June 24 Lowveld
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Safari<br />
on the<br />
Kariega<br />
Text Kym Argo<br />
It’s always the unexpected that keeps travelling exciting.<br />
And for those who’ve been on safari in South Africa, and<br />
think they’ve experienced everything, Sibuya Game<br />
Reserve in the Eastern Cape offers up a few surprises.<br />
Yes ... it’s a fusion of luxury and environmental<br />
awareness. Yip ... it’s home to the Big Five. And with<br />
almost 400 different species in the area, it really is a bird<br />
lover’s paradise.<br />
But it’s the country’s only game reserve that is only<br />
reached by boat ... boarded at the Sibuya reception near<br />
the Kariega river mouth in Kenton on Sea, you’ll take a<br />
leisurely cruise up the Kariega River Estuary. Depending<br />
on what you discover, the gentle cruise takes anything<br />
from 45 minutes to a little over an hour ... spotting longlegged<br />
Black-winged Stilts and gorgeous Sacred Ibis and<br />
brightly coloured Kingfishers and impressive Fish Eagles.<br />
It’s a gorgeous, relaxing way to kick off your Sibuya safari,<br />
which is one of the Cape Country Routes South Africa<br />
privately owned destinations.<br />
More of the unexpected. You will be offered early<br />
morning and evening game drives a day, but there are<br />
other options too ... fishing on the Kariega is hugely<br />
popular, either from the bank or from one of the small<br />
boats, there’s canoeing on the river, and you can opt for<br />
a beach walk as well as one in the bush. Excluded from<br />
the rates, but possible to book, are deep sea fishing<br />
excursions, and beach and reserve horse riding outings.<br />
Accommodation wise, there are a trio of choices ... two<br />
luxurious tented camps and an exclusive lodge. We<br />
stayed at Forest Camp ... where each of the eight tents,<br />
connected by wooden walkways, are private and well<br />
30 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>June</strong> 20<strong>24</strong><br />
concealed in the indigenous thicket. With king size beds<br />
and a surprisingly comfortable pull out sleeper divan, it’s<br />
a great option for those travelling with older children - no<br />
under 12s allowed. There’s also the River Camp, with four<br />
spacious tents, so great for a group of friends travelling<br />
together, and where younger children are welcome. Both<br />
camps are comfy, have fireplaces for chilly evenings, and<br />
have central living areas where guests gather for meals<br />
and game drives. The third option is the more luxurious<br />
thatched Bush Lodge, with four suites, personal viewing<br />
decks, indoor and outdoor showers and a swimming<br />
pool. Bush Lodge, unlike the other two camps, has<br />
electricity - and air-conditioning - in the rooms ... for Bush<br />
and River camps you rely on solar as they’re all about<br />
living off the grid and embracing sustainability.<br />
The area is lush, with Eastern Cape Valley bushveld,<br />
grasslands and coastal forests, so game is plentiful, and<br />
game drives thrilling with elephant, rhino, antelope,<br />
including the rare Bontebok and Oribi, and plenty of<br />
giraffe and zebra. On our visit the leopards lived up to<br />
their elusive title, but lion - in a separate, enclosed part of<br />
the reserve, were seen proudly strutting their king of the<br />
jungle stuff.<br />
Rates start at R4931 per person in low season, excluding<br />
Rhino Conservation Levies, including accommodation,<br />
all meals and local drinks, morning and evening game<br />
drives, boat transfers, fishing, canoeing and bush walking.<br />
Children under 2 stay free.<br />
Details: Sibuya on sibuya.co.za, Instagram @sibuya_game_<br />
reserve, Facebook SibuyaGameReserve. Cape Country Routes<br />
on capecountryroutes.com, Instagram @ capecountryroutes,<br />
Facebook @CapeCountryRoutes