Samara Karoo Reserve

WHY VISIT SAMARA KAROO RESERVE

Samara sits in the Great Karoo, which has been referred to as South Africa’s “soul space” – a unique landscape with cultural significance in true “big sky country”

Samara is in the path of once famous 19th century Springbok migration which was larger than that of the Serengeti

Guests are invited behind the scenes to participate in conservation activities and become part of Samara’s restoration journey. This may take the form of Spekboom planting or wildlife translocations

Unrivalled cheetah viewing with heart-stoppingly beautiful backdrops – cheetah were re-introduced after over a century and can now be safely viewed on foot from a respectful distance

Night drives with Aardvark, Bat-eared Fox, Spring-hare and other nocturnal denizens

The first Lion, African Elephant and Black Rhinoceros reintroduced into the area after a century

Fellow member of The Long Run

BELLINGHAM SAFARIS SUSTAINABLE LODGE PARTNER:

In 1997 Mark and Sarah Tompkins purchased 11 farms, removed the livestock, dropped fences and rested the land for almost a decade. Then came the task of eradicating water-guzzling alien vegetation. Little by little the area has been re-wilded with indigenous wildlife, including the first cheetah in 125 years, the first elephant in 150 years, and the first lion in 180 years. This is an active and ongoing restoration project where the unique semi-arid Karoo habitat is being rehabilitated through sound land management practice, including soil erosion control and the planting of indigenous vegetation. In an area previously unknown to the South African public, let alone the international market, Samara have campaigned tirelessly to put the Great Karoo on the map. Samara is a lifelong legacy project for the Tompkins family, and a project worth supporting. Their long-term vision includes creating South Africa’s 3rd largest protected area that extends beyond their borders along centuries old game paths.