Shamwari Private Game Reserve, South Africa
Shamwari Riverdene
Family safari lodge
Shamwari Private Game Reserve, South Africa
Renovated
2018
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Luxe Resort LocalOutside the door
The house
ShamwariFamily safari lodge
Fenced grounds give children freedom to roam between game drives, centering safari life on the waterhole and evening boma fires.
“Shamwari has a number of options, including the luxury tents of Bayethe and the family-friendly Riverdene Lodge, and is just an hour-long drive from Port Elizabeth.”
What it’s good at
Notable
Private game-drive vehicles and dedicated rangers assigned to each visiting family unit.
Notable
An adventure playground with elevated treehouse walkways, ziplines, and supervised safari activities.
Listed
Twice-daily guided drives tracking wildlife across Shamwari's protected Eastern Cape bushveld.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
the most family-friendly of the Shamwari lodges in the private game reserve of the same name, Shamwari Riverdene doesn’t just throw in a couple of bunk beds and call it a job well done — it’s got an extensive Kids on Safari program
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Inside Shamwari Private Game Reserve, overlooking a waterhole with the Eastern Cape bushveld extending beyond.
The rooms
Interconnecting rooms open onto private verandas, joined into multi-bedroom family suites with deep soaking tubs and walk-in showers.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
Padded loungers sit beneath a wooden pergola beside the rim-flow pool, which includes a shallow splash area for children.
The spa and gym
The double treatment room opens directly onto rolling hills, and the gym shares the same bushveld view.
At the table
Tables on the lantern-lit deck host open-air braais, and daytime meals are served under the shaded pergola.
How it began
The lodge grew from an original settler farmhouse on the reserve, rebuilt in 2018 with pitched Cape-style roofs.
Shamwari Private Game Reserve
More like this
Shamwari Eagles Crag
“Cliffside safari lodge”
Shamwari Long Lee Manor
“Edwardian safari manor”
Shamwari Sindile
“Elevated bushveld lair”
Shamwari Bayethe
“Riverine tented safari lodge”
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.