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Sidbury Not only does Kwantu Private Game Reserve offer magnificent wildlife viewing in a malaria-free zone, it also has an elephant sanctuary and endangered animals in an untouched wilderness.
From the comfort of specially equipped open Land Rovers, visitors are able to encounter impressive white rhino roaming freely on the plains.
Entertaining antics of playful Vervet monkeys and Chacma baboons is commonplace as is the comical sight of warthog families speeding across the plains with their trademark tails held high. Other wildlife to spot is zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, blue duiker, kudu, porcupine, aardwolf, caracal, and leopard.
With over 250 different species of birds, Kwantu is an orchestra of sound, colour and movement. Even novice bird watchers will thrill at a glimpse of the gorgeous Narina Trogon or the Knysna turaco. Other birds to see are various kingfishers, owls, sunbirds, eagles, kites, and water fowl. Informative and friendly guides soon have guests marvelling at their intriguing and unusual habits.
Nature Reserves near Sidbury
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and are not necessarily the actual travelling
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Patterson (10.1 km from Sidbury) One of the largest private game reserves in the Eastern Cape, the award winning Shamwari Game Reserve is a superlative safari destination for discerning guests.
Boasting numerous high profile animals including the Big 5 and five of South Africa's seven biomes, the reserve is one of the most successful private conservation initiatives coupled with responsible tourism in Southern Africa.
Shamwari is situated in luxuriant bushveld along the Bushmans River. Easily accesable, the malaria-free reserve lies halfway between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown. There are daily flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to Port Elizabeth. It’s also an enjoyable drive from Cape Town along the beautiful Garden Route.
Guests can choose from seven unique luxury lodges on this private game reserve.
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Alicedale (14.2 km from Sidbury) Malaria free and home to an impressive diversity of animals, Bushman Sands Game Reserve boasts wonderful Big 5 wildlife viewing opportunities.
Situated on 40 square kilometres of former farmland, the reserve has reintroduced animals that once roamed here over 200 years ago. Lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, elephant, rhino, black wildebeest, red hartebeest, zebra, giraffe, hippo, kudu, eland, springbuck and waterbuck can all be found.
Sunset cruises on the reserve’s large dam present perfect opportunities for spotting wildlife such as elephant and antelope. Other things to see are the Bushman rock art paintings that date back thousands of years.
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Pumba Private Game Reserve (28.1 km from Sidbury) Situated in a stunning Eastern Cape landscape, Pumba Private Game Reserve is the perfect destination for a malaria-free African wildlife experience.
In addition to leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant, guests of Pumba Private Game Reserve have the rare opportunity of seeing beautiful white lion.
Visitors can discover Africa’s wildlife in their natural habitat by joining a birding safari, guided bushwalk, stargazing and game drives. There’s so much to see including lion, hippo, hyena, giraffe, wild dog, cheetah and numerous antelope species. The birdlife is phenomenal and will keep birders busy with over 300 bird species to spot.
Guests at Pumba have the choice of staying in luxury at two unique five-star lodges. The Water Lodge is beautifully appointed on the shore of the Kariega Lake. Msenge Bush Lodge overlooks the waterhole on the Kariega River floodplain and boasts panoramic views of the Zuurberg Mountains.
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Grahamstown (35.6 km from Sidbury) Named after the famous 19th century artist, naturalist and explorer, Thomas Baines Nature Reserve is a great spot for a day trip if you’re visiting the Grahamstown area. It’s an easy 12-kilometre drive from Grahamstown in the direction of Port Elizabeth.
Thomas Baines explored the region extensively and contributed a valuable record of the amazing plant life and wildlife that occurred here. The reserve represents three of the major vegetation types of the Eastern Cape – Grassy Fynbos, Valley Bushveld and Afromontane Forests.
There’s so much to do here – game drives, canoeing, hiking, camping, picnics, bird watching; and sailing and bass fishing at Settlers Dam. Look out for Cape buffalo, eland, red hartebeest, bushbuck, kudu, oribi, aardvark, warthog, vervet monkeys, genets and numerous small mammals.
Birders will find plenty to spot with 175 species of birds recorded in the reserve. Picnic sites, braai facilities and ablutions are available at Settlers Dam.
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Alexandria (38.5 km from Sidbury) Woody Cape Nature Reserve is now incorporated into the Greater Addo Elephant National Park.Listen for the haunting calls of the rare tree dassie by night and awake to a chorus of birds in flitting through the forest canopy. The Langebos huts are available to hikers on the two-day Alexandria Hiking Trail, as well as those simply wanting an overnight stay in the forest. The 7km Dassie Day Trail begins at the huts and the breathtaking Woody Cape coastline of the Park is a short drive and walk away.5 Things to Seek1. Trumpeter hornbill2. Ground hornbill3. Knysna turaco4. Tree dassie5. BushbuckContact MatyholweniTel: +27(0)41 4680916/8Fax: +27(0)41 4680949Email: matyholweni@sanparks.orgRanger at Woody Cape – Tel: +27(0)46 6530601
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Kenton-on-Sea (51.6 km from Sidbury) Enjoy an ultimate safari experience on the Sunshine Coast in the malaria-free Kariega Game Reserve.
