On safari at Kariega Game Reserve

I have been guiding at Kariega Game Reserve for over 12 years and no two days on safari are the same. We are blessed to have 11,500 hectares to explore and a diversity of eco-systems from riverine forests to open grasslands. What makes our game reserve extra special is that we have the Kariega and Bushman rivers meandering through the reserve.

Conservation is at the heart of what we do at Kariega and we explain this to guests when we take them on their safari activities. The reserve was born out of the vision of the Rushmere family who, over the decades, bought farmland and reintroduced the wildlife that had previously been eradicated through hunting.

We take our guests out on safari in open vehicles early morning and late afternoon to go in search of the Big Five – lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and the elusive leopard. We have many other species on the reserve including zebra, hippo, kudu, wildebeest and hyena. There are plenty of birds to identify with 350 on our bird list. Between game drives there are a range of other activities guests can enjoy to discover our wildlife including guided bush walks, river cruises and canoeing. For families we have a dedicated safari programme for children.

I like the rewarding feeling I get when giving guests a once in a lifetime safari experience. When a guest sees their first animal in the wild, it can be emotional and often there are tears of joy. Over the years I have been guiding, there have been so many memorable experiences. I’ve seen a giraffe being born and I love to see Thandi, a rhino that survived a horrific poaching attack. She became internationally famous and we are delighted that, not only did she survive her terrible injuries, she is now a mother and grandmother.

It is an honour and privilege to be an ambassador for our beautiful county and a custodian of our African wildlife.