape, it has a turbulent past, with more forts than the rest of the country combined.

Now no longer the scene of conflict and strife, it is about people breaking through frontiers. Frontier Country is the historic heartland of the Eastern Cape and embodies the spirit of the many and varied cultures who met here and made their mark - Khoi, Xhosa, Boer and British.

They brought with them a rich heritage that can still be seen today in towns and villages all over the Eastern Cape. The broad tree-lined streets and buildings of Grahamstown are the legacy of a time when this was the Cape's second city. Take time to walk through this historic centre and visit the Observatory Museum which houses one of only two Victorian Cameras Obscura in the world - the other is in Bath, England - with a magical mirror that reflects the town onto a large circular table.

With Grahamstown at its centre, Frontier Country includes Adelaide, Alicedale, Alice, Bedford, Fort Beaufort, Hogsback, Peddie, Riebeeck East, Salem, Seven Fountains and Sidbury.

Frontier Country is one of the most diverse ecological regions in South Africa, with a variety of biomes that provide unspoilt and spectacular scenery. Thousands of hectares are devoted to nature and game conservation, bringing with them the return of great herds of wildlife to the places where they once roamed freely. This malaria-free region is fast gaining local and international popularity for excellent game-viewing with a variety of private reserves which include the Big Five.

The area offers much for the outdoor enthusiast and adventurer. Activities include skydiving, hunting, game viewing, fly-fishing, hang-gliding, abseiling, river rafting and mountaineering.

True country hospitality is provided throughout the region in world class game lodges, top quality hotels, guest houses, farm stays and B&B's, and Grahamstown boasts some of the finest schools, colleges, universities and educational institutions to be found in South Africa.

PLACES OF INTEREST:

1820 SETTLERS MONUMENT:
Overlooking Grahamstown from Gunfire Hill is English-speaking South Africa’s equivalent of the Voortrekker Monument. The idea for the memorial was conceived by the 1820 Foundation to advance education and cultural development of all South Africans, but it was not until 1968 that the Prime Minister, BJ Vorster, and his wife laid the foundation stone. Every July a National Festival of the Arts and a National Schools English Festival are staged in the 920-seat theatre and conference complex.

FORT SELWYN:
There’s a fine view over the roofs and spires of a town that was still a village in about 1835, when the fort was erected and named after its designer, Major Charles Selwyn.

The star-shaped building, with restored semaphore signalling apparatus, barracks and orderly room, is one of many structures erected by the hardworking Selwyn, whose own battlemented home, “Selwyn Castle”, still stands in the town.

THE PROVOST:
With a guard tower overlooking a curving row of cells and high-walled yard, there can be no mistaking the original purpose of this place...

After years of practice, military authorities finally evolved this design in 1838 to house errant soldiers awaiting either trial or execution. Captain Robert Gethin, one of the only three veterans of the Napoleonic Wars known to have died in action in southern Africa, is buried in the little cemetery. And legend has it that on certain nights the ghost of Lady Juana Smith (wife of Governor Sir Harry Smith) wanders about in the vicinity of the nearby Botanic Gardens.

ALBANY MUSEUM:
Those who dislike the tendency for museums to concentrate on set ‘themes’ will enjoy the range of exhibits here. The natural history section includes a ‘touch gallery’ where children are encouraged to handle exhibits. The prehistory section of the complex includes man as well as fossils, and there’s even an ancient Egyptian mummy and exhibits that explain the techniques employed in archaeology. The Ethology section, which shows ‘people of Africa’, is highlighted by detailed Xhosa display (visitors enter this by walking through a traditional Xhosa hut). A shop on the premises sells books and souvenirs.

Established 1855. The Albany Museum Complex comprises five museums and is the second oldest museum in the country. The Museum Complex has an Education Department which provides resources and educational programmes in cultural studies, history and the natural sciences. A Mobile Museum service offers portable exhibits, resource packs and objects for curriculum-based studies. An education programme is printed yearly and is available on request. Identification services, public lectures, film shows, open days, walking tours and special events are offered throughout the year. The original Albany Museum was established in 1855 by the Graham's Town medical-Chirurgical Society (later the Literary, Scientific and medical Society). The Museum has grown into a complex of separate museums which document the full spectrum of the social and natural environment, with particular reference to the Eastern Cape. The components of the Complex are : the Natural Science Museum, the History Museum, the Observatory Museum, the Provost Prison and Fort Selwyn.

1820 SETTLERS’ MEMORIAL MUSEUM:
Despite the title, this museum traces the origins and development of the British settlers since they first started arriving in southern Africa in 1795. Exhibits include family pedigrees and portraits, photographs and furniture, medals, weapons and uniforms, as well as many other touching mementoes of people trying to set up a new home from home. This is the cultural history section of the Albany Museum and is not exclusively ‘settler’ although this forms the bulk of the exhibits.

