Swartberg Game Reserve Travel Guide: Top Sights in South africa,

⁰

Swartberg Game Reserve- Travel Tips What to See, How to Plan & Tours: Natural Scenery; South Africa; 5 Reviews

+3 Photos

Suggested Duration: 8 hours

Swartberg Nature Reserve, part of the acclaimed Cape Floral Region Protected Areas World Heritage Site, spans an expansive 1210 km2 within the Western Cape province of South Africa. Operated by CapeNature, this remarkable expanse stands as a haven for wildlife enthusiasts, offering an array of experiences that bring visitors into the heart of the African wild. The Swartberg Game Reserve, positioned within this natural paradise, elevates the traditional safari experience with its array of unique adventure opportunities set against the stunning backdrop of the Swartberg Mountains. An acclaimed feature of the reserve is the Giraffe Walks, an experience that transcends regular wildlife viewing. This immersive journey invites guests to tread alongside the majestic giraffes that grace the Klein Karoo veld, providing an intimate glimpse into their natural behaviors and characteristics. The excursion lasts for 2.5 hours and is expertly guided, ensuring a fulfilling and educational outing suitable for family members of all ages. In addition to the Giraffe Walks, the reserve proffers thrilling Game Drives that promise a diverse sighting of wildlife. Spanning 1.5 hours, these tours take adventurers across various terrains of the Swartberg Mountains, revealing the reserve's rich biodiversity. Home to buffalo and leopard, two of the renowned Big 5, as well as a plethora of antelope species and the Cape Mountain Zebra, the drives offer a comprehensive exploration of the area's fauna. Bird enthusiasts can also anticipate encounters with an impressive array of bird species, enhancing the game drive experience. Swartberg Game Reserve harmoniously combines the thrill of wildlife observation with the serenity of nature, making it an unmissable destination for those seeking to explore the unique landscapes and biodiversity of South Africa. Its proximity to notable attractions, including the Cango Caves and the town of Oudtshoorn, further enriches the visitor experience, providing a multifaceted journey into the wonders of the Klein Karoo and beyond.

Operators offering tours in South Africa

Attractions in Oudtshoorn

Safari Ostrich Farm

4.8

Cango Caves

Reviews of Swartberg Game Reserve

emmanuel depoorter

5
Reviewed: 2023-12-04

One year ago and still in our memries.incredible expérience.hi to Nanou girafe.👍😉
Bianca cape it

5
Reviewed: 2023-11-14

Magical landscapes, a place that I still see when I close my eyes and remember it’s serenity. Looking forward to returning soon! Peggy & Craige, thank you for connecting us to the wild 🦒👌🏼✨
Jonathan Beeton

5
Reviewed: 2023-04-20

Great experience at this picturesque and large reserve in the foothills of the Swartberg mountains. We did a 1.5hr drive with a Giraffe walk, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Our guide was knowledgeable and talked about the characteristics of the buffalo and the giraffe as well as the rare Cape Mountain Zebra which they have there and was happy to be able to see. It's nice to see places like this that are able to buy up farm land and return it to a relatively natural state and you're helping make that possible by visiting here. Great to be able to get out of the vehicle and walk around a bit -but the giraffes are wild, so don't think you'll be walking right up next to them and then come here and complain when you can't.
George Skaris

5
Reviewed: 2021-07-27

Best tranquil place eva. Giraffe walks are amazing, call Craig. Its a must do
Daria Chumachenko

5
Reviewed: 2020-01-05

Big thank you to Craig and Peggy for organizing game drive followed by the walks with giraffes. Place was not supposed to be open on 3 Jan 2020 as we read on the website but we decided to phone them anyways in the morning and they were very gracious to organize the tour for us. They shared very detailed directions how to get there and we didn’t have any issue to get there. Tip - Pls follow their directions and not the one google maPs Suggests! So the ride over property starts with an intro of the land (apparently it’s quite young, only 20 years), importance of conversation and why it’s a hot topic in SA and worldwide in general. Then we moved to the reserve and saw different types of antipopes, wildebeest, Buffalo, birds, and obviously giraffes. Once we spotted these beautiful gracious animals we stopped around 700 meters and walked to probably 100 m away from them and hid in the shadow of the tree. Apparently giraffes have bad eyesight so they were looking at us without running away. We’ve seen 9 of them they literally on the display, 7 grown ups and 2 baby calves. It’s a magnificent animal and Craig gave us lots of interesting insights about them and conservation achievements. If you are lucky you can even see a leopard but they are hard to spot + They are usually active at night. Worth taking binoculars (even though they provide one pair for a vehicle) and good camera but this advice is pretty much for all the game drives Bonus : on the way back follow the dirt road (if the car allows). It’s very scenic and picturesque, we also spotted a jackal crossing the road