Shamwari Private Game Reserve, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province, has completed the first phase of a $25 million upgrade, opening two newly-refurbished lodges – Eagles Crag Lodge and Riverdene Family Lodge.
Eagles Crag has a new viewing deck which incorporates a fire pit and two private dining pods, and elevates guests above the forest canopy, while the individual dining pods are perfect for couples.
On the ground floor, the refurbished lodge now also offers an entertainment lounge, complete with billiard table and gym.
The spa facilities have been upgraded and new international brands, Babor and Elemis, have been introduced.
The nine stand-alone suites, each of which sleeps two, have been extensively upgraded. Luxurious interiors open onto private decks in the forest.
Each suite has both interior bathrooms and outside showers, and a heated plunge pool.
Riverdene Family Lodge has been almost entirely re-built.
The nine rooms are ideal for multi-generational families.
All rooms are interconnecting, allowing for family time during the day and privacy for adults at night.
The family-orientated design extends outside with a fully-supervised outdoor children’s adventure playground.
Adults can enjoy the poolside bar area, lounge and restaurant, which looks out over a nearby waterhole.
The next phase of the project includes renovating the historic manor house, Long Lee Manor, and extensively re-building the contiguous accommodation to provide18 luxury suites.
A new flagship luxury tented camp is also being built.
The entire upgrade programme is expected to be completed by November.