CORY LIBRARY FOR HISTORICAL RESEARCH:
The Cory Library at Rhodes University collects material of all kinds to support research into the history of Southern African and related fields in the social sciences. The aim has been to build up a strong subject collection where format and medium are secondary to the subject needs of the researcher in Southern African history and a wide range of cognate fields. Collections include manuscripts and other documents, Cape and other Government publications, rare and modern books, periodicals and newspapers, maps, pictorial materials, microforms, video and audio recordings, and digital records.

The Library's holdings are particularly strong in the fields of Southern African history and politics including Xhosa history and literature, mission and church history, the history of education and mining, commercial and agricultural history. Since the initial deposit of Sir George Cory's collections there has been a particular focus on the history of the Eastern cape and on Grahamstown itself - both crucial areas of White/Xhosa interaction - but Eastern Cape local history is only one of the strengths of the collections of the Cory Library.

THE YELLOW HOUSE:
Grahamstown’s oldest public building started out in 1814 as a jail. However, when it became too small to cope with the growing influx of frontier criminals, it was put to a more practical use - as a library, school and hall for occasional meetings.

An important landmark, the layout of the city’s streets was apparently based on the line of the little building’s northwest wall. The bronze plaque on the wall once formed part of a much-criticised settlers’ monument, built in the High Street in 1920 but demolished 30 years later to make way for the Trilithon which was erected opposite the Yellow House.

PIONEER MEMORIAL:
Dr Saunders, the town’s Medical Officer, said it would look better in a cemetery. Professor George Cory, who was clearly on the other side, thought it was ‘simply chaste’ and could think of nothing more beautiful. This much-debated monument marks the spot where, in 1812, Colonel John Graham and Captain Andries Stockenstrom decided on the site for the town. The foundation stone was laid in 1912 by General Smuts, after a suggestion to invite King George V to do so had been turned down. Amid the ongoing controversy, the monument - with just one bronze panel instead of the planned four - was unveiled by the mayor in 1913.

ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL OF ST MICHAEL AND ST GEORGE:
Like so many other churches built on the turbulent frontier of the 1800s, this one had close ties with the military authorities, during frontier wars it acted as a depot for the distribution of arms and ammunition, as well as a refuge and officers’ headquarters. The oldest part of th south wall, which dates from 1824 and had a squat, square tower before the present one was built in 1878. There are numerous memorials inside the building, including one to Joshua Davis Norden, thought to be the only memorial erected to a contemporary Jew in an Anglican cathedral.

COMMEMORATION CHURCH:
Commemorating the arrival of British immigrants, this church was founded in 1845 as a gesture of settler gratitude for ‘Divine goodness towards them’. However, war on the frontier held up its completion until 1850. Near the back door a carved slate foundation stone was laid ‘by the Lady of the Reverend W Haw’. Some impressive but unofficial carving has taken place inside too, where generations of schoolboys have incised their names into the back of the pews. ‘Commem’ also has some fine official carvings, interesting memorials and stained glass, while regimental banners have been ‘laid up’, as is traditional, to rot away their long last years in peace.

ST PATRICK’S CHURCH:
During an outbreak of frontier peace between 1839 and 1844, a large garrison was retained at Grahamstown. Among the soldiers were members of the Irish regiments who willingly gave of their free time to build a church. The result was the Tudor Gothic St Patrick’s, almost as much fortress as church which its castellated walls and cruciform firing-slits. In fact, it was referred to as “The Castle”, after sheltering civilians during the “War of Axe” in 1846.

THE DRILL HALL:
It was called Albany Hall, when, in 1870 British settlers (or, more likely, their children and grandchildren) danced the night away to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their arrival. In addition to this Jubilee Ball, it was also the venue for the Jubilee Banquet and jubilee performances of Robinson Crusoe. Now it is the headquarters of the First City Regiment, originally raised as a volunteer unity in 1875. There are some relics of mechanised warfare in the grounds, and all sorts of other relics inside, for which permission is needed to view.

OBSERVATORY MUSEUM:
The drawcard here is a ‘camera obscura’, a periscope-like object that offers visitors an unusual, rotating view of Grahamstown. This and the other delights, such as an observatory, meridian room, science room and extraordinary clock, were built by Henry Galphin, a watchmaker who helped identify South Africa’s first diamond. His old jeweller’s shop (1859) still stands adjacent to this house, which is furnished in classic Mid Victorian style - right down to the formal herb garden in the yard.