kate

I am planning on spending a couple of nights at the Shamwari Game reserve later this year. Can anyone advise on which of their various lodge and accomodation options are the nicest?<BR>Thanks

Selwyn Davidowitz

Hi Kate,<BR><BR>I will offer you the advice that you require however before I do this I need to ask a very pertinent 2 pronged question viz. Why is your heart so set on visiting Shamwari and have you condidered the possibility of rather visting other game farms in the area?<BR><BR>Once you respond I will continue with some help.<BR><BR>Selwyn Davidowitz<BR>

cc

I did not stay at Shamwari, but visited about a month ago. I was really disappointed by it. And the cost is extortionate. There's a fantastic B&B called Woodall(its on web) within driving distance and I wouls recommend staying there. Its one of the nicest places I've ever stayed. And approx. R350 per night.<BR>Vist Addo Elephant Park as an alternative to Shamwari

Selwyn Davidowitz

Kaate,<BR><BR>An addendum from me to your Shamwari question.<BR><BR>You could also book into Schotia in one of their 3 Rondavels in the park where you have also willn have dinner around the camp fire after your game drive. Schotia have purposly not installed electricity in the rondavel so you can use original paraffin hurricane lamps and gas water heaters for the bath and shower. Prebooking is essential. This is as close as you can get to the wilds of Africa. Inclusive of game drives & dinner about R1000 B&B and that is good value for money. Addo borders on Schotia and a short drive takes you there.<BR><BR>I must also add that on one of the nights that I stayed over in a rondavel at Schotia I had a "friendly" warthog kicking at my door for a while and there I was VERY safe in my rondavel with only paraffin lamps and a 2 way radio to contact management in case of need. I have to stress that it all was VERY SAFE. All in all it was an amazing experience <BR><BR>Some other info is that if you go to Addo game park stop in at the bookshop at and buy the book that they sell telling you all about the animals on Addo. At the same time buy a brand new book that has just been launched called "Addo Elephants" by Ann Whitehouse and Pat Irwin. It is an incredible book to use when on the Addo Park. Remember that Addo is one of those game parks that lends itself to private exploration and one does not need a 4*4. If I take my visitors onto Addo I do my utmost to let them do the spotting and find out about the various animals on the game park themselves. That is why I give them the books to read the night before we go onto Addo. I only fill in the gaps that they miss when we are on the park thus making the whole journey a fulfilling experience for them. All in all they could do the journey themselves however because I never leave my visitors while we travel through the Eastern Cape, Garden Route or Cape Town I accompany and drive them into the park but make it very clear to them that they could actually do this safari ride themselves. <BR><BR>Fair warning. ) You cannot believe the sensation when you find that herd of elephants yourself as opposed to having a ranger site it for you. The African heart beats when this happens bigtime. This is why I am telling you to go experience the game parks yourself and forget about Shamwari.<BR><BR>I hope that you have great fun, no matter how you go about it when going on safari in our great land.<BR><BR>Selwyn Davidowitz <BR><BR> <BR> <BR><BR><BR>

Aaron

There's some useful advice from Selwyn and others on this topic at:<BR><BR>http://www.aardvarktravel.net/chat/viewtopic.php?t=211<BR><BR>Aaron

jen

Kate, we spent the night at Addo in a 'forest hut'. No luxury, but cheap and great for us. The next morning we got up before dawn, ate a huge papaya in the dark, boiled water for tea in a thermos, and drove 1 mile to the Addo game area, getting there just when they opened at 7am. About 50 yards inside the gate an elephant crowwed the road a few feet from our car. No kidding. He hung around for 15 minutes and there was no one else around. It was absolutely magical and I have to say that Selwyn is completely correct that there is no thrill like 'finding' the amimals yourself! After the elephant there were warthogs, zebra, meerkats, kudu, more elephants, and more...<BR>We didn't have time to go on the Tooth & Claw evening drive & braai at Scotia, but it sounded fantastic. Shamwari sounded great at first to us too, but I'm SO glad that we decided for Addo!

jen

that should have been 'crossed'.

Alan

Just a suggestion... just down the road from Shamwari is Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. I heartily recommend it over Shamwari... great staff, great game, great accomodations... they're similar in size to Shamwari, but only take 24 guests at a time...<BR><BR>www.ccafrica.com