The Eastern Cape is perhaps more famous for frontier wars and a wild coast than the Big Five, but anew breed of reserves is making the elbow of the East Coast a wonderful place to spend some time with the wild and woollies.

Why go?
Kruger-fans might squeal that the Eastern Cape simply can't compare to the Lowveld, but there is one thing that brings many safari-suited tourists to the region: malaria. Or, more precisely, the lack of it, as the Eastern Cape is entirely malaria-free, so no nasty tablets needed.

What's more, it's the perfect book-end to a Garden Route road-trip. Start in Cape Town and head east, ending off with a superb safari before jetting home. No more flights up north, no airport transfers and more time to spend relaxing in the bush. Nice.

How to get there:
Getting there is dead easy. The quickest way is to jet into Port Elizabeth, which is served by a number of airlines. From there a hire car or transfer can have you in the bush in under an hour.

If you're driving, it's as simple as following your nose along the N2, or heading inland for the gorgeous Karoo reserves.

Where to stay:
Within a few hours of Port Elizabeth you have a herd of options for a safari escape, from self-catering in national parks to five-star escapism that would make Sol Kerzner blush. Where you land on the scale depends only on the depth of your pockets.

If you're watching your pennies in 2009, then the Addo Elephant National Park (www.sanparks.org/parks/addo) is perhaps your best bet.

First proclaimed in 1931, when only 11 elephants in the area had escaped the hunters' rifles, today this delicate ecosystem is home to over 450 elephants, along with Cape buffalo, black rhino and a wide variety of antelope species. The park is home to a few luxury lodge concessions, but there is also affordable self-catering available at five camps spread across the park

Don't forget that no citrus fruits are allowed into Addo, as the pachyderms are partial to peeling a few themselves. Leave those naartjies at home or you may find a friendly trunk asking you to share!

Further north at Samara Private Game Reserve (www.samara.co.za) you won't find any elephants stealing your fruit salad, but you might get the beady eye from a cheetah. The pride and joy of Mark and Sarah Tompkins, Samara occupies a vast chunk of the magnificent Plains of Camdeboo, a quick dash (if you're a cheetah) from Graaff-Reinet and the gorgeous Valley of Desolation.

Game drives out into the 70 000-acre reserve will introduce you to Sibella and the dozen or so cheetah that share this wilderness with buffalo, rhino and antelope. Home for you, however, will be one of the luxury suites at the homely Karoo Lodge. If you're travelling in a group, the exclusive-use Manor House allows you to call the shots, with a personal ranger and chef on hand.

Personal attention is also what you'll find at Kichaka Private Game Lodge (www.kichaka.co.za), a short way outside historic Grahamstown. The 7500 hectare reserve covers five biomes, and offers sightings of everything from lion, rhino and buffalo to cheetah, elephant and large herds of plains game. Along with the elusive leopard it's a Big Five experience just minutes from the N2. Cosmic safaris with the lodge's high-powered telescope are another highlight.

That's presuming you can tear yourself away from the dinner table. Meals are a highlight at the well-priced Kichaka, allowing you to choose between private dining in your suite, an outdoor boma dinner or a formal occasion in the lodge.

Sated and starry-eyed, you'll wander through the bush to one of just 10 romantic stone and thatch suites simply perfect for honeymooners. With sliding doors letting the outside in and your own private plunge pool, you'll feel like the king (or queen) of the jungle.

You won't find any lions prowling round the braai at Temba Game Reserve (www.afritemba.com), although Big Five drives can be arranged at neighbouring reserves.

What you will find is a peaceful slice of African bush, and a historic house to survey it from - the farmhouse that is now home to Olive Park Lodge was where Piet Retief laid his head in the early 1800s.

He chose well and today the seven luxury suites on offer come with all the mod-cons, making it an excellent stop on the road from Grahamstown to the coast.

Heading inland, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve (www.andbeyond.com) offers the Big Five and more in and around the Great Fish River.

Once the site of fierce Frontier Wars, the lands of Kwandwe – which means 'Place of the Blue Crane' in isiXhosa - are more peaceful nowadays, grazed by creatures great and small.

The reserve boasts four unique lodges, catering for everyone from honeymooners to families.

Set on the river banks, the Great Fish River Lodge has fantastic wilderness vistas, while at the funky Ecca Lodge all eyes will be on the chic, modern décor. The gracious Uplands Homestead is set in a remote tranquil valley where you can escape from the excited chatter of children at the family-friendly Melton Manor, hired out for exclusive-use.

Last, but not least, the Grand Dame of Eastern Cape safaris deserves a mention.

Shamwari Game Reserve (www.shamwari.com) dates back to 1992, when local businessman Adrian Gardiner bought out dried-up farms and transformed the scarred landscape to the wilderness it is today. The reserve offers seven unique lodges spread across the property, from the colonial comfort of Long Lee Manor to the Afro-chic Lobengula Manor and safari-in-style tents of Bayethe Lodge.

The reserve also boasts four separate spa facilities, and is home to two Big Cat Sanctuaries run in partnership with the Born Free Foundation. With a mantlepiece full of awards it's no surprise that this iconic Eastern Cape reserve draws visitors from far and wide. So what are you waiting for?

» Originall published in Out There Travel; Autumn 2009

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