If you are flying into Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) or finishing a trip along the Garden Route, you do not have to travel far for a Big 5 safari. Kwantu Private Game Reserve is about an hour’s drive from Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport, in the malaria-free Eastern Cape, between Gqeberha and Makhanda (Grahamstown).

A private Big 5 reserve, an hour from the city

Kwantu is a 6,000-hectare private game reserve where the Big 5 roam free: lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard, along with giraffe, hippo, zebra, wildebeest, kudu and many other species. Game drives are guided by our rangers in open safari vehicles, so you can sit back, watch and take photographs while someone who knows the reserve does the finding.

Stay inside the reserve

Every Kwantu lodge is inside the reserve, so the safari starts the moment you arrive. There is no daily drive in and out through a gate. Choose from:

• Pollards Inn, Luxury Bush Lodge, Elephant Ridge and Lions View Villa – from family rooms to a private villa
• Buffalo Plains – 13 new suites, opening November 2026

Overnight stays include meals and two game drives per night, so the price you see covers the safari itself, not just the room.

Short on time? Come for the day

If you only have a day in Gqeberha, a day visit includes a game drive and a meal at the reserve, and you are back in the city the same evening. It is a popular option for business travellers, cruise passengers and families visiting the Eastern Cape.

Why choose a safari near Gqeberha

• Malaria-free – no anti-malaria medication needed, which suits young children and expectant mothers.
• Close to an airport – about an hour by road, with direct flights to Gqeberha from Johannesburg and Cape Town.
• Easy to add to a trip – one or two nights fit neatly at the start or end of a Garden Route or Eastern Cape itinerary.
• All-inclusive overnight stays – meals and game drives are included.

Getting to Kwantu

Kwantu is about an hour from Gqeberha on good tarred roads. Directions are sent with your booking confirmation; ask our reservations team if you need help with transfers. See our map and directions for details.

Plan your safari

See our rates and packages, book a day visit, or contact our reservations team on +27 87 729 8423 or reservations@kwantu.co.za. You may also like: Malaria-free safari in South Africa and Safari on the Garden Route.