Guests photographing elephants from an open safari vehicle. Photo: Pexels (free licence).
Is Shamwari a good company to book a safari with?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 2 November 2026
Shamwari is in the Uncompromised Travel table of safari camp owners. Everything below is from its own website and its review listings, each line with the page it was read from: no score, no rank.
What do guests say about Shamwari?
No rating for Shamwari was found on Google, SafariBookings or Trustpilot when they were read; ask the company for recent guest references.
- No Google listing in Shamwari's name was found.
- SafariBookings
- No SafariBookings listing in Shamwari's name was found.
- Trustpilot
- No Trustpilot listing in Shamwari's name was found.
Where are Shamwari's camps?
South Africa only: all lodges sit within Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape. Six lodges and one explorer camp (home, about and lodges pages).
- Countries
- South Africa only: all lodges sit within Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape.
- Camps
- Six lodges and one explorer camp (home, about and lodges pages). The interview page speaks of 'seven luxurious lodges' counting the Explorer Camp.
- Where they are
- All within Shamwari Private Game Reserve, Eastern Cape: Sarili Private Villa (Bushman's River), Sindile, Eagles Crag, Long Lee Manor, Bayethe, Riverdene and the seasonal Explorer Camp. Welcome Lounge South serves Long Lee Manor, Sarili, Sindile, Riverdene and Explorer Camp. Welcome Lounge North serves Eagles Crag and Bayethe.
- Land and traversing
- A single private, malaria-free reserve of 25,000 hectares. The interview says it is designated a Protected Environment and that 1,338 hectares were recently added.
- Mobile and seasonal camps
- No mobile camps. The Explorer Camp is seasonal: it 'operates September to May', with the first trail in September and the last at the end of May, one week at a time on alternating weeks.
- Camp sizes
- Sarili: six-bedroom villa (2 suites, 4 rooms), max 12 adults and 2 children. Sindile: 9 Premier Tented Suites.
How much does Shamwari cost?
Shamwari does not publish a dated rate per person per night for its own camps on its own website; ask it for a quote for your dates.
- Minimum stay
- Explorer Camp: 'a minimum of 2 nights stay', with each trail running one week at a time on alternating weeks. Honeymoon package: minimum 3 nights.
What are Shamwari's booking terms?
Shamwari does not publish a deposit on its own website; ask for its booking terms in writing before you pay.
- Deposit
- Not stated on its own website.
- Balance due
- Not stated on its own website.
- Cancellation charges
- Not stated on its own website.
- Currencies and card fees
- Cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, plus debit cards; bank transfer is also accepted. Online card transactions are in South African Rand (ZAR).
- How guest payments are protected
- Not stated on its own website.
Who is Shamwari best for?
Best for: A Big 5 Eastern Cape reserve, on Shamwari's own published facts; its terms for children, couples, solo travellers and private guiding are below.
- Children
- Riverdene and Sarili welcome all ages. Long Lee Manor from 6 years. Explorer Camp 16 and over.
- Teenagers and families
- Riverdene gives each family unit a private safari vehicle (children 3 and over). The Kids on Safari Adventure Centre at Riverdene has a zipline (weight limit 50 kg), climbing walls and a treehouse network.
- Honeymoon
- Camps shown: Sindile, Eagles Crag, Bayethe, Long Lee Manor and Explorer Camp. Season and year are not stated.
- Older travellers and limited mobility
- Wheelchair-friendly rooms: one ground-floor room at Sarili, one of two interleading plains rooms at Long Lee Manor and one bedroom of Riverdene's 3-bedroom family room. Explorer Camp walks: guests over 65 must give a medical certificate of fitness, walks last up to 4 hours and no pregnant women or under-16s.
- Private guide and vehicle
- Riverdene: 'Each family unit booked offers a private safari vehicle'. Which other lodges offer one and any surcharge, are not stated.
- Exclusive use
- Sarili Private Villa is a six-bedroom villa for up to 12 adults and 2 children (0 to 11), with butler service, its own deck with plunge pool and a private boma, described as 'the perfect exclusive private bush villa'. A whole-reserve or whole-lodge buy-out and sole-use rates are not stated.
- Activities
- Explorer Camp focuses on walking. Listed for all lodges; not shown per camp.
When is Shamwari not the right choice?
Shamwari is not the fit if its own published limits rule you out: they are below, in its own words.
- Children
- Explorer Camp 16 and over.
- Minimum stay
- Explorer Camp: 'a minimum of 2 nights stay', with each trail running one week at a time on alternating weeks. Honeymoon package: minimum 3 nights.
What are the best alternatives to Shamwari?
Cheetah Plains, Elephant Plains Game Lodge, Kariega Game Reserve, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Lalibela Game Reserve and Samara Karoo Reserve also own and run their own camps in South Africa only, each with the fact that it is best for.
