Interior View of Samara Karoo Reserve

Samara Karoo Reserve

Hotel Lodge Nature preserve Ecological park

👍👍 Samara could not have delivered a more fantastic stay. It was truly awe-inspiring. Arriving at the circular drive to the lodge, you're welcomed by smiling faces and an enchanting deep verandah. I'm not sure there are many places in the world where you can track rhino and cheetah on foot. And to get... People often mention Samara, game, staff, stay, experience, nights, lodge, cheetah, reserve, beautiful,


Address

Petersburg Road Off the R63 to Pearston, Graaff-Reinet, 6280, South Africa

Website

www.samara.co.za

Contact

+27 31 262 0324

Rating on Google Maps

4.70
(887104 reviews)

Visitor Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: Samara (19) game (14) staff (11) stay (10) experience (10) nights (9) lodge (7) cheetah (6) reserve (6) beautiful (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Candice T. 3 years ago on Google
    Samara could not have delivered a more fantastic stay. It was truly awe-inspiring. Arriving at the circular drive to the lodge, you're welcomed by smiling faces and an enchanting deep verandah. I'm not sure there are many places in the world where you can track rhino and cheetah on foot. And to get to spend time with cheetah while they quietly laze in the sun, whilst you're on foot in the bush with them... Just unbelievable. Our tracker, and driver Dumi were so special. The element of conservation which we participated in was also fascinating. We looked forward to every meal, it was that delicious. I certainly recommend 3 nights minimum to stay. Samara will always be the most fond memory, as our favourite private game reserve!
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Stanley C. 3 years ago on Google
    What a magical experience. To walk with cheetahs! A simply unheard of encounter. A personalized stay, where people greet you by name, in the most beautiful environment. The lodge is designed for long lazy afternoons on the verandah, and the meals served were delicious. We looked forward to afternoon tea every day, in anticipation of what had been freshly baked. The suite we were in was luxuriously spacious. We've never been treated so specially at any establishment visited - it was the epitome of a truly memorable stay.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 sergio m. 5 years ago on Google
    An amazing experience in this beautiful (and vast) game reserve. Everything is just perfect : the landscapes, the lodge (very comfortable), the drives, the staff ! Marnus, Samara's general manager, is truly passionate by the bush and the wildlife and knows how to share it. Thanks so much for these beautiful moments and talks during the drives ! Our kids also loved their stay. It's perfect for them with activities adapted to all ages. Last but not least, the sky at night is just amazingly full of stars and it's a great experience to watch it in the dark. Thanks again. We hope we'll come back.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Christian T. 5 years ago on Google
    Samara was not the honeymoon we'd expected. My wife and I checked in on July 29th, 2019. We'd planned on staying 4 nights, but ended up leaving after the 3rd night. In all, great biomes, and we loved the opportunity to walk with cheetas, giraffes and rhinos. We loved the respect and personal space that all animals are given, and the ethics of the reserve. The lodge was great, the food was on point (I am vegetarian and this was accommodated). The organization and the guide were a major let down though. We decided to dedicate part of our honeymoon to learning about conservation and walked out disappointed. We do hope that this review helps other travelers make the most of their time at Samara Private Game Reserve. The main watch-outs: 1- ensure that the booking team acknowledges and confirms your specific requirements and areas of interest before you make any payments. 2- ask in advance if there is any additional fees to be incurred. 3- book 2 nights only. The website recommends minimum 3 nights but we found that you quickly go back to doing the same things. 4- request to be assigned to a car with visitors of similar interest. And here's why: 1-  Ensure your specific request are acknowledged before making any payment. We found that this crucial info had trickled poorly from the booking team to the operations team (guides, tracker, staff at the lodge). We consequently never got our Bush Walk, despite mentioning this particular interest 3 times while booking with Samara. We did get to go out of the car and shortly walk with cheetas, girafes and rhinos, which in itself is pretty unique. 2- Ensure you are informed of all costs upfront: there is a conservation fee of approx. 140ZAR p.p per night which caught us by surprise. We were not happy about the surprise but the staff pleaded that we sign the invoice, as this expense would otherwise be taken out of their salary. So we did. 3- Two nights are sufficient. Samara's website recommends a minimum of 3 nights. We found that the game drives from day 3 onwards, are simply a repeat of the ones of day 1 and 2 (same spot, same game, same everything). 4- ensure you're a fit with your guide and other travelers. This is another organizational area that disappointed. My wife and I who wanted to cease any opportunity to walk with the animals, were paired up with travelers who just wanted to stay in the car, drive from one animal to thd other taking pictures. In addition to that, our guide turned out to be moody. Lively and enthusiastic one day, kurt and borderline unfriendly the next. So, worth a visit but just for two nights and with all info and cost confirmed in advance. Happy travels!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Alida R. 2 years ago on Google
    We spent two nights at Samara’s Manor House and were delighted with the service, accommodation and the cheetah sighting was the cherry on top. Loveliest staff, serene setting.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Marike C. 4 years ago on Google
    My sister and I stayed at Samara Game Reserve in October 2020 to celebrate our birthdays. We had an incredibly memorable stay and would highly recommend Samara for a luxury Big Five experience in South Africa. Highlights of our stay were tracking 8 cheetahs on foot, the guides and staff that attended to our every need and the dining experience. Will visit again as soon as we can!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Christine Janse van R. 7 years ago on Google
    Samara is one of those places your heart always yearns to return to. Samara has become the benchmark to which we compare other game reserves we visit, it is just such a magical and fantastic place. We have been to Samara three times now, and we are always trying to build a visit to Samara into our next trip! The level of service of the staff is just amazing, the plentiful food is always of the highest standard, every night is a peaceful night's rest. The rooms are clean, cozy and spacious with everything you need. If you feel something is missing, you can always just ask the stuff, no ask is too big for the Samara staff. And the game drives never disappoint! The game rangers have always been the best and most interesting people. Samara is a must to visit, and great value for money.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nic L. 5 years ago on Google
    Fantastic staff. Overall very friendly and amicable. When I told the guide that I've been visiting Africa for 2 weeks and have yet to see a Cheetah, the next morning's game drive was specifically set to track and find their Cheetah's just so that I could see them before heading back home to Canada. When we found them, it was the best and most memorable moment of my wife and I's entire trip. Thank Samara for a memory I will cherish the rest of my life!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Carin M. 7 years ago on Google
    Samara is one on the most special places on earth. It is a rare treat to be able to drive and walk in the reserve. Our ranger was very knowledgeable ranger about the animals, plants, mountains and the general area. The staff at the Manor House is exceptional and made us feel very special. The highlight of our trip was the spotting of an aardvark, a cheetah with her cubs and being able to see a part of the Karoo that is not visible from the public roads.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Brian W. 6 years ago on Google
    Superbly run reserve in the heart of the hauntingly beautiful Karoo. The staff, accommodation, food and most importantly the game are top notch - with Samara having the 'Big Five and 3% of the total world cheetah population. Stay at least 3 days but when you sadly leave you'll have wished you'd stayed for 7!

