Lodge · Garden Route

Shamwari Sarili Private Lodge

The prestigious Shamwari Private Game Reserve covers 20 000 hectares of verdant bush along the Bushmans River in the Eastern Cape. The malaria-free reserve is home to five of the seven habitats found in South Africa, and its location close to the Garden Route, making a safari at Shamwari a perfect choice for those seeking to combine a tour of the Garden Route with a luxury Big Five safari.

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From R 22 200 per person sharing, per night

Shamwari Sarili Private Lodge

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R 22 200From, per person · night

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Shamwari Sarili Private Lodge

About the lodge

An overview of Shamwari Sarili Private Lodge.

The prestigious Shamwari Private Game Reserve covers 20 000 hectares of verdant bush along the Bushmans River in the Eastern Cape. The malaria-free reserve is home to five of the seven habitats found in South Africa, and its location close to the Garden Route, making a safari at Shamwari a perfect choice for those seeking to combine a tour of the Garden Route with a luxury Big Five safari.

Highlights

  • A heated swimming pool with a shallow area for the kids, Wi-Fi access, a comfortable lounge area with satellite TV, dining room, and outdoor boma area.
  • Ideal for solo explorers, couples, and families looking for an intimate safari experience.
  • Home to a variety of plants, birds, and animals.

You Should Know

Children of all ages are welcome at the lodge. Child rates apply to children aged 4 to 11 years, regardless of whether they are sharing with adults or staying in their own room (single or sharing).

  • Children under 3 years of age are accommodated at no additional cost on a sharing basis only with an adult.
  • The child rates are inclusive of the “Kids on Safari” program.
  • Children under the age of 4 years are not permitted on game drives, and no children under the age of 16 years are permitted on bush walks.

The Detail

Located in the southern region of the reserve, Sarili Lodge sits above the Bushman’s River and overlooks the grassy plains. This intimate and luxurious lodge offers an authentic bush experience and is the perfect destination for family getaways. This eco-friendly lodge has a home-away-from-home feel and offers both exclusivity and privacy in 5-star comfort.

The lodge boasts five en-suite Luxury Rooms, three of which have private balconies overlooking the river, while the other two have patios facing the courtyard. Each room features an en-suite bathroom with a separate shower, air conditioning, underfloor heating, television, minibar, in-room safe, hairdryer, international adaptors, and tea and coffee-making facilities. One of the rooms includes a sleeper couch, ideal for young children.

Enjoy early morning and evening game drives led by professional guides, as well as guided game walks that offer up-close encounters with the smaller wondrous creatures of the African bush. Visits can be organized to Shamwari's Born Free Foundation Animal Rescue Centre, Ian Player Rhino Awareness Centre, and the Shamwari Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.

Guests frequently sight the Big Five during their stay, along with cheetah, caracal, wild dog, and various antelope species. Evening game drives often reveal rarely seen nocturnal creatures, such as the hopping springhare, aardwolf, and brown hyena.

The Shamwari Game Reserve is a perfect destination for bird lovers, boasting over 250 bird species. The reserve is home to several raptor species, including Black Harriers, Pale Chanting Goshawks, Black-shouldered Kites, Booted Eagles, and Secretary Birds. The Bushman’s River meanders through the reserve, providing refuge for kingfishers, darters, the African Shelduck, finfoots, and the iconic African Fish Eagle.

Rate Exclusions

All additional beverages, gratuities, guest conservation levy, and other items of a personal nature.

The purpose of the guest conservation levy is to support conservation efforts, including anti-rhino poaching and other anti-poaching initiatives.

Price Includes

Accommodation, meals, selected local beverages, game drives, guided walks, laundry, private staff including house manager, personal chef, ranger, and housekeeper, tourism levy, and 15% VAT.

You pay the lodge's rate, never a markup.

Shamwari Sarili Private Lodge

The same as booking direct

Rates and dates.

Per person sharing, per night. Final pricing depends on dates, room category and party size.

Valid until 31 Mar 2027

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Price your stay

Guests 2
Nights 3

Green season

1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2027

All Inclusive - Meals, selected local beverages, game drives, guided walks, private staff including house manager, personal chef and ranger and housekeeper

R 22 200

per person · night

R 133 240 for 2 guests · 3 nights

All Inclusive - Meals, selected local beverages, game drives, guided walks, private staff including house manager, personal chef and ranger and housekeeper

Rates are per person sharing, per night. A single supplement may apply for solo travellers. We offer a price match guarantee, just ask your safari specialist.

Current offers

Special offer available.

Stay & Pay

Stay for 4+ nights and receive a 10% discount or Stay 6+ nights and receive a 15% discount. Valid from 01 May 2026 to 30 September 2026

Family policies

Travelling with children.

What our safari specialists know about bringing children to Shamwari Sarili Private Lodge, current as of May 2026. They plan family trips here all the time, so anything below that needs arranging, they will sort. For the bigger picture, see our guide to safari with children .

Minimum ages
Stay All ages · Game drives 4+ · Walking safari 12+
Child rates
Children of all ages welcomed. The exclusive-use villa accommodates up to 12 adults plus 2 children aged 0–11; children 12 and older are considered adults.
Family rooms
Family unit available.
Care
Kids' programme · Babysitting available
Exceptions

Sarili is an exclusive-use private villa with its own private game-viewing vehicle and ranger, so all ages can stay. Standard Shamwari reserve policy applies on game drives: no children under 4 on standard drives, and no children under 3 on private vehicles, at the Born Free Centres or the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. The Kids on Safari Adventure Centre is located at Riverdene Lodge (~10-minute drive); internal transfers can be arranged for children staying at Sarili. Childminding is available on request at additional cost — particularly relevant for under-3s who are not permitted on game drives.

Your specialist for this lodge

Nerine Du Plessis

Nerine Du Plessis

Safari Specialist - Southern Africa

Knows Shamwari Sarili Private Lodge backwards. Your direct contact from first enquiry to the day you come home.

"Leigh-Ann was outstanding and very helpful in putting an itinerary together not just for a Safari but including internal flights and accommodation in Cape Town and all along the Garden Route. Would highly recommend using Safari.com for your South Africa trips especially if it is your first trip."
December 2025 · United Kingdom · with Leigh Ann Croeser 2 · Verified on Trustpilot ↗

Speak to a safari specialist

Let's design your stay.

From your first enquiry to the day you come home, one named safari specialist looks after every detail. We can handle the whole trip, not just the stay at Shamwari Sarili Private Lodge: multi-country itineraries, internal flights, road transfers, tipping guidance, travel insurance, the lot. A safari specialist will be in touch within as little as 15 minutes during working hours.

Example: 14–21 Nov 2027 · 2 adults · departing NYC · Big Five focus.

A safari specialist will be in touch within as little as 15 minutes during working hours. Your details stay private. View our privacy policy.

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