GUIDED GAME DRIVE

Its all about the wildlife at Garden Route Game Lodge and your safari is the time when you get to spot some of our resident game. There are two safaris included per night spent at our game reserve.

Departure is early morning and late afternoon as this is when our wildlife are most active, in the heat of the day they tend to rest up. We offer guided safari drives and our qualified field guides are there to find the animals and interpret nature allowing you to sit back relax and enjoy.

Our game reserve is home to elephant, lion, buffalo , white rhino, giraffe, cheetah and a variety of antelope species so be sure to bring your binoculars and camera. If you are in luck you may be treated with a sighting of our free roaming cheetahs.

Evenings and mornings can be cool so be sure to bring a warm top. Ponchos are provided. There will be a sundowner stop at one of our popular look outs in the game reserve on your evening safari.

Expect your safari drive to last 2 – 3 hours depending on how much time is spent at each sighting.

Open to day visitors

Monday to Sunday
8am – 5pm

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KIDS ON SAFARI

A holiday is a time for both fun and relaxation and our Kids on Safari activity program allows Mom and Dad some alone time to relax while the children take part in a host of supervised outdoor activities.

Some of the activities on offer include :

• Walk and stalk : Stalk game on a 1 hour bush walk in the predator free safe area of our game reserve and learn more about some of the smaller mammals that inhabit our game reserve.
• Fishing : Kids get to try their hand at catching some of the Tilapia fish that inhabit some of our dams. Fishing rods and equipment supplied.
• Skull Garden : Explore our skull garden and learn more about the anatomy of Africa’s wildlife on this interpretive walk.
• Cheetah tracking : Using a telemetry device, track and spot Africa’s fastest land mammal under the guidance of your field ranger.

BIRDWATCHING

Twitchers or bird watchers will be spoilt for choice by the abundance of resident feathered creatures. Enjoy bird watching while out on safari or from the comfort of your private viewing deck. Colourful sunbirds and sugarbirds are attracted to the fynbos and Aloes that abound. Visit our bird hide to enjoy the nest making antics of the red and yellow bishop with their colourful display or take a leisurely stroll along our bird walking trail where our head guide and keen birder has posted colourful images with information about the various birds one can expect to find along the walk. Our game reserve borders the Overberg District where more than half of the remaining population of the threatened Blue Crane reside so expect to witness these graceful birds in flight and hear their distinctive loud call.

Over 150 species has been sighted on our game reserve.

FLORA & FAUNA

Wildlife on our game reserve

Started in 1999 the wildlife reintroduction has seen the return of elephant, white rhino, lion and buffalo to the area. Antelope such as the Cape Eland, kudu, black wildebeest, zebra, springbok and gemsbok are now at home on the grassy plains. Smaller resident mammals such as the shy Cape Fox, bushbuck, caracal, bat eared fox, duiker and the elusive Cape Mountain leopard are a rare treat to spot on safari.

Garden Route Game Lodge was the first reserve in the Western Cape to reintroduce cheetah in 2007 and through our co-operation with the Endangered Wildlife Trust we have played a role in increasing the meta population of this threatened species in South Africa.

For a complete mammal checklist Download here.

Fynbos and Aloes

Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland (habitat) vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate.

The fynbos ecoregion is within the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.

Fynbos is home to an amazing diversity of plant species including many members of the Protea Family, Heath family,and Reed family of restios. The nearby town Albertinia is the heart of the thatching reed business which makes use of the female restio plant.

Aloes such as the Cape Aloe or Aloe Ferox occur in abundance and are still sustainably harvested or “tapped” for their healing characteristics using the same method traditional method of the Bushman.

GUIDED BUSH WALK – R420 per person

Follow the river as it winds towards the mighty Gouritz through various vegetation types such as Renosterveld, Fynbos and Southern Cape Valley Thicket. This part of the reserve is free from dangerous Big 5 game making it perfect for walks and hikes. Enjoy sightings of various antelope species including giraffe, red hartebeest and over numerous bird species.

RED BISHOP PICNIC

Our delicious picnic baskets are served in a paradisiacal setting on Pergolas sloping down to the Hippo dam and overlooking the Langeberg Mountain range. Enjoy a tasteful selection of farm-style favourites.

Picnics can be enjoyed from 13.00pm

• R1080 per couple (R540 pp)
• Includes wine and bottle water

ADD: Private game viewer and guide: Picnic in the reserve additional R2500.

PRIVATE DINING UNDER THE STARS
R1200 per couple

Perfect for any couple who want to share the most memorable moments together. As one of our resident guests enjoy a private dinner full of candles under the South African night sky. The perfect menu prepared for you and your partner showcasing some of the Garden Routes most amazing produce and flavours made all the more amazing with your own private location.

Please book 24 hours in advance.

Pool

The brief to leading landscape architect Darryl Price Lewis of OVP and Associates was to design and create a comfortable, private space that could accommodate the needs of all our guests. The game reserve attracts a diverse clientele and is popular with both families and couples

To achieve this, two pools were constructed, one to the south and second larger pool to the north. Both pools are north west facing and are perched on the edge of the ridge overlooking the game reserve in the valley below while being linked by a common viewing deck and casual pool side bar serving delicious cocktails and light lunches.

The family pool consists of a 1,2 meter deep pool for children and a 300mm deep paddling pool for toddlers. Both pools are heated for all year round swimming. Gazebos made from latte and bluegum poles provide ample space to relax poolside while enjoying the breath taking views.

The larger pool consists of a 18 meter infinity pool and an adjacent hot tub and serves as both a lap pool and a space for couples to relax and enjoy a memorable sunset, cocktail in hand. An additional pool deck at a lower level is perfect for those sun worshippers wanting complete peace and privacy while at the same time offering excellent views of the activity at the nearby waterhole.

The indigenous gardens, berms and landscapes surrounding the pools have been carefully planted to attract local sunbirds and sugarbirds to the delight of pool patrons while low walls made from locally sourced stone provide secure access making the pool area safe for children.

Games Room and Lounge

Garden Route Game Lodge offers our young guests a variety of activities in our comfortable and laid back games room and lounge. Designed to provide choice entertainment and leisure, this facility is equipped with digital entertainment, table tennis, foosball, and a pool table.

Please note, this area is unsupervised.

Facilities include :

• Air Hockey Table
• Table Tennis
• Pool table
• Foosball
• Darts
• Board Games
• Netflix