  • 5/5 Markus S. 2 years ago on Google
    Awesome Lodge. Thank you for your great hospitality. Hope to see you soon.

  • 5/5 Erin M. 1 year ago on Google
    We stayed in The Manor in May, 2023. The game drives were incredible as our tracker and driver were extremely knowledgeable and skilled. The accommodations were comfortable and beautiful. The chef was outstanding, and the meals were delicious. Even though it rained during part of our stay and during the game drives, we still went out and enjoyed the views and looked for animals. We were provided with lined ponchos to keep us warm and dry. Staying at Samara was our big splurge for this vacation and was well worth it.

  • 5/5 FrenSu M. 1 year ago on Google
    This is a awesome game reserve with lots of exclusivity in the heart of Karoo. If you looking for a great place to unwind and experience nature with luxury Samara is the place to be. The establishment is not to big which make of it a very private experience.

  • 5/5 Carol A. 1 year ago on Google
    A wonderful experience, would recommend it to all who love the bush, with the added luxury of the comfortable accommodation and excellent food. And big kudos 👏 to ALL the staff for making it a special stay.

  • 3/5 Christine T. 1 year ago on Google
    I was really looking forward to this one, and while I enjoyed my experience, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations of a 5 star lodge. Positives: good game viewing - we saw 3 of the Big 5, cheetah tracking was a massive highlight. Magnificent setting in the Karoo. Amazing guide and tracker with so much knowledge who really went out of their way to get us viewings. Exceptional service and attention to detail (e.g. bubble bath drawn for you after evening game drive, beautiful table settings). Negatives: The Manor House is in serious need of maintenance and upgrading. Furniture is stained and broken, cushions torn, peeling paint, pool area full of weeds, pool full of algae and dead insects so we couldn’t swim in it. The amount of bees is also insane - I got stung multiple times. While I understand that it is difficult to prevent bees in the wild, there are eco-friendly and bee-safe methods to reduce bees in communal areas, used by other lodges. Overall, I did enjoy the 2 nights I spent there, but feel that for the price range I expected a more luxurious lodge. I understand that they’re doing renovations on lodges so hopefully with some building maintenance and TLC the experience can be enhanced further.


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