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Getting to Samara

Samara is located in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, 53km south-east of Graaff-Reinet, the country's 4th oldest town.

Despite its feeling of remoteness, Samara is easily accessible by air and by road. The closest main airport is in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), which is serviced daily with flights to/from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. International guests traveling directly to Samara will need to fly into Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban from abroad before transferring to Port Elizabeth on a local flight.

250km from Gqeberha

Road access

Once in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), guests can rent a car at the airport and self-drive to Samara. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended. The journey takes 2.5 hours to Samara's main entrance gate, with a further 15-18.4 km on an unpaved dirt road (distance dependent on which lodge you are driving to). This is a government road with some corrugation and potholes, especially after rain, and it is necessary to drive slowly on this section.

Directions from Gqeberha

A gate code will be provided in your pre-arrival communications. Please call Reception on +27 (0)49 940 0059 or +27 (0)49 8910 880 once you reach the first gate to tell us that you are on the reserve. You will lose cellphone reception shortly after the first gate.

Travel time to Samara entrance gate by road:

Plane taking off from gravel airstrip, Samara Private Game Reserve, Great Karoo, South Africa

Fly into our private airstrip

Air access

Should you want to fly directly into the Karoo, there are several options available. Samara has a 1.5km gravel airstrip for direct air access to the reserve in a charter plane. We can give you the contact details of reliable charter companies that operate across South Africa. The airstrip is a 20 minute drive from the lodges. The nearby town of Graaff-Reinet has a 1.5km tarred runway with landing lights. A charter road transfer can then be made to Samara (60 min).

Travel time to Samara by air:

Main road in Graaff-Reinet. Photo by South African Tourism

If you have time to explore

Why not make a roadtrip of it?

Samara is ideally situated within driving distance of two of South Africa’s most renowned attractions: the Garden Route and the Cape Winelands, and within the country’s serene and beautiful heartland, the Karoo. Why not explore our beautiful country at your own pace by taking a roadtrip? Our Reservations team can assist with recommendations on where to stay and how to plan your route.

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King Suite at The Manor, Samara Private Game Reserve, Great Karoo, South Africa

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Pool at The Manor, Samara Private Game Reserve, Great Karoo, South Africa
Karoo Lodge

-32.353954, 24.861091

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A five-star family-friendly lodge sleeping up to 24 people.

The Manor

-32.391615,24.856976

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A five-star exclusive-use villa sleeping 8 people.

First Entrance Gate

-32.440569, 24.734790

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Second Gate (double gate)

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