One of the largest private reserves (28 000 hectares/70 000
acres) in South Africa, Samara has a wonderful sense of space,
a reminder of the insignificance of humans in the vast beauty
of the Karoo.
The reserve encompasses the southern flank of the Sneeuberg
mountain range and Karoo Lodge sits below the escarpment. Samara
is 55km outside Graaff-Reinet, the fourth oldest town in South
Africa, full of charm and history as well as shops, museums,
restaurants and friendly people. Just 258km from Port Elizabeth,
a city with good transportation links, Samara can be accessed
by air, rail and road.
Location and Topography
The reserve is both below and on top of the southern portion
of the Karoo Mountain Complex, which is, in turn, part of the
Great Escarpment. The mountains of the reserve are represented
by the Tandjiesberg (1 424 m) on the extreme western boundary,
the Aasvoelberg (1 379 m) in the centre of the reserve, Spioenkop
(1 450 m) on the northeastern boundary and the Bouershoek (1
390 m) on the eastern part of the reserve. The reserve is separated
North/South by the Apieskloof/Melkriver drainage system. In
the southwestern and southeastern parts of the reserve, there
are extensive flat Karoo plains characteristic of the Camdeboo
area.
Winter Months
The Karoo experiences a short winter of between May and September.
During these months temperatures are between a minimum of 0°C
and a midday maximum of 20°C. We advise you bring a very
warm jacket and warm clothing for the game drives which all
take place on open safari vehicles. It is advisable to bring
some light clothing as the temperature can rise considerably
during the day.
Summer Months
The summer in the Karoo can be extremely hot with temperatures
reaching over 35°C! We recommend light-weight clothing for
daywear but also include a few warmer items as the evenings
can become quite chilly, dropping to lows of 10°C.
Malaria Free
The area is free from malaria and other tropical diseases.