Situated near the ever-popular Garden Route, this family-owned and operated private reserve spans 9 000 hectares of pristine Eastern Cape wilderness encompassing the stunning Kariega and Bushman's Rivers.
Awesome Big-5 viewing along with an extensive diversity of fauna, flora and birdlife in five different eco-systems offers an authentic and unforgettable African encounter.
Along with lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and white rhino, other wildlife you are likely to spot include hippo, hyena, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, waterbuck, Nyala, kudu, warthog and a variety of other antelope.
Over 280 species of birds have been recorded including Martial, Crowned and Fish Eagles which nest on the reserve.
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Somerset East (73.4 km from Sidbury) Home to an abundance of wildlife, the Kamala Private Game Reserve offers an attractive safari experience in an area of extraordinary beauty in the Eastern Cape.
Visitors can choose from a mild to wild range of activities ranging from horse trails to zip slides over the gorge.
The diversity of animal, bird and plant life as well as the stunning scenic variety all contributes to an unforgettable experience.
Of course you can also kick back, enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing and luxuriate in the peace and tranquillity of this malaria-free, temperate environment.
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Grahamstown (79.5 km from Sidbury) The spectacular Great Fish River Reserve lies in the Great Fish River valley between Grahamstown and Fort Beaufort and extends all the way to the Kieskama River. This malaria-free destination is still pretty much off the major tourist radar, offering visitors an awesome wilderness experience.
The typical Eastern Cape succulent bushveld and rocky terrain provides the prefect habitat for black rhino, Cape buffalo, kudu and hippo. Not only is it a haven for all shapes and sizes of wildlife, the reserve has several historical sites and offers outstanding safari and wildlife adventures.
Visitors can choose numberous ways to experience this rugged wilderness including exciting walking and hiking trails, day and night game drives, picnics on the riverbanks, bird watching trips, birding from a waterside bird hide and visits to the fabulous Adam Krantz viewpoint.
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Summerstrand (85.7 km from Sidbury) Conveniently situated within Port Elizabeth, the Cape Recife Nature Reserve has much to offer visitors and locals alike.
A stunning beach, rolling dunes, coastal fynbos, marine birdlife, rock pools, and a 133-year old lighthouse beckon further exploration.
The reserve is renowned as a ‘must do’ birding site in Port Elizabeth to see marine and freshwater birds. The tern roost at Cape Recife is the best place in the country to see Roseate Tern. Seven species of tern are found here including Roseate tern, Antarctic tern and occasionally Damara tern.
Waterbirds that are often seen include Little Bittern, South African Shellduck, African Black Oystercatcher and Southern Tchagra. African penguin and ocean birds can also be spotted offshore.
Cape Recife Nature Reserve facilities include an Information Centre, ablution block, bird hides, picnic site and a nine-kilometre walking trail.
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Central (85.8 km from Sidbury) Donkin Reserve, Pyramid and Lighthouse includes a stone pyramid monument erect by Sir Rufane Donkin in memory of his late wife, Elizabeth, after whom the city was named. The Great Flag, which measures 12m x 8m, is South Africa's biggest and it flies from the highest flagpole in the country.
The 1861 Lighthouse houses the official Tourist Information Centre, Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism. Donkin Lighthouse is open to the public on request between 08:30 & 16:00 on weekdays.
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Port Elizabeth (87.1 km from Sidbury) Known as the oldest park in Port Elizabeth, this is also the home of the second oldest cricket club in South Africa, which has hosted countless test matches to this day.
St George's Park also features the Port Elizabeth Bowls Club, founded on August 14, 1882, and known as "The Mother Club of Bowls in South Africa" as it was the first bowling club in the country. Other facilities include a swimming baths complex, the Mannville Open-Air Theatre, the Port Elizabeth Lawn Tennis Club, Prince Alfred's Guard Memorial, and the Pearson Conservatory.
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Port Elizabeth (87.6 km from Sidbury) The Settlers Park Nature Reserve is located in the heart of Port Elizabeth along the banks of the Baakens River Valley.
The reserve is great for exploring and bird watching. The park is rich in bird life with a variety of birds to be seen, including woodpeckers, flycatchers, and various species of sunbirds. There are also weavers, warblers, waxbills, and kingfishers nestled within the reeds of the valley.
There is a stunning flower display house, a Marquette of the 1820 Settlers' Statue, indigenous flora, rock pools with stepping-stones and grassed areas ideal for picnicking.
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Adelaide (93.9 km from Sidbury) Fort Fordyce Nature Reserve is situated between Fort Beaufort and Adelaide. There are ancient remnants of rock art from the first people to inhabit the area, the San people.
The reserve's escarpment is covered in grasslands and there are many indigenous forests, valleys, and rocky cliffs. There is an abundance of wildlife to be seen, such as black wildebeest, red hartebeest, bush buck, mountain reedbuck, blue duiker and tree dassie.
Bird watchers can expect to spot the Cape parrot, eagles, Knysna loeries, sunbirds, flycatchers and hornbills. Bass fishing, horse riding and hiking are some of the many activities visitors can enjoy in the reserve.