kwandwe for safari?!advice needed!
 

Hi everyone!
I found this forum excellent when I plagued ye about my honeymoon itinerary a while back and am in need of advice yet again! I have decided now to maybe change our safari option to kwandwe (main river lodge)as it will be easily accessible on the garden route .
Have any of you been there or have any advice about this?
Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Scatterbride,

I don't think there is too much info about Kwandwe on this forum for some reason, I think Trip Advisor might have more comments.

However, plenty of people here have been to other CCAfrica properties, and most would consider the properties well run, with nice accomodations and good guiding. We were at two CCAfrica properties on our first trip, and very happy with both, although the game viewing wasn't great at Madikwe.

Kwandwe is fairly new, I believe, so don't know how the game veiwing is yet, but I would think it is most likely the best choice for the Eastern Cape region. CCAfrica takes their game viewing seriously, so personally, that's probably the only safari lodge I would think of visiting in that region.

As far as your honeymoon goes, it should be great - CCAfrica is known for special little treats for couples such as candlelit bubblebaths, private dinners on your own deck, etc. Just let them know you are there on your honeymoon, and I bet they 'll come up with something. I assume you've already visited the CCAfrica website?

Visited both River and Ecca in Sept. 2006. Was my wife's favorite of all the CCA properties (visited all but Mnemba and Kichwa Tembo). River has private plunge pools that are down a short path from your room and overlook the river (you can also see the river from your room).

Ecca ia also very nice, striking design. Staff was excellent as was food.

Game sightings were good, especially lion and our only caracal of the trip. If they go off road to get to a sighting, it can be pretty bumpy but it's worth it.

Our only disappointment was that they are famous among CCA properties as having porcupine sightings almost nightly. We thought we would finally see one but our bad luck held and they were hiding out until we left.

Any other specific questions?

Thank you so much Brandywine and Tuckeg.
Your replies have been a great help. It seems not many people have on the forum have ben to Kwandwe so it really has set my mind at ease that you have Tuckeg!
I have a few questions for you if you don't mind!
Did you prefer the River Lodge or Ecca?
We cant decide between 2 or 3 nights? Budget is tight but we could stretch it!
Plunge pol sounds beautiful though we are heading in August so might not chance the cold water!
Any info at all that you think of regarding Kwandwe is greatly appreciated!
Brandywine- Thanks again- I was on the CC Africa website and they rang me yesterday so very hapy with them as a company.
Thanks again!

I have not been to Kwandwe personally but a friend has and he enjoyed it a lot (I have e-mailed him to ask more details and I will post his reply).
The Eastern Cape is often ignored as a safari destination and I think unfairly. It makes great sense if you are doing Cape Town and the Garden Route. As far as I am concerned, there are only two drawbacks to this area when compared to the Sabi Sands.

1. You do not get the same sense of being in the wilderness as there are quite a few signs of civilisation around and many of the reserves have roads running next to their property (though you may not see them on your drives).

2. If you want to see Leopard the Sabi Sands is THE place!

Also don't discount the other lodges in the Eastern Cape. Shamwari offers a great winter deal and my favourite; Kariega is really good value.

Mark

Hi Mark,
Thank you so much for your reply any info your friend gives you would be greatly appreciated!
Someone recommended Nguni River Lodge in Addo to us today for safari. We are booked into Woodall house in Addo as part of our honeymoon anyway.
Would you recommend Nguni?
Descisions, descisions!

I'll compare notes with my wife about Ecca versus River tomorrow and post then. If I have time, I'll check my photos and if I have any good shots I'll post them online and put the link in my message.

One memory I have from a night drive there is being about 15 ft from a roaring male lion. Unforgetable!! The next day we heard but did not see lions kill a warthog.

Hi, I would not recommend Nguni. I spent some time at a property next to it and they share some traversing rights but the game viewing was not so great. If you are staying at Woodall, do a self drive into Addo it is very affordable, then go to one of the private game reserves.
My friend got back to me on Kwandwe. He said the accommodation, service and food was wonderful and would recommend Great Fish River Lodge for more mature people while Ecca is more suited to the young and funky.
The game viewing was good and the vegitation varied but there are some signs of civilisation on the reserve.
Hope this heplps.
Mark

Sactterbride,

Ok, I talked to my wife and reviewed our photos and would recommend Ecca for your honeymoon. I liked River very much, but Ecca was superb. I have posted some photos here (all the Kwandwe ones have Kwandwe in the description):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9406244@N06/?saved=1

I only had one of our room at River, the rest of the photos of the main lodge and the chalet are of Eccca. Ecca has a big pool at the main lodge and then the rooms have private plunge pools. As you can see, each room is very large and very nice. I had to drag my wife away from Kwandwe. I would say go for three nights if you can fit it in your budget. If you go, tell them George, the astronomer says hello. Let me know if you have any other questions

Tuckeg

Thank you so much Mark and Tuckeg for your replies. They have been a great help to us.
I think now from what both of you said, Ecca might be a better option for us. I have emailed CC Africa to see if they have availab ility for our dates.
Tuckeg, thank you so much for posting your pictures, they are fantastic and have really got me excited now!
Again, thanks for the great help!

Sorry that I missed your post earlier... hope I'm not too late.

We went to Kwandwe after a drive along the garden route a few years ago. We spent 5 nights there and it was fantastic.

It's a great private reserve. You get the feeling that you're the only people there. When we were there, there were only about a dozen guests. Spread them over thousands of acres and you could go hours without seeing another group of people.

The 'huts' are very nice with plunge pools and both indoor and outdoor showers. The staff was excellent, the food was good and the guides were great.

They personalize your game drives to your liking. Our group wanted to stay out as long as possible. We left early, returned late, took picnic breakfasts (our morning drives lasted from 5:30am to around 11ish... while other groups were out only from 6-8:30). We came back well after dark on a number of nights as well.

I've been on safari in Kenya and Tanzania and can heartily recommend Kwandwe. If you have any other questions, let me know.