About
Ideal for safari virgins or those coming from Cape Town or the Garden Route, malaria-free Shamwari Game Reserve boasts Big Five game and six superb lodges. Among them is Long Lee Manor, a classy Edwardian-style estate which deliberately recalls colonial days of yore. From wood-panelled drawing rooms to manicured gardens, pools and verandas looking across wildlife-packed plains to the Bushmans River, the overall experience is luxurious, leisurely and wonderfully laid-back.
Accommodation
Built in 1910 and now impressively restored, Long Lee’s elegant manor house sleeps up to 30 guests. Choose between five luxury rooms or ten roomier suites – one of which offers wheelchair access. All are air-conditioned.
Facilities
The dilemma here is deciding where to laze. You could choose the Relaxation Retreat Spa, taking a massage or using the steam room. There are the two pools, or quiet book-reading spots among the gardens’ ponds. The cosy garden lounge makes a great option, overlooking a waterhole where animals congregate, as do various verandas. Once you’ve loitered your last, check where the delicious dinners will be served tonight – venues include the handsome indoor dining room, an open-roofed, fire-heated boma and, most magical of all, a riverside lapa (pavilion).
Activities
Included in your board are 4x4 game drives at dawn and dusk, each lasting 3-4 hours. You’re very unlikely to see vehicles from Shamwari’s other lodges, but odds-on to spy the Big Five and numerous other beasts. Also complimentary are guided nature walks and visits to the Rhino Awareness Centre, and a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and Hospital – where guests can have one-to-one experiences with current patients. As all this suggests, Shamwari is extremely conservation-minded, scooping regular awards for its efforts.
Child Policy
Only children aged 12 and over can stay. However, the reserve’s Riverdene Lodge and Sarili Lodge welcome all ages.
The Best of South Africa Travel map displays the locations of the destinations and accommodation that we have selected and visited; for each item, hovering over or clicking the marker will display a short summary and photo of that place or hotel, and hotel pricing. Follow the links in the info box to the full page listing which has much more information.
Note that the online map offers both a satellite view (click satellite in the top right) and, for some locations, a street level view (Drag the person in the top left onto the map). These let you explore the country; and when you wish to explore in person, or if you have any questions about the places you see, give our staff a call, or request a quote. Our staff regularly visit the places and accommodation that we feature.
When you book a holiday with us we will provide full driving instructions for reaching your accommodation, where necessary; these can be used by yourself, or you could enjoy the luxury of a driver. Alternatively we will arrange private (car rather than coach) transfers for you; helicopter transfers are also possible for some destinations.
