Samara Karoo Reserve

Experience
born again wilderness
in South Africa’s
soulful Karoo

Learn to lose and find yourself in landscapes with limitless horizons, in over 67,000 acres of South African wilderness reaching across 5 biomes.

Restoring the landscape through rewilding and responsible tourism is Samara’s lifelong mission, and every guest contributes directly to the achievement of this vision.

Intimate lodges with a true sense of place invite you to explore this magical landscape on a safari with soul. Track endangered wildlife on foot, take part in hands-on conservation activities and fall asleep beneath sparkling skies on a romantic star bed nestled along the Milk River. Experience a reconnection with Nature and a heart-lifting vision of hope for the future.

Amenities at Samara Karoo Reserve

KAROO LODGE: Restored rustic farmstead sleeping 18. Authentic Karoo comfort and hospitality

THE MANOR: Elegant luxury villa sleeping 8. Stylish barefoot luxury with sole-use option

STAR BED: Romantic sleep-out under the stars

Unique dining experiences including bush dinners and wilderness picnics with regeneratively-produced local ingredients

Safari activities including game drives, bush walks, tracking lessons, fly camping and conservation projects.

21-metre infinity pool at the Manor

Amenities at Samara Karoo Reserve

hotel address

The Great Karoo, South Africa

closest airport

Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha)

from airport

2.5 hour drive

About the Location

Highlights & Activities

Track endangered wild cheetahs on foot

Meet Samara’s most famous residents and gain a privileged insight into their wild existence as they hunt, play, raise their young and navigate the spectacular landscape.

Contemplate life’s purpose beneath the African stars

Fall asleep under a canopy of stars to the sounds of wild Africa whilst nestled in the safe cocoon of Samara’s four-poster star bed. A romantic experience to take your breath away.

Learn to track like a Master

Join the students and graduates of Samara's on-site Tracker Academy who will lead you on an unforgettable walking safari to uncover the secrets of this diverse landscape.

Dine on top of the world

Spend the day on Samara’s mountain-top “Mara” and experience a picnic setting like no other, as wildebeest gambol past and lions roar in the distance.

Play your part in rewilding the landscape

Take a peek behind the scenes of Samara’s conservation journey and get your hands dirty assisting the reserve’s restoration, rewilding and regenerative agriculture efforts.

Samara is an award-winning journey to restore South Africa’s spectacular semi-arid Great Karoo region through rewilding and responsible tourism.

For more than two decades Samara has actively restored 67,000 acres of land to regenerate a landscape degraded by conventional farming. Notable conservation successes include reintroducing the first wild cheetah, lion, elephant and black rhinoceros back into the landscape in more than a century. Samara works with scientists to gauge the carbon sequestration potential of various restoration initiatives, from grasslands to Spekboom.

Samara partners with a number of local and international organisations on research projects, conservation programmes, and community initiatives. One of its partnerships is with SA College for Tourism for the establishment of the Tracker Academy, a one-year full-time course designed to educate passionate African naturalists. Samara is working with local stakeholders beyond its borders to create South Africa’s 3rd largest protected area in a Global Biodiversity Hotspot.

Moving beyond the traditional safari experience, Samara offers guests a backstage pass to its pioneering conservation work through hands-on conservation activities and personalized tours of its rewilding, restoration and regenerative agriculture projects.

The Karoo touch is reflected in Samara’s guest experience, architecture, guiding, hospitality and cuisine. Samara’s lodges are authentic farmsteads restored with traditional methods and materials, and replete with antiques and locally-crafted décor. 90% of the members of the Samara Team come from the local area.

Travel with Us

Tell us about yourself

Name

Age Range

How did you hear about Us?

Where did you hear about Us?

Your Personal Refferal

Where are you traveling from?

What are you most excited about exploring, celebrating, or enjoying during your trip

Tell us about your ideal trip

What Regions are you interested in traveling to?

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC REGENERATIVE RESORT IN MIND?

What is your preferred style of travel?

When are you interested in traveling?

Specific date you want to travel

How long of a trip are you interested in planning?

Who are you traveling with?

What style of accommodation do you prefer?

What is your trip budget?

I would like to receive the latest Regenerative Travel news and offerings.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Maecenas nisl sed dignissim libero ante sollicitudin. Felis tempor eget eget nascetur gravida.

International Women’s Day 2023: Key Lessons from Leading Women Striving to Further Regenerative Tourism

To mark International Women’s Day 2023, we caught up with some of the women leading the way in the travel industry, from hoteliers to travel advisors, to hear about their key learnings and what advice they want to impart on others working towards the paradigm shift to a more regenerative, climate-friendly approach to travel.

Insiders

International Women’s Day 2023: Key Lessons from Leading Women Striving to Further Regenerative Tourism

Impact

Permaculture, Surfing, and Slow Living at Ngalung Kalla: Life on Indonesia’s ‘Forgotten Island’

Worlds away from the swarming beaches of Bali, in Indonesia’s remote East Nusa Tenggara, lies the island of Sumba, fittingly dubbed the ‘forgotten island’. World-class surf, a strong Austronesian and Melanesian cultural identity of intrepid seafaring people, and untouched foliage make Sumba one of the last frontiers of true South East Asian wilderness.

Impact, Experience, Hotels

How to Combine Travel and Philanthropy, a Lesson From Jamaica

Committed to responsible travel since its opening in 1994, the boutique Rockhouse Hotel sits on Jamaica’s glistening Negril coast. It’s perched atop cliffs overlooking the aptly-named Pristine Cove, the same cliffs enjoyed by Bob Marley and The Rolling Stones in the 70s.

Insiders

International Women’s Day 2023: Key Lessons from Leading Women Striving to Further Regenerative Tourism

Impact

Permaculture, Surfing, and Slow Living at Ngalung Kalla: Life on Indonesia’s ‘Forgotten Island’

Impact, Experience, Hotels

How to Combine Travel and Philanthropy, a Lesson From Jamaica

Impact

The Rise of Regenerative Hospitality

“Regeneration” is going to be one of the main keywords of 2023. Within the rise of the regenerative economy, Regenerative Hospitality is predicted to have a dramatic impact on the industry. We hear from Dr Alessandro Inversini, Associate Professor in Marketing at EHL Hospitality Business School, who discusses his research and findings in the field of Regenerative Hospitality.