Safari Game Drives

Take a Walk on The Wild Side

In addition to spectacular game drives, Shamwari Private Game Reserve also offers professionally guided bush walks. Our rangers share their intimate knowledge of the reserve and their own expert insights to make each natural encounter a special event. Here, you can gain a true perspective of the fauna and flora indigenous to the region. Your guide can also point out animal tracks, dung, birds and can educate you on the area and its rich history.

You may see a herd of wild buffalo, but the tiny ox peckers on their backs are the real conservation success. If you want a true walking safari experience, you can stay at Explorer Camp where the focus is on bush walks rather than game drives.

South Africa’s Eight Major Biomes

Shamwari Private Game Reserve is home to five of South Africa’s eight major biomes, providing rich vegetation types that are suitable for an array of animal and plant species to thrive in.

Vegetation Types

These five vastly different biomes bring about a wide variety of animal, bird and plant life for guests to catch sight of at Shamwari Private Game Reserve.

Thicket Biome

The dominant vegetation type in this area is the thicket biome and more specifically known as the Albany Thicket.
This biome sustains and bolsters a healthy population of animal species including kudu, elephant, black rhino, monkey and bushbuck. Additionally, the Addo flightless dung beetle, unique to the Eastern Cape, is another conservation success story. A recent discovery was made of the Albany Adder which is a puffadder snake endemic to this area. Spekboom and Spike Thorn trees are also specific to this biome.