Quatermain’s Safari Camp: Classic Expedition-Style Safari Experience

Quatermain’s Safari Camp is set within the spectacular Amakhala Game Reserve (Big Five territory), located between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown in South Africa’s malaria-free Eastern Cape.

Born from over twenty years of passion and hands-on experience in the safari industry, Quatermain’s 1920s-style Safari Camp offers an intimate, rustic escape. This 3-star graded expedition camp features authentic tented accommodation, each with its own en-suite bathroom, while game drives take place in the award-winning Amakhala Game Reserve.

The philosophy behind Quatermain’s is to recreate the romance and spirit of early African safaris, paired with exceptional wildlife encounters. This small, exclusive camp delivers a truly atmospheric experience—featuring private wood-fired hot tubs, candlelit dining under the stars, crackling campfires, and exhilarating safari drives through Big Five country.

Daily Game Drives with Expert Guides

The Amakhala Game Reserve is home to an impressive variety of wildlife, including elephant, giraffe, rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo, cheetah, wildebeest, zebra, and many other species.

Guests enjoy twice-daily guided game drives lasting 3–4 hours, departing directly from camp. These experiences are led by highly skilled and knowledgeable rangers who bring the landscape and its wildlife to life through expert interpretation and storytelling.

Julie and Riaan Brand warmly invite guests to step away from the pressures of modern life and immerse themselves in the charm and adventure of a bygone safari era.

Location

Travel along the N2 from Port Elizabeth toward Grahamstown. Roughly halfway between the two cities—about 68 km from Port Elizabeth—turn left at the Amakhala Carnarvon Dale sign. After entering the reserve gate, continue approximately 1.5 km to Carnarvon Dale Lodge, where vehicles are safely parked before guests are transferred to camp.

Authentic Expedition-Style Tented Camp

The central thatched boma forms the heart of the camp, where traditional meals are prepared over an open fire and served beneath a canopy of stars. Every detail has been designed to preserve the feel of a classic safari expedition, with modern comforts carefully integrated—most notably the en-suite bathrooms.

The spacious colonial-style canvas tents provide comfort while maintaining an authentic bush atmosphere.

Relax in your private wood-fired hot tub and you may spot bushbuck nearby or hear the distinctive call of the African fish eagle overhead. At night, the sounds of the wilderness surround you—jackals calling in the distance, the haunting song of the fiery-necked nightjar, the occasional screech of a barn owl, and, if you are fortunate, the powerful roar of lions across the reserve.

At Quatermain’s, the aim is to fully immerse guests in the natural world, leaving them refreshed, inspired, and with a deeper appreciation of Africa’s wildlife and wilderness.

The Safari Experience

Guests enjoy thrilling Big Five safari experiences within the malaria-free Amakhala Game Reserve.

Twice-daily game drives, lasting 3–4 hours each, depart directly from camp and are led by experienced rangers who share in-depth knowledge of the ecosystem, animal behaviour, and conservation efforts.

Beyond game drives, guests may also take part in guided bush walks and specialist birding walks, offering a closer look at the smaller, often overlooked elements of the environment.

Wildlife in the Reserve

Amakhala Game Reserve is uniquely positioned where five of South Africa’s seven biomes converge, creating one of the most biologically diverse landscapes in the region. This exceptional ecological variety supports a rich abundance of wildlife.

Possible sightings include lion, African elephant, black rhino, buffalo, leopard, hippopotamus, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, brown hyena, aardvark, aardwolf, porcupine, bat-eared fox, chacma baboon, and vervet monkey.

The reserve is also home to an extensive range of antelope species, such as eland, greater kudu, waterbuck, gemsbok, red hartebeest, blesbok, black wildebeest, bushbuck, impala, mountain reedbuck, springbok, common duiker, Cape grysbok, and blue duiker.