Kwandwe is the closest game reserve to the vibrant and cultural Grahamstown. It is located in the heart of South Africa’s malaria-free Eastern Cape near and forms part of the Garden Route.
What was once desolate farmland has been rescued and restored with wildlife in a remarkable conservation victory, and Kwandwe is now a 220km2 home to thousands of animals including lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, and both black and white rhino.
Kwandwe (Xhosa for ‘Place of the Blue Crane’) is also home to a population of South Africa’s rare and endangered national bird.
The area is also full of history and culture, and the late 18th century Frontier Wars between the Xhosa, Dutch farmers and, later, the British has left behind some remarkable architecture. In fact, Kwandwe’s reception comprises a fortified homestead equipped with gun turrets.