The Western Cape is a province of contrasts, where ancient mountains give way to endless plains and vineyards surrender to open wilderness. Samara Karoo Reserve and Olijvenkraal Winelands Lodge celebrate these landscapes, proving that luxury is at its most memorable when it belongs to its surroundings.
Samara Karoo Reserve – The Manor
Imagine stepping out onto a Karoo plain and, within a single bush walk, witnessing a cheetah mother shepherding her cubs through the grass, two rhinos drinking quietly at a pond, and a lone giraffe drifting past as if time itself had slowed to match its gait. That was the rhythm of my days at The Manor at Samara Karoo Reserve – a place where wildlife doesn’t just appear, it arrives with a kind of narrative grace, as though the land is telling its own story.
Head guide Roelof Wiesner and tracker Marno Olifant shaped the experience with an ease that comes only from deep knowledge and deeper love for the reserve.
“She wouldn’t be moving so close to us if she didn’t trust us. It’s about us not intruding on her space,” said Roelof as we stood still watching the cheetah and her six cubs. Their tracking turned every outing into a lesson in patience and wonder, and their storytelling made the landscape feel alive with memory.
The Manor Reimagined
The Manor itself, roughly three hours from Gqeberha, has undergone a thoughtful facelift – not flash, but refined, spacious, and quietly sophisticated. With just four suites, a private vehicle, a dedicated chef, and an infinity pool where we spotted a giraffe while having lunch, every detail feels considered.
Inside, two generous living spaces, a dining room, breakfast room, and intimate alcoves create a home rather than a lodge. On winter nights, the new boma becomes the heart of the villa – a place to gather under the stars, wrapped in firelight and Karoo silence. On our final evening, Roelof led us through a stargazing session that felt almost ceremonial. We counted two shooting stars, and I left knowing four constellations I’d never been able to identify before. Pure magic that stays with you long after you’ve returned home.
Wildlife moves freely around The Manor, often drifting past the pond just beyond the pool. Even the small details feel intentional: warm staff, baths drawn each night, and the vibrant wildlife wallpaper – great for the ’Gram.
Conservation at the Core
But Samara is more than a beautiful place to stay. It’s a conservation undertaking of rare ambition – 67 000 acres of restored semi‑desert, rewilded over decades to bring back the ecological richness that once defined the Great Karoo. During our ‘4Cs’ discussion, General Manager Marnus Ochse frames it simply: “Samara exists because the land needed a second chance. Every decision we make is about restoring what was lost and protecting what remains.” His clarity is striking, especially when he speaks about the role guests play in this work. “When you stay here, you’re not just observing conservation – you’re contributing to it. Your presence directly supports the projects that keep this landscape alive.”
Samara’s story began in 1997 with a battlefield conversation and grew into one of South Africa’s most significant conservation undertakings.
The story of Sibella, the cheetah whose life nearly ended at the hands of hunters before being rescued and rehabilitated, remains one of Samara’s most powerful narratives. Introduced to the reserve in 2003, she’s raised 19 cubs and contributed to almost three per cent of South Africa’s wild cheetah population. Her descendants still roam the plains and encountering them feels like witnessing the continuation of a miracle.
The Samara Experience
Game drives often include cheetah tracking, a signature Samara experience that speaks to the reserve’s conservation legacy. Morning drives may lead to the Samara Mara, where rooigras ripples across the plains and herds of springbok, black wildebeest, and eland move in loose formation. A Konda Mountain picnic offers a pause in the day – a chance to sit above the valley and take in the enormity of the Karoo. Afternoon high tea precedes sunset drives to the plains of Camdeboo, where the light turns molten, and cheetah tracking resumes in the golden hour.
Night drives reveal aardvark, porcupine, and caracal, while guided bush walks and hikes bring guests closer to the land itself.
