KWANDWE GREAT FISH RIVER LODGE, KWANDWE PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge is located around a 2 hour car drive from Port Elizabeth Airport. 

One of the greatest gifts Africa offers is the sense of space. At Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge, the vastness of this wild continent is truly all around you. Watch majestic kudu meander down to the river from the Lodge’s expansive viewing decks, or observe playful Cape clawless otters swimming in the cool waters below from the comfort of your private balcony. Set along the lush green banks of the river after which it is named, this luxurious lodge has nine suites with private bathrooms, indoor & outdoor showers, personal in-room bar, private veranda and plunge pool and a large viewing deck at the main lodge. Décor is classic-contemporary African-inspired, with natural palettes of earth-toned fabrics. Pewter and glass add an understated glamour to the furnishings, while artefacts such as ostrich eggshells, hides and horns create subtle points of interest and relevance to the lodge’s surrounds. Everything here takes place on a grander scale, but it is the attention to detail and expansive, unmatched vistas that keep visitors coming back year after year.

Rooms: Nine Suites

Location:  Private Reserve, South Africa

experiences

 Experiences are chargeable (unless stated otherwise) and pre booking is recommended

divine dining

Fish River lodge Main Dining Room

Featuring a classic-contemporary style of understated elegance and earthy tones, Great Fish River Lodge is all about tranquillity and solitude.

Enjoy delicious African-inspired meals in the candlelit dining room or in the boma. Alternatively, enjoy private dining on your terrace.

 

 

included experiences

Game Drives

Explore the natural splendour of Kwandwe on early morning and late afternoon / evening game drives in an open 4×4 safari vehicle. Included in daily rate.

 

Big Game Walking Safari

Experience the thrill of tracking big game (white rhino, black rhino, elephant and buffalo) on foot, accompanied by an armed specialist ranger and tracker team. The walk lasts 3 to 4 hours and ends with a picnic lunch on the banks of the Great Fish River or at a scenic spot in the bush. The walk lasts 3 to 4 hours; not suitable for children under 16 years of age.

 

Interpretive Bush Walks

In between game drives, take a closer look at the subtle, unseen wonders of the bush on a leisurely walk within easy reach of your lodge. Dense euphorbia thickets are best explored on foot, revealing a secret world of lichen, mosses and ferns. Various birds of prey and other species nest in the taller trees or in the spiny canopy. An armed ranger guides guests through ‘up close and personal’ sightings of various antelope species, giraffe, warthog or zebra. Not suitable for children under 12 years of age.

 

Fishing Safari

Kwandwe offers a variety of fishing options, either in still water or in the Great Fish River. Try your hand at catching Large Mouth Bass on artificial lures or fly rod in the reserve’s largest dam. Coarse (bait) fishing can also be tried in either the Great Fish River or one of the other large dams to target Yellowfish, Carp, Sharptooth Catfish and more. A fun activity for children as well as for adults.

romance

Proposals

Create a memorable experiences of your life as you surround yourself with 54,000 acres of private wilderness and ask that special someone to marry you. The landscape at Kwandwe offers a multitude of options to get down on one knee, from pledging your love at sunset after an afternoon game drive, to dining under the vast night sky by candlelight, the options are endless. 

 

Honeymoons

Kwandwe is the ultimate romantic getaway for two and the Great River Lodge is the ideal honeymoon escape. Your suite rests  just metres from the river, and each veranda looks across to the high river banks, where antelope, zebra and giraffe graze in full view of sublime outdoor showers and private plunge pools. 

families

We have a variety of children’s activities at our properties:

– Children receive a welcome gift on arrival which includes an Eco-nect Guide comprising animal checklists, themed games and activities, and a pledge to ‘live green’ (‘Junior’ for under 6’s and
‘Senior’ for ages 6 and up), crayons/ pencils, and an age appropriate gift from our gift shop.

– Families can participate in fun and adventurous activities on the reserve, including kite building, scavenger hunts across the reserve with thought-provoking clues to seek hidden items which will
help you in your next task… or treasure hunts during a game drive which teach basic navigation using a sun-compass and how to use major landscape features in order to find the treasure!

– Giving back: families have the opportunity to plant Spekboom, a type of thicket vegetation that is native to the Eastern Cape and prolific on the reserve, and one of the top five carbon-storing
vegetations on the planet. In this way they are encouraged to offset their carbon footprints.
Families can also participate in Kwandwe’s voluntourism activities through the reserve’s Ubunye
Foundation, which works with communities living in and surrounding the reserve.

– Activities are tailored according to individual and family interests and skillsets. For young guests this includes assisting with gardening projects at the local Mgcamabele Community; participating
in arts and craft activities; and toddlers are invited to join in playtime at the pre-school.

– Children are also welcome to participate in Kwandwe’s ‘Knit a Bit’ program. The knitted squares are joined to make blankets and given to the Ubunye Foundation that distributes them the
communities surrounding Kwandwe.

– Other activities for children include ‘crumpet creatures’ (using a variety of coloured crumpet mixtures in squeezy bottles, the ranger and kids will create animal shaped crumpets); sand art,
making moulds from Plaster of Paris, beading, Minnow’s fishing trip with a ranger, baking and pizza making with specially designed ‘Chefs in Training’ aprons and toques, DVDs and popcorn,
eco educational board games (learning about recycling and the how to care for our planet in a fun way) and African bedtime stories 

wellness

A variety of wellness treatments are available to be enjoyed in the privacy of your suite. Since the earliest time, Africa’s original inhabitants lived in harmony with nature. 

Our treatments and rituals were inspired by, designed and based on Africa’s rich heritage and created to celebrate mother earth and her connection with life. Only the finest natural ingredients available from nature are used in our products, including oil from the Marula fruit, 

Mongongo nut oil, healing Shea butter, oil from the Baobab tree, ointment from the African sausage tree and Mafura butter, to name but a few.

Pre booking treatments are recommended and they are chargeable locally.

suites

tsala treetop suite

Nine luxurious suites feature ensuite bathrooms, indoor and outdoor showers, separate w.c, twin basins, personal bars and covered verandas with plunge pools. The décor is classic-contemporary African-inspired, with natural palettes of earth-toned fabrics. Pewter and glass add an effortless yet understated glamour to the furnishings, while artefacts such as ostrich eggshells, hides and horns create subtle points of interest and relevance to the lodge’s surrounds

Gallery

travel luxuries

Contact Us

You can contact us via email, telephone or simply complete the below form and we will contact you.

Email: hello@optimum-experience.com
Telephone: 020 3962 4212

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