- Cheetah Plains: best for: Sole-use villas in the Sabi Sand. 4.9 out of 5 on Google (listing 'Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve') from 73 reviews.
- Elephant Plains Game Lodge: best for: Big Five game viewing in the northern Sabi Sand. 4.8 out of 5 on Google (listing 'Elephant Plains Game Lodge') from 242 reviews.
- Kariega Game Reserve: best for: A malaria-free Eastern Cape Big 5 reserve.
- Kwandwe Private Game Reserve: best for: A low-density Eastern Cape reserve. 4.8 out of 5 on Google (listing 'Kwandwe Private Game Reserve') from 259 reviews.
- Lalibela Game Reserve: best for: A malaria-free Eastern Cape reserve.
- Samara Karoo Reserve: best for: Three stays on a Great Karoo reserve. 4.7 out of 5 on Google (listing 'Samara Karoo Reserve') from 165 reviews.
Each is in the same table, read the same way. Alphabetical order; none paid to be listed.
Who owns Shamwari?
The operating entity is Shamwari Hospitality (Pty) Ltd.
- Trading name
- Trades as Shamwari Private Game Reserve. No company registration number is published for it (the registration numbers on the payment terms belong to the website builder and to PayGate).
- Based in
- Paterson, Eastern Cape, South Africa (R342, Paterson, 6130; telephone +27 (0) 42 203 1111).
- Owner or parent
- The operating entity is Shamwari Hospitality (Pty) Ltd. No investors are named.
- In its own words
- 'Shamwari, meaning "my friend" in Shona, is the pinnacle of private game reserves and home to the coveted Big 5.' Other claims: 'A Rare Finds resort', 'Where the wild finds you', 25,000 hectares of private, malaria-free wilderness, five of South Africa's nine biomes and six lodges and one explorer camp.
- Conservation model
- It partners with Born Free and VulPro.
How do you book Shamwari?
Direct to guests through Shamwari Reservations (telephone and email), enquiry forms and an independent online booking engine reached from 'Book Now'.
- Where it sells
- Direct to guests through Shamwari Reservations (telephone and email), enquiry forms and an independent online booking engine reached from 'Book Now'. Resident rates are not mentioned.
- How it is paid
- Direct bookings by phone, email, form or the independent online booking engine, paid by card or bank transfer. No commission statement is published.
- Price against a planner
- Not stated on its own website: it says nothing about whether booking direct is cheaper.
- Planner partnerships
- No agent portal, commission or preferred-partner statement is published.
Shamwari: the questions people ask
How many camps does Shamwari have?
Six lodges and one explorer camp (home, about and lodges pages).
When are Shamwari's camps open?
No mobile camps. The Explorer Camp is seasonal: it 'operates September to May', with the first trail in September and the last at the end of May, one week at a time on alternating weeks.
What activities does Shamwari offer?
Explorer Camp focuses on walking. Listed for all lodges; not shown per camp.
Does Shamwari have honeymoon offers?
Camps shown: Sindile, Eagles Crag, Bayethe, Long Lee Manor and Explorer Camp. Season and year are not stated.
How does Shamwari fund conservation?
It partners with Born Free and VulPro.
Does Shamwari accept children?
Riverdene and Sarili welcome all ages. Long Lee Manor from 6 years.
Does Shamwari offer a private vehicle?
Riverdene: 'Each family unit booked offers a private safari vehicle'. Which other lodges offer one and any surcharge, are not stated.
Where are Shamwari's camps?
All within Shamwari Private Game Reserve, Eastern Cape: Sarili Private Villa (Bushman's River), Sindile, Eagles Crag, Long Lee Manor, Bayethe, Riverdene and the seasonal Explorer Camp. Welcome Lounge South serves Long Lee Manor, Sarili, Sindile, Riverdene and Explorer Camp.
Who owns Shamwari?
The operating entity is Shamwari Hospitality (Pty) Ltd.
What are Shamwari's reviews?
No rating for Shamwari was found on Google, SafariBookings or Trustpilot when they were read; ask the company for recent guest references.
Can I book Shamwari through Uncompromised Travel?
No. Uncompromised Travel is a publication and does not sell safaris. Use Shamwari's own enquiry page, www.shamwari.com, or a safari planner.
How current is this page?
Shamwari's website and review listings were read on 19 and 20 October 2026. Rates and terms change, so confirm them with the company before you book.
Read next
Built to answer the question in the main heading. What is shown: facts Shamwari published on its own website and its review listings on Google, SafariBookings and Trustpilot, read on 19 and 20 October 2026, from the Uncompromised Travel safari camp owners table. No score and no rank. Shamwari did not pay to be on this page and is not a partner of Uncompromised Travel. Photos are stock images from Pexels and do not show the company's camps. How this site earns · How we work.