Vultures are among the Karoo’s most important indicators of ecological recovery. Southern Africa’s white‑backed vulture population has declined by more than 80 per cent over the past three decades, and Cape vultures number fewer than 4 000 breeding pairs across the entire region. So when you see a kettle of vultures rising on the thermals above Samara, it’s not just a dramatic sight – it’s evidence that the reserve’s rewilding efforts are working.
Marnus describes Samara’s work as both scientific and deeply human. “Rewilding isn’t just about animals,” he says. “It’s about healing soil, restoring vegetation, and creating a landscape that can sustain life for generations.” His pride is palpable when he speaks about the staff. “Many of our team members have grown up with Samara. Their knowledge, their passion – that’s what makes this place feel alive.”
A Safari for the Whole Family
For families, the Cubs Programme adds another layer of magic. Children learn spoor identification, rock painting, beading, stargazing, and even stokbrood‑making, all within the safety of The Manor’s fenced grounds. It’s an invitation for young travellers to fall in love with the wild.
Leaving a Lasting Legacy
On the final morning, guests participate in spekboom planting – a quiet, grounding ritual that closes the loop between visitor and landscape. Spekboom, with its high carbon sequestration potential and deep root systems, is central to Samara’s soil restoration efforts. Planting one is a small act with a long echo, a gesture that roots you to the Karoo long after you’ve left. I named my spekboom ‘Spekkie’, and I’m hoping it’ll thrive for decades to come.
Samara is currently offering a limited Stay 3, Pay 2 special across all lodges until 30 September 2026.
Olijvenkraal Winelands Lodge
Tucked into the olive groves of Paarl, Olijvenkraal Winelands Lodge balances thoughtful design with the quiet presence of wildlife. Though newly opened, it feels rooted in the rhythms of the farm and the contours of the land.
The origins of Olijvenkraal trace back to a moment of recognition rather than revelation. As owner Richard Fisher explains, “The bush was never really about a location. It was about space, rhythm and silence. I realised that same sanctuary could live here in Paarl, among the olives.” That insight shaped the lodge’s design philosophy: follow the land, don’t impose on it.
Designed for Stillness
Suites are tucked among the trees, linked by long wooden walkways that encourage a slower pace. Each suite has been curated by interior designer Lisa Bellamy, whose approach balances raw texture with refined comfort. “The stillness wasn’t something we added; it was something we worked very hard not to disturb,” she notes – a sentiment reflected in the natural materials, low lighting, and open sightlines that allow the olive groves and mountain line to remain the heroes.
Inside, suites offer fireplaces, generous minibars, private patios, and indoor lounge areas that flow seamlessly into the outdoors. Large openings frame views of grazing springbok, gemsbok, sable, and bontebok, creating a sense of quiet theatre that unfolds throughout the day. Even the outdoor shower came with unexpected wildlife encounters; one morning, I watched springbok running across the property.
The Clubhouse anchors the lodge – a social heart where mornings begin with coffee on the deck, afternoons drift into swims, and evenings settle around the fire. Its bar and lounge open onto expansive outdoor spaces, and the swimming pool blends into the groves with understated elegance.
Fire-centred Dining at FYRE
Dining at FYRE is central to the Olijvenkraal experience. The kitchen is built entirely around open flame, with no closed stoves – a deliberate choice that honours South Africa’s braai culture. The menu is rooted in the land: olives and cold-pressed oil from the farm, Karoo meat, local boerenkaas, and estate wines including Shiraz, Malbec, and MCC. Signature dishes such as skilpadjies on grilled cornbread, braaibroodjies with peach chutney, and the braaiplankie for two tell a story of terroir expressed through smoke, fire and patience.
An Easy Escape to the Winelands
Beyond dining, Olijvenkraal offers a rare balance of accessibility and seclusion. Under an hour from Cape Town and just 30 minutes from Stellenbosch, it feels both connected and remote – a place where travellers can switch off, slow down, and reconnect with themselves and each other. As Richard puts it, “Real luxury now is the permission to do